Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On this episode of Anchored, Kimberly is joined by Sarah Mackenzie, the author of Teaching from Rest and The Read Aloud Family and the host of the Read Aloud Revival podcast. The two discuss the definition of curriculum, the importance of a restful demeanor in establishing a love of learning, and tips for homeschooling families that find themselves trying to do it all. Mackenzie also emphasizes the importance of diligent over rigorous education and the merits of families that read aloud, a movement she is further bolstering with her boutique publishing company, Waxwing Books. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Erin Valdez, Policy Director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and member of the CLT Board of Academic Advisors. The two discuss Valdez’s experience growing up as a homeschooled student in the eighties and how educational policy affected her experience. She also cites Albert Cheng’s research, as explored in last week’s episode, and the reality of declining literacy despite a proliferation of new reading strategies. Valdez also warns about the dangers of young men disengaging from education and the workforce, looking at the ways a balanced education reinforces the virtue of work. She leaves listeners with tips on picking the right college and a reformed philosophy on “useless” majors. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Albert Cheng, professor at the Department of Education Reform in the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. The two discuss Cheng’s recently published research study that captures and evaluates the growth in charter school enrollment and how it is even greater in classical charter schools. They also explore additional results from surveying parents on educational values and education. Cheng also predicts future policy implementation that could arise from these findings. 

On this episode of Anchored, our Vice President of Partnerships Soren Schwab is joined by Dr. David Alexander, Vice President of Academic Affairs and a professor of philosophy at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. The two discuss Dr. Alexander's educational and spiritual journey and how it revealed to him the necessity and value of the liberal arts. They also explore what makes the liberal arts truly “liberating” and the subsequent danger of a hyper-focused, fragmented education geared toward merely acquiring skills. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Dr. Matthew Bianco, the Chief Operations Officer for the CiRCE Institute and a head mentor in the CiRCE Apprenticeship Program. He is also the author of Letters to My Sons: A Humane Vision for Human Relationships. He discusses how he discovered classical education after attending public school and serving in the U.S. Air Force. He also shares information on the CiRCE Apprenticeship Program and details his perspective on the importance of sports to navigating life and “things that matter because they don’t matter.”

On this episode of Anchored, Noah is joined by Joseph Pearce, the author of several books including literary biographies on figures such as Tolkien and Chesterton, and anthologies of great poetry including Poems Every Catholic Should Know and Poems Every Child Should Know. He discusses his educational background and shares tips for becoming a good writer. He also discusses favorite works of literature from throughout history.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Hannah Frankman, founder of the rebelEducator blog which shares ideas on how to improve your child’s education. She shares about her background in homeschooling and her perspective on effective school choice policy. She also discusses changes in American society that have made homeschooling more accessible and demand reforms to public education. You can find Hannah on Twitter @rebelEducator or on her personal page @HannahFrankman.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Dr. Veronica Gutierrez, director of the Great Books Program en Español at the Angelicum Academy and a Faculty Fellow in History at Hildegard College in Costa Mesa, CA. She discusses her educational journey and how studying the Great Books helped her to embrace her Mexican American heritage.

On this special episode of Anchored, we are joined by Joshua Gibbs, who reads a version of his pamphlet “A Short Introduction to Classical Christian Education.” Joshua Gibbs is a teacher, lecturer, expert on pedagogy, and author of several books including the upcoming Love What Lasts: How to Save Your Soul from Mediocrity. He is also an Alcuin Fellow and member of the Templeton Honors College advisory board, as well a frequent speaker for the Circe Institute and the Society for Classical Learning. He also teaches online courses for ClassicalU and on his website GibbsClassical.com.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Kimberly Farley, CLT’s Director of Homeschool Partnerships, as well as her daughter Maddie, a junior studying Communications at Union University in Jackson, TN. They discuss their experiences as a homeschooling family and share lessons that they learned along the way. They also share tips for choosing a college for homeschool families. You can hear more from Kimberly on previous episodes on Anchored, including her previous staff interview and our recent episode on college admissions with Matthew Bullington.