AI is moving faster than any technology humanity has ever created. For Christian schools and families committed to timeless, unchanging truth, that speed raises urgent questions. How should schools rethink testing, writing, and academic integrity? Where is the line between being informed and becoming dependent?

In this episode of BaseCamp Live, host Davies Owens welcomes back Emily Harrison, a writer, speaker, and consultant who helps schools and churches think wisely about digital media. Emily works closely with Christian and classical Christian communities and equips families to engage technology through a biblical worldview.

Together, they explore why AI can be helpful for experts but often harmful for amateurs, especially students who are still forming knowledge, discernment, and intellectual habits. They address student pressure to outsource thinking, the limits of filters and detection tools, and why true formation cannot be automated.

Emily raises a growing concern schools can no longer ignore: student digital privacy. With the rise of AI-generated deepfakes and image misuse, she urges schools to rethink how student photos are shared online and to clearly communicate risk, consent, and protection with families.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why AI can be “good for experts” but “bad for amateurs”
• How schools and colleges are rethinking writing, testing, and assessment
• Why typing and basic productivity tools still matter
• How to talk with students about integrity, plagiarism, and truth
• What schools need to consider about student images and digital privacy

This episode is not a call to fear or retreat. It is a call to wisdom, formation, and clarity. Technology will continue to change, but truth does not. When students are formed to love what is true, good, and beautiful, they are equipped not just to navigate an AI world, but to thrive within it.

Resources Mentioned:

• Check out Wilson Hill Academy's Free Guide

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

What truly sets a classical Christian classroom apart?

Curriculum matters, but as Mandi Gerth explains, it is not the only or even the primary driver of formation. A child is shaped day after day by the culture of the classroom, the small liturgies, the tone of the teacher, and the habits that govern transitions, conversations, and even how class begins and ends.

Host Davies Owens talks with Mandi about her book Thoroughness and Charm: Cultivating the Habits of a Classical Classroom and about what it means for a teacher to be a “monarch” in the best sense, an authority who orders the room so that students can rest, attend, and delight in learning. They discuss the difference between entertainment and genuine engagement, how joy differs from “fun,” and why liturgy is such a powerful antidote to chaos in both school and home.

Mandi also addresses the “3:01 p.m. problem,” naming how easy it is for phones, entertainment, and scattered schedules to undo the formation that happens during the school day. She shares simple habits any family can start, even in just a few minutes a day, to reinforce attention, conversation, and a shared story centered on Christ.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• How classical classrooms focus on ideas and values, not just skills and information
• Why “sit and get” and sugary entertainment both fail to form students well
• What healthy, rightful authority looks like for teachers and why students need it
• How liturgies, songs, and repeated practices shape a classroom’s culture
• Practical ways parents can build small, realistic habits at home that support what is happening in class

This episode is a hopeful invitation for teachers and parents who want more than busy classrooms and busy homes. It points toward an ordered, joyful life of learning where children know who they are, why they are there, and Whom they are made for.

Resources Mentioned:

• Thoroughness & Charm | CiRCE Press
• Cultural Artifacts with Mandi Gerth | Podcast
• Study Guide for Thoroughness & Charm
• Liturgy Graphic Organizer for Teacher Planning
• Check out Wilson Hill Academy's Free Guide

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Smartphones have become the default for families, but what if the default is actually harmful? In this episode, Davies Owens talks with Chris Kaspar, founder and CEO of Techless, about why modern devices were never designed with children in mind and how parents can choose a healthier path.

Chris shares the moment that opened his eyes as a foster parent and explains why families today feel trapped between two extremes. Either give kids full access to the digital world or reject technology altogether. He argues that both options miss the mark. The real issue is the design, incentives, and addictive features built into mainstream phones that quietly shape identity, attention, and spiritual formation.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why smartphones were never created for children
• The hidden harms built into everyday tech
• What a healthier, middle path looks like
• How families can transition with confidence
• Why kids actually crave limits and protection

This conversation offers a compelling third way. Not hyperconnected and not Amish, but a thoughtful, intentional approach that meets basic communication needs without exposing kids to the dark side of digital life. Chris also shares why kids often want more boundaries than parents realize and how families can make sustainable changes together.

