The Hannah Frankman Podcast

Philosopher Matt Bateman and co-founder of Higher Ground Montessori discusses the Montessori approach, its origins, and its place in alternative education. They explore motivating children, creating conducive learning environments, and controversial educational topics like homeschooling and unschooling. They also discuss the need for educational innovation and the intersection of education and culture.

Henrik Karlsson, an essayist and author of the insightful Substack Escaping Flatland, shares his expertise on education and childhood. He delves into Sweden’s unique culture of popular education and how similar models exist in the U.S. The conversation uncovers common traits among exceptional historical figures, offering parenting tips to nurture future innovators. Additionally, they explore the duality of group versus solo learning and the transformative impact of the internet on modern education. Join them to uncover effective strategies for lifelong learning.

Jennifer Sey is an American author, filmmaker, business executive and retired artistic gymnast. She was the 1986 USA Gymnastics National Champion, and a 7-time member of the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sey’s first memoir, "Chalked Up," was released in 2008 and detailed the coaching cruelty inflicted on children in the sport of gymnastics. She also produced the 2020 Emmy award-winning documentary film, "Athlete A," which connected the crimes of Larry Nassar to broader abuses in the Olympic movement. Sey began working at Levi Strauss & Co. in 1999, rising to Chief Marketing Officer and then Global Brand President. In January 2022, she was asked to resign because of her public opposition to the extended closure of San Francisco’s public schools. Her most recent memoir, “Levi’s Unbuttoned,” tells the inspirational story of her corporate career, search for authenticity, and ultimate refusal to bow to the woke mob. In this episode, we talk about Jennifer’s history of speaking out against injustices even when the world wasn't ready to hear it; from the toxic environment of the gymnastics community to the effect of the Covid lockdown on kids. We explore the value of speaking your truth and standing by your values despite what the "consequences" might be. We also talk about Jennifer’s views on public education, how she is raising her children to be independent thinkers, and an exciting film she is currently working on. Chapters 0:00 - Jennifer Sey 3:00 - How Jennifer became involved in education 8:30 - The negative effects that Covid had on public education 19:00 - Why it’s important to stand with your values 32:30 - Why Jennifer decided to stand by her word despite risks of losing her job 36:30 - Jennifer’s history as a gymnast and speaking out against the toxic culture of youth gymnastics 57:30 - Why Jennifer chose to send her kids to public school and her opinion on public schooling in general 1:04:30 - How have Jennifer’s experiences over the last few years changed the way she talks to and prepares her children for the future 1:11:00 - Encouraging your kids to be brave and think independently 1:13:30 - The genesis of Jennifer’s new documentary, Generation Covid If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Resources Zero Dropouts Films | Generation Covid & Athlete A Connect with Jennifer Sey Twitter | @jennifersey Website | seyeverything.com Substack | www.seyeverything.com/jennifer-sey#substack Connect with Hannah Frankman: Twitter | @hannahfrankman Website | http://hannahfrankman.com Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Michael Strong, an experienced veteran of alternative education, shares his passion for alternative schooling, the public education crisis, creating socratic environments, and raising thriving children. They discuss the subculture of homeschooling, the differences between Socratic and classical education, and the importance of personalized education for lifelong happiness. They also explore alternative models of education, the significance of student agency, and the advantages of running an online school in the post-COVID era.

