The Well-Trained Mind podcast

Exploring different historical interpretations like Marxist, providential, and positivist history. Discussing teaching history at different educational stages, emphasizing developing critical thinking skills. Resources for teaching historical thinking skills and engaging with diverse historical perspectives.

Susan and Susanna discuss navigating problematic content in children's literature, including racial stereotypes and misogyny. They explore the importance of critically engaging with classic books, such as 'Little House on the Prairie' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. The chapter highlights the significance of addressing prejudice and outdated attitudes in classic literature, advocating for open conversations with children.

Summary: In this episode, Susan and Susanna are joined by Julie Bogart, the founder of the Brave Writer program. Susan and Julie compare their different approaches to teaching writing and discuss which approach might work best for different types of students. Show Notes: Writing With Ease Brave Writer Julie Bogart’s Books: The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning and LifeRaising Critical Thinkers  (00:00) - Intro with Julie Bogart of Brave Writer (07:29) - A perfect segue story (10:20) - The basic philosophy of Brave Writer (13:26) - Comparing and contrasting WTM and BW (20:37) - An example of an inappropriate writing assignment and a fix! (23:33) - The pressure to come up with original content (27:57) - How to deal with writing-terrified parents (33:26) - What are we going to do about AI? (37:25) - Listener question: Left brain vs right brain thinkers? (42:31) - Wrapping up

In this episode, Susan and Susanna discuss Susan’s classical approach to teaching writing across all three stages of a classical education. Apologies, Susanna’s audio was a bit messed up in this episode! Show Notes: The Current State of Writing InstructionSusan’s Youtube video on teaching writing: Teaching Writing, Stage by StageA Plan for Teaching Writing: Grades K-12, Audio WorkshopThe Complete Writer (Our recommended writing program by Susan)

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In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett discuss creating a positive learning environment for young children, before formal education begins. Our Top Recommendations for Preschool Curricula: Preschool Math at Home by Kate Snow The Toddler Busy Book by Trish Kuffner Complete Daily Curriculum for Early Childhood by Pam Schiller and Patt Phipps (00:00) - Intro (00:14) - Welcome to Season 2! (plus a little Season 1 recap) (00:43) - The Nuts and Bolts of Classical Education (01:28) - What Classical Education looks like before the grammar stage (06:50) - The preschool years at a brain development level (09:15) - The preschool years at a physical development level (11:40) - Laying out some basic principles (11:50) - Don't push into formal education activities (12:44) - Create and environment for reading, math, and thinking (21:27) - If your child does want to do school (24:24) - How to create a learning environment (24:58) - Don't confuse entertainment with education (27:50) - Encourage drawing counter-clockwise circles (29:15) - Incorporate counting into everyday life (31:16) - Talk! (and listen!) (34:21) - Read read read! (38:23) - What your kid should know before 1st grade (42:31) - Outro

The podcast discusses the challenges of teaching virtue, explores the four cardinal virtues of classical education - temperance, prudence, courage, and justice, and emphasizes the importance of developing virtue in children. It also touches upon the role of parenting in character development and the impact of modeling behavior. The podcast concludes with a discussion on creating a safe environment for middle school students and the limits of teaching virtue.

Show notes: Rethinking School by Susan Wise Bauer How to Homeschool the Kids You Have – the book Courtney co-authored Courtney’s Podcast: Modern Classical Education Podcast (name recently changed to Kitchen Table Homeschool Podcast) The Well-Trained Mind Forums Study mentioned in the Episode: The Baseball Study (1988) Summary of The Baseball StudyFurther Reading: WWE and students with Dyslexia/DysgraphiaSentence diagramming with dysgraphiaTimestamps

Summary: In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett chat with Keith Nix, the Head of School for Veritas School in Richmond, VA. They discuss the differences between classical education in a home school setting versus a school setting as well as the challenges of making classical education accessible to all students. Show notes: Veritas School Website Potential Questions to Ask Before Enrolling in a Classical School: How do you adapt for students who come in at different levels or are on different developmental paths? What are your strategies? How do you ensure that students are known by their teachers and by your administrators? Can we talk to a family or two who were new here last year? How can I afford this school? What is your financial model? How often can kids go outside? Do teachers have power to create breaks? (particularly for younger children)What is the philosophy of discipline? What is the emphasis on athletics? How much attention are you giving to the arts? What are your aspirations for the future? What are your faculty attrition rates? What are your student attrition rates? How does the governance of the school function? How does the board of the school relate to the head of school? Who is on the board? How many are related to the founder? What is your philosophy around grading? Timestamps:(00:00) - Intro (02:38) - Pros and challenges of classical education at home vs in an institutional setting (21:50) - How to make classical education more accessible to more families (32:57) - How do non-traditional schools help with growing classical education (39:50) - Red flags to look out for when finding a classical school (48:29) - Questions to ask when you visit a classical education institution (53:38) - One last question (55:10) - Outro AND ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Show notes: Dr. Prather’s WebsiteDr. Anika's Suggested Authors to Include in Your Study of the Cannon: Octavia Butler Anna Julia Cooper James Baldwin Martin Luther King Corretta Scott King Ralph EllisonRichard Wright Alain Locke Langston Hughes Carter G. Woodson Other Harlem Renaissance Author Timestamps:(00:00) - Intro with Dr. Anika Prather (02:22) - Is there Eurocentrism in classical education? (09:01) - Finding a better word than "eurocentrism" (12:33) - Marxist philosophy in classical education (15:42) - How to get to synthesis (38:58) - Classical education is understanding the human condition (43:02) - Wrapping up (43:21) - Outro