Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Jason Bedrick, Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy. The two discuss the Phoenix Declaration, a document espousing an American vision for education. Together, they explore the outlined principles of the document, including the role of parents as primary educators, the reality of objective truth, and the vital importance of passing on cultural heritage. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Sara Osborne, the author of Reading for the Long Run: Leading Struggling Students into the Reading Life and Assistant Professor of English and Director of Classical Education at College of the Ozarks in Missouri. They examine the claims that classical education is elitist and explore how classical schools can position themselves to challenge that perception. Sara shares her journey teaching her children how to read and some of the challenges that come with meeting different students’ needs. They dive into anecdotes and insights from her book, including the importance of viewing literacy as an individual journey. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Loren Rotner, Associate Provost, and David Puelz, Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science at the University of Austin. They discuss what makes UATX distinct, including its heterodox faculty, emphasis on tech education, and full tuition scholarships for all admitted students. They talk about the decision to grant automatic admission to any student who scores a 105 or higher on the CLT, with encouragement and guidance for all looking to apply.

On this episode of Anchored, CLT’s Brand Marketing Manager Taryn Boyes is joined by Aryanna Highfill and Kate Creecy to discuss their experience participating in the National Homeschool Speech and Debate League, Stoa. They discuss the array of skills Stoa helped them develop, dive into how it shaped their high school experience, and share how it prepared them for their college years and beyond. They also discuss how to approach the competitive aspect of speech and debate.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by James Cowart, head of Trinitas Christian School in Pensacola, Florida. They discuss why music is a key part of education at Trinitas. They dive into the nuances of school choice and the strings that often come attached to government money. James concludes by discussing his advice for those looking to start a new classical, Christian school.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Leslie Voorhees, director of member schools at Ambleside Schools International, an organization that offers a Charlotte Mason educational approach to schools around the world. They discuss Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy and the way it translates into principles at the Ambleside schools. They explore the benefits of an education that centers and values the potential of every child. They conclude by discussing the differences and similarities between Charlotte Mason and classical education. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and special guest co-host, CLT Chief of Staff  Katie Prefontaine, are joined by Cornel West and Robert George. Cornel serves as a professor of philosophy in Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and is an emeritus professor of African-American Studies at Princeton University. Robert is a professor of Jurisprudence and the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. The two discuss their deep bond of friendship, built on the basis of pursuing truth and fostering intellectual humility, explored in their recent book Truth Matters. They discuss how to cultivate these relationships and bring people to the table for these conversations. They conclude by examining the importance of studying both the progressive and conservative traditions for the flourishing of the individual and society as a whole.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Jamie Burns and Hin-Tai Ting, co-founders of the Fellowship for Classical Learning and educators setting up classical schools across the UK. They discuss the current state of education in the UK and the troublesome separation of value-conversations from classroom-conversations. They dive into their own journeys to believing in the importance of a classical Christian education from both an intellectual and personal perspective. They conclude by talking about some of the roadblocks to classical education in the UK and why they are motivated to overcome them. 

St. Anselm’s, School co-founded by Jamie Burns: https://www.stanselmscardiff.co.uk/ 

The Fountain Christian School, of which Hin Tai Ting is the founding headmaster: https://www.thefountainschool.london/ 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Brian Dellinger, professor of computer science at Grove City College. They discuss the definition and history of artificial intelligence, and Brian illustrates how biases can influence AI programs. They delve into both the ontological confusion and differentiation that AI provokes. They explore the importance of approaching technology as a gift from God and how his upcoming book, tentatively titled God and AI, aims to make AI more accessible and less overwhelming from a Christian perspective.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Robert Garrow, founding principal of Golden View Classical Academy in Golden, Colorado. They discuss the push back Golden View has faced for teaching The Bible in a literary and historical context as a classical charter school, and the state of school choice in Colorado. They also talk about the challenges of recruiting, training, and retaining teachers who have a classical orientation and technical proficiency, as well as some of the strategies they’ve used to succeed in these areas. They conclude by discussing the challenges and opportunities presented by the growth of AI.