Resources Mentioned:

• Wisephone Discount
• Techless
• Check out Wilson Hill Academy's Free Guide

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Senior thesis is the capstone of a classical Christian education, and Dr. Tom Vierra believes it may be one of the most countercultural things schools do today. In this episode, Davies Owens talks with Tom, longtime classical educator and Senior Thesis Coordinator at Wilson Hill Academy, about why thesis is far more than “just a big paper.” Tom shares his path from early days at Great Hearts to helping shape Wilson Hill’s senior thesis program, where students research a topic that matters, write a 12–15 page thesis-driven paper, and publicly defend it. Along the way, they learn self-management, deep research, biblical reasoning, and confident communication that carry far beyond college.

Together they unpack the six-part classical rhetoric structure, including exordium, narratio, and refutatio, and why Wilson Hill requires students to write an antithesis paper arguing against their own position. This habit trains humility, civil discourse, and the ability to engage real counterarguments rather than living in an echo chamber. Tom also gives examples of standout thesis topics, from classical music and beauty to AI in medicine and political theory, and explains how schools can approve ambitious topics that still reflect a biblical worldview.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why senior thesis is the true capstone of classical Christian education
• How the six-part structure and antithesis train deeper thinking and discourse
• Ways to navigate AI while still forming original thinkers and speakers
• Practical encouragement for parents and schools walking through the thesis year

Davies and Tom address the challenge of AI, why filters and detection tools are not enough, and how a live oral defense reveals whether students truly own their work. They also touch on Augustine’s “all truth is God’s truth” approach to pre-Christian thinkers like Aristotle and Cicero, and how their insights on persuasion, instruction, and delight can be used faithfully under Scripture. Tom closes with encouragement for parents who feel the weight of senior year and for educators who want to make thesis a core part of their school’s identity rather than an add-on requirement.

Resources Mentioned:

• https://wilsonhillacademy.com/guide

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Classical learning has deep roots in the United Kingdom. Yet many schools in England, Scotland, and Wales have drifted toward child-led, utilitarian models that leave students unformed and unmoored. At the same time, a quiet renewal is beginning to take shape.

In this episode, British educator Jamie Burns, founder of the Fellowship for Classical Learning, joins host Davies Owens to share how he rediscovered classical Christian education, why he believes it is the answer to the UK’s educational crisis, and how God is using a small group of families to start new schools in London and Cardiff.

Jamie traces his own story, from an average state education to rich conversations around his family’s dinner table, through years in mainstream schools, and finally to an “aha” moment listening to Andrew Kern that gave him language for what he had always felt. Along the way he offers a clear, inside look at the current state of education in England, Scotland, and Wales, and the surprising ways classical ideas are resurfacing in policy, practice, and school life.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• How Jamie grew up with a relativistic school education yet tasted something very different at home
• Why a simple question, “What is school for?”, revealed a stark contrast between UK schools and US classical schools
• How recent reforms in England embraced phonics and knowledge-rich curricula, while Wales and Scotland doubled down on child-led learning
• Why the pace and pressure of modern schooling can feel inhumane, even when test scores improve
• How the Fellowship for Classical Learning is launching two new schools, Fountain Christian School in London and St Anselm’s in Cardiff
• Why historic Christian schools in Britain often exist in name only, and why teacher character now matters more than ever
• Encouragement for parents who are counting the cost of choosing a different path for their children
• Hope for educators and school starters who feel underqualified, yet called, to stand in the classical Christian tradition

Technology, politics, and culture may be shifting quickly, yet this conversation reminds us that God is at work in quiet and surprising ways. Listeners will come away with fresh vision for what schooling can be, a deeper sense of solidarity with believers in the UK, and renewed courage to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty in their own communities.

Resources Mentioned:

• www.fellowshipforclassicallearning.co.uk
• www.stanselmscardiff.co.uk
• www.thefountainschool.london

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Parents often wonder if pushing through difficult books is worth the tears and late nights. In this episode, Davies Owens is joined by Sara Osborne, author of Reading for the Long Run, as she explains why classics feel hard, how to discern real obstacles from attitude or context, and practical steps to move forward with confidence.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why classics challenge modern readers, and why the challenge is good for minds and hearts
• How to make an honest assessment: simple journaling, patterns to watch, and assembling a “team of knowers”
• The start-small strategy: short, rich texts, repetition, paired audio, and building stamina like training for a race
• Respectful bridges for older students that avoid “babyish” materials, including short stories and thoughtful fables
• Tech, timing, and motivation: shaping habits that support deep reading at home and school
• The telos of reading: from “checking the box” to a lifelong love of truth, beauty, and goodness
• Weakness and formation: how pushing through hard things shapes character for students, parents, and classrooms

With honest assessment, small wins, and steady practice, any family can grow a reading life that lasts. If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend, then try one simple step this week, such as a short story with paired audio or a five-minute read-aloud after dinner. 