Jonny Anomaly was previously a lecturer at Duke University and the head of the Politics, Philosophy, and Economics Department at the University of Pennsylvania before leaving academia for good. He is currently the Academic Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, & Economics in Quito, Ecuador. Most of his recent writing focuses on exploring the social implications of emerging reproductive technologies, particularly embryo selection for polygenic traits. In this episode, we discuss Jonny's experience with teaching training at Columbia and what he learned about the state of education training during his time there. We also address the current issues in universities, including the ideological takeover of the past decade and its effects on society at large. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of philosophy, rationality, and critical thinking, and explore ways to encourage the development of these traits. Chapters: 0:00 - Jonny Anomaly 2:30 - Jonny's experience in the field of education 6:30 - The structure of education, schooling, and teacher's college 10:30 - When Johnny realized he wanted to change careers 13:30 - The changing landscape of educational institutions 21:30 - How has the value of a college degree changed? Should students pursue a degree? 31:30 - How do we encourage children to become free thinkers? 39:30 - How much regulation should there be for homeschooling? 50:30 - Why could fewer men going to college be a problem for college in general? 56:00 - What are the best alternatives to college? 59:30 - The power of disagreement and challenging your beliefs 1:06:30 - Why it's so important to follow your interests and how it can help you stand out 1:12:00 - What are the gaps that emerge from being an intellectual on the Internet? 1:16:30 - How can we cultivate critical thinking? 1:21:10 - How to connect with Jonny If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Case Against Education - Brian Caplin Darwin’s Dangerous Idea - Daniel C. Dennett The Mating Mind - Geoffrey Miller Connect with Jonny Anomaly: Website | https://jonathan-anomaly.com/ Connect with Hannah Frankman: Twitter | @hannahfrankman Website | http://hannahfrankman.com Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Michael Gibson, cofounder of venture capital fund 1517, discusses backing young people without college, research on effective learning, encouraging concern for world problems, and the impact of a philosophical mindset in innovation. They also touch on the flaws of the education system, the debate on whether college is dead, the future of energy, inspiring young minds, risk-taking and entrepreneurship, and the intersection of philosophy and tech startups.

Welcome to the Hannah Frankman Podcast! This week we have my friend Razib Khan on the podcast. Razib is a geneticist, writer, and currently works at the biotech firm, ⁠Genrait⁠ as CXO. He has written for publications that include ⁠The New York Times⁠, ⁠City Journal⁠, ⁠India Today⁠, ⁠National Review⁠, ⁠Slate⁠, ⁠Unheard⁠, ⁠Quillette⁠, ⁠Nautilus⁠ & ⁠The Guardian⁠, on a broad range of topics. In this episode, Razib and I dive into the genetics of redheads. Are redheads genetic mutants?! Are redheads less pain-tolerant, more fiery tempered, going extinct?! Is there any scientific grounding to these statements? We also explore the cultural stereotypes and “side-effects” of red-heads and indicators that an individual might carry the redhead gene. Chapters: 0:00 - Razib Khan 3:00 - The gene structure of redheads 10:40 - Why do redheads have so many freckles? 14:00 - The benefits of lighter and darker skin 19:00 - The “categories” of gingers and how the genes are expressed in the body 27:00 - Where did the redhead “mutation” come from? 36:00 - What cultures and groups are known for having red hair? 46:30 - Are redheads going extinct? 51:50 - What are the stereotypes and "side effects" of being a redhead? 1:10:00 - Do redheads have a lower pain tolerance? 1:19:30 - Differences between recessive and additive traits 1:24:30 - Indicators that you might carry the redhead gene 1:28:40 - Is there any relationship between red hair and IQ? If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ & ⁠Spotify⁠ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: ⁠Udmurts⁠ Connect with Razib Khan Website | ⁠https://www.razib.com/bio/wordpress/⁠ Connect with Hannah Frankman: Twitter | ⁠@hannahfrankman⁠ Website | ⁠http://hannahfrankman.com⁠ Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

