The Well-Trained Mind podcast

 In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett are joined by Karen Swallow Prior to discuss selecting university education, particularly for Christians homeschool graduates. Dr. Prior’s substack Dr. Prior’s website You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful by Karen Swallow Prior The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis by Karen Swallow Prior  (00:00) - Intro with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior (00:35) - The purpose of this conversation (02:47) - Susan and Karen's backgrounds (05:48) - Personal experiences (12:34) - How to evaluate universities with your student (17:26) - Differences between secondary and university Christian roles (20:48) - Education being "safe" (25:06) - The four-year degree and the readiness of a student (27:29) - The college litmus test (29:54) - Break (30:55) - The fear of indoctrination (44:54) - How to ensure a vigorous education (49:16) - "The search for truth" as a basis for education (51:13) - Looping back around to Karen's tenure as a principal (53:13) - Going back to teaching at an institution? (54:42) - What Karen's up to now (56:18) - Outro

 In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett welcome Rachael Denhollander to the podcast to discuss homeschooling and abuse. Illinois case mentioned in the episode Book mentioned: Homeschooled by Stefan Merrill Block Links on biblical counseling movementWhen Restoration Hurts via Christianity TodayThe Rise of Biblical Counseling via Pacific Standard  (00:00) - Introduction with Rachael Denhollander (03:36) - Understanding abuse in homeschooling (05:10) - Defining the categories of abuse (08:38) - Isolation and ultimate authority (17:33) - How to teach when authority is overstepping (22:48) - How to teach when and how to say "no" (27:40) - Break (28:17) - Authority is not absolute (32:04) - What to look for (36:52) - What is reasonable government oversight? (54:23) - What to look out for (57:38) - What should we be asking ourselves? (01:01:31) - Outro

Dr. Melanie Wilson, psychologist, homeschool veteran, and creator of The Homeschool Sanity Show, joins to explore parenting styles, discipline strategies, and setting homeschool boundaries. Short takes on too-hard vs too-soft approaches. Practical tips for modeling behavior, negotiating curriculum choices, and repairing through apology and therapy.

Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, Christianity Today writer, music historian, and teacher; Marissa Franks Burt, author and researcher of Christian movements. They unpack how evangelical parenting manuals shaped theology and practice. Short segments explore sin-focused counseling, the rise of prescriptive parenting, harms to relationships, and tools to evaluate parenting resources.

 In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett announce the upcoming release of The Story of the World, Volume 1: Ancient Times, 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition! Available everywhere February, 2026! The audiobook and/or PDF of the main text are available NOW at welltrainedmind.com Learn more about the Story of the World Vol 1: 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition HERE  (00:00) - An announcement! (04:14) - What is different? (08:27) - More new features! (10:25) - The Instructor Guide and Student Book (15:29) - We're excited!!!

Join a heartfelt exploration of homeschooling through the eyes of its graduates. Listeners share cherished snowy day memories filled with cake doughnuts and creative projects. The conversation dives into hard family dynamics and the struggles of self-motivation in less-loved subjects. Discover the balance needed for a successful transition from homeschooling to traditional schooling. The hosts reflect on the significance of trusting your instincts amidst societal pressures and the evolving nature of education in a digital world.

In this episode, Susan, Susanna (and Susanna's teething one-year-old), interview Colleen Sharpe who went college for the first time after graduating two students from homeschool. Article by Colleen about her experience starting college at 55 years old. Research Susan Mentioned: A twenty-year study found that the amount of books available in a home had a bigger impact on a child's level of education than parent income, nationality, or parent level of education.  (00:00) - Intro with Colleen Sharpe (and another special guest!) (00:42) - How Colleen and Susan know each other (04:29) - Colleen's homeschooling journey (07:19) - Fears and worries (09:20) - A Susanna check-in (09:51) - Colleen's second act (16:45) - How is homeschooling in Canada? (19:14) - Break (19:39) - Evolutions that stand out (24:01) - "Staying steady by staying curious" (26:40) - The role of books (29:14) - Finding room for curiosities and hobbies (31:23) - Instilling wisdom (34:30) - Colleen brags (38:07) - Outro

Dr. Anika Prather, founder of The Living Water School, explores the intersections of classical education and the Black intellectual tradition. She challenges the notion of Eurocentrism, advocating for a more inclusive literary canon. Highlights include the relationship between classical education and diverse cultural narratives, and how various influences can enhance understanding of history. Prather dives into educational philosophy, pushing for empathy and recognizing the contributions of Black authors like Octavia Butler and James Baldwin.

CONTRIBUTE your own response to this episode's interview questions for a chance to be featured on the final episode of this season!In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett interview Dr. Melanie Wilson who has her own podcast for homeschoolers, The Homeschool Sanity Show. She also sells curricula and homeschool tools at Fun to Learn Books. A book that inspired Melanie: A Field Guide to Homeschooling by Christine FieldThe Fly Lady website!  (00:00) - Intro with Dr. Melanie Wilson (00:35) - Melanie's history with homeschooling (03:16) - Melanie's call to homeschooling (13:09) - Setting expectations (15:18) - Habits, routines, and Fly Lady (28:11) - Break (28:36) - Back to the outline (28:48) - Changing styles (33:23) - Not losing yourself while homeschooling (40:46) - A pride point and sore point (46:07) - Outro

In this enlightening conversation, Rachel G., a homeschooling graduate and mother of three, shares her unique journey of raising children bilingually in Southeast Asia. She reflects on the joys and challenges of multilingual education and the importance of stability during relocations. Rachel discusses the impact of significant age gaps between siblings, emphasizing individual learning styles, and offers insights on evolving sibling dynamics. Her personal anecdotes highlight the rewarding yet chaotic reality of homeschooling, making it an inspiring listen for all educational journeys.