Resources Mentioned:

• Reading for the Long Run
• Sara Osborne, author at Circe Institute

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Technology is changing faster than families can keep up. From social media to smartphones to the latest wave of AI “companions,” new tools are shaping how children think, connect, and even define friendship. In this episode, Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes and a leading voice on digital safety, joins host Davies Owens to unpack what’s really happening and how parents and schools can respond with both truth and grace.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why AI “friends” appeal so powerfully to teens and what’s really going on in the developing brain
• How to recognize and respond to the risks of AI companions and mature content online
• The three kinds of families in the digital age and what each can do today
• Chris’s HALT framework for course-correcting unhealthy tech habits
• Why it’s time to “be weird together” as parents and schools who choose community over conformity
• Simple, real-life “micro moves” families can make to model authentic, human connection

Technology may be accelerating, but parents are not powerless. Listeners will come away with a renewed sense of hope and concrete ways to model healthy technology use, foster real-world connection, and guide students toward wisdom in an increasingly digital world.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Can classical schools really prepare students for STEM careers? Many parents wonder if a humanities-rich education leaves room for science and technology. Our guest, Diane Gray, scientist, musician, contractor, tutor, and mother of seven, says yes. After 12 years in biotech R&D, Diane completed a master’s in Classical Studies to explore how classical Christian education and STEM can thrive together.

In this conversation with host Davies Owens, Diane shares her research comparing STEM and classical models, revealing that the two are not in competition, but complementary.

🎧 Tune in to discover:

• Why the fear that classical schools shortchange STEM is understandable, but misplaced
• How classical education forms curious, adaptable thinkers who excel in science and technology
• Why ethics, history, and philosophy are essential companions to innovation, especially in the age of AI
• How classical tools of learning (language, logic, rhetoric) strengthen problem-solving, communication, and creativity in STEM fields

Diane reminds us that the goal isn’t just to make scientists but whole humans who pursue truth and wisdom through their work.

🎧 Join us for this encouraging episode and see why classical formation might just be the best preparation for the modern lab.

Resources Mentioned:

• Science Education in the Modern World - Diane’s full dissertation

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Davies Owens welcomes Ken Rhinehart, a commercial real-estate veteran and founder of VPA Classical, to demystify how classical schools can find, fund, and secure facilities that actually serve the mission.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why facilities shape formation. Leases, landlords, and leaking roofs quietly undermine learning—and enrollment confidence.
• Buy vs. lease—what’s wiser right now. Capital costs, lender track records, conditional-use permits, and the hidden time drain on administrators.
• Mission-aligned investors. How long-term, praying partners can acquire and rehab properties, then lease back to schools—sometimes with lease-to-own pathways.
• Church properties: promise & pitfalls. Beautiful sanctuaries can work—if governance, improvements, and expectations are clear.
• What not to do. Don’t hand this to the office admin or your residential-agent brother-in-law—commercial leasing is a different language.
• A generous freebie. Ken offers a no-cost lease review so schools actually know what’s in their agreements.

If this episode sparks ideas, forward it to your head of school, board chair, or facilities lead. Rate and follow BaseCamp Live so other schools can find it, and tell us the #1 facilities question you want answered next. 

Resources Mentioned:

• RSVP Now for ADVANCE Retreat

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

We live in a culture of soundbites, but Christian parents and educators are called to form young people who listen well, think deeply, and speak with humility and grace. Host Davies Owens sits down with Dr. Justin Smith, Head of School at Little Rock Christian Academy and Herzog Foundation coach, to unpack the Harkness Method (a modern form of Socratic dialogue) and why it may be one of the most vital forms of discipleship in our time.

In this conversation:

• Harkness vs. Socratic: what’s the same, what’s different, and how each keeps the text at the center rather than opinion.
• Truth matters: how Christ-centered schools avoid “bad talk radio” and anchor discussion in authorial intent, Scripture, and absolute truth.
• Formation over performance: why silence, restraint, and student discovery create stickier learning than efficient lectures.
• K–12 on-ramps: how Justin’s team trains 7th–12th graders in names, manners, eye contact, question stems, and textual evidence.
• Home practices: simple dinner-table question bowls, “roses & thorns,” and “heaven & earth” prompts that cultivate a household of inquiry.

🎧 Join Davies Owens and Jacob Hess as they unpack how to fill our homes and classrooms with better stories that train hearts to love what God loves.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
Schedule an introduction with Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.