David Perell is an educator, writer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the online writing school Write of Passage, where he teaches students to think, write, and communicate with clarity and impact. David is also the host of the North Star Podcast, where he interviews fascinating people and explores innovative ideas. Through his work, David has become a leading thinker on topics such as education, creativity, and the future of work. In this episode, we dive into what makes an effective online course, the dynamics behind curating incredible online experiences, and how he draws inspiration from visual artists and electronic music artists like Madeon and Porter Robinson to create his online education courses. David also shares his thoughts on digital branding, the future of learning, and the changes he hopes to see in K-12 education.  Chapters: 0:00 - David Perell 2:00 - What makes an effective online course, experience, or cohort? 14:30 - The operations and team dynamics behind curating incredible experiences 20:00 - How David draws inspirations from other artists 28:00 - The logic behind David’s branding 34:00 - Why is David invested in education and what is the future of learning? 44:00 - How to turn potential energy into kinetic energy 59:00 - What David hopes to see change in K-12 education If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Connect with David Perell Twitter | @david_perell Website | https://perell.com/ Connect with Hannah Frankman: Twitter | @hannahfrankman Website | http://hannahfrankman.com Follow along for onversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Ed Latimore is a retired professional heavyweight boxer, writer, and speaker. Ed has written several books, including "Not Caring What Other People Think Is a Superpower," and “Sober Letters to My Drunken Self”. Ed is prolific on Twitter, has a degree in physics, and is a competitive chess player... a true Renaissance Man. In this episode, we talk about Ed’s recent journey into fatherhood, his upbringing in the Pittsburgh Public School System and the power of taking risks and learning from mistakes. We also dive into the current landscape of education, the value of school choice, and how we can better serve today’s students by inspiring a love for learning. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 7:40 - How having a child changes your perspective on the world. 9:00 - How your actions influence others, even those you’ve never met. 12:00 - Nature vs. Nurture: How to overcome nature. 20:30 - Ed’s experience in Pittsburgh Public Schools and how it shaped his future. 33:00 - The benefits of school choice and the differences between public and private schools. 45:00 - What are the most effective ways to support kids in underserved neighborhoods? 50:00 - How do we inspire a love of learning in kids? 1:01:30 - How processing and consuming information has changed in the age of the internet. 1:13:00 - The power of letting yourself be wrong, learning from mistakes, and taking risks. 1:23:00 - Ed and Hannah’s experience being bullied as kids and how it shaped him. 1:29:00 - How Ed plans to support his son's education. If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Connect with Ed Latimore: Twitter | @EdLatimore Instagram | @edlatimore Website | https://edlatimore.com/ Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/@EdLatimore1 Connect with Hannah Frankman: Twitter | @hannahfrankman Website | http://hannahfrankman.com Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Connor Boyack is an author, speaker, and advocate for educational freedom. He is the founder and president of Libertas Institute, a public policy think tank in Utah, and is also the author of 40 books, including his new book Mediocrity and the popular Tuttle Twins series for children. Connor has been a leading voice in the homeschooling movement, working to reform laws and regulations to expand educational choice for families. Connor is passionate about helping individuals and families discover their unique paths to success and fulfillment through self-directed learning and personal responsibility. In this episode we talk about the genesis of Connor’s new book, Mediocrity, all the ways Connor is helping to create change in the education system on a policy level, and his mission to empower parents to deliver an amazing education to their kids at home. Connor offers some great insight and encouragement on how we can make learning fun for kids, help them find their passion and purpose, and set them up to thrive in the 21st century. Throughout the episode, Connor mentions a wealth of resources related to homeschooling, all of which are linked in the “Resources” section below. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Introduction to Connor and his work 5:30 - Tips on discovering your path early in life 6:00 - The inspiration behind Connor's new book 12:00 - Encouraging parents to explore alternative education options instead of settling for the status quo 18:30 - Education models and systems that Connor finds exciting 25:00 - Connor's role in reforming homeschooling laws in Utah 27:15 - Resources available to parents interested in homeschooling but unsure of how to start 29:00 - Strategies for managing time and attention to maximize productivity and impact 42:00 - The value of entrepreneurial and profit-driven learning 51:00 - The importance of taking responsibility and not blindly trusting systems 58:00 - Criticisms of the Federal Reserve and its impact on the economy If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Libertas Institute HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) spn.org The Bitcoin Standard connorboyack.com Tuddletwins.com Connect with Connor Boyack: Twitter | @cboyack bio.link | https://bio.link/cboyack Connect with Hannah Frankman: Twitter | @hannahfrankman Website | http://hannahfrankman.com Follow along for onversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.