This week, I am speaking with Matt Bateman, a philosopher in residence and co-founder of Higher Ground Montessori, one of the largest networks of Montessori schools in the world. Matt was a former philosophy professor at universities, an expert in early childhood development, and has been working in the Montessori world for years.

In this episode, we discuss the Montessori approach, its origins, and how it fits into the landscape of alternative education. We delve into the history of education, from the styles of the ancient Greeks to modern-day approaches. We also explore ways to motivate children and create environments that encourage learning, creativity, and growth. Additionally, we examine more controversial subjects, like how the culture wars intersect with education and whether homeschooling and unschooling are effective methods. Finally, we discuss how much structure is appropriate to provide for a child's educational journey.

Chapters:

0:00 - Matt Bateman

1:00 - The psychology of home office set up

5:00 - The values of Montessori Schools

7:00 - Why Matt chose to get involved in Montessori schools

12:00 - Why do these schools work better than traditional education?

16:00 - What is Montessori?

27:30 - Is education still in its infancy?

33:30 - What is progressive education and how does Montessori fit in?

36:00 - Who was Maria Montessori?

41:40 - Why was education such a hot topic around the turn of the century?

45:00 - What are the most high impact areas to be innovating in education?

47:30 - Education in the age of the internet

54:00 - Advice for parents beginning their homeschooling journey

1:04:00 - What is unschooling? What are the pros and cons?

1:09:00 - The relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in children

1:20:00 - What is the relationship between culture and education?

1:39:30 - How to connect with Matt and the work he is doing

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Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

In Search For Deeper Learning - Jal Mehta & Sarah Fine

Connect with Matt Bateman:

website | guidepostmontesorri.com

website | montesorrium.com

twitter | @mbateman

twitter | @montessorium

twitter | @guidepostschools

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | @hannahfrankman

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Jonny Anomaly was previously a lecturer at Duke University and the head of the Politics, Philosophy, and Economics Department at the University of Pennsylvania before leaving academia for good. He is currently the Academic Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, & Economics in Quito, Ecuador. Most of his recent writing focuses on exploring the social implications of emerging reproductive technologies, particularly embryo selection for polygenic traits.

In this episode, we discuss Jonny's experience with teaching training at Columbia and what he learned about the state of education training during his time there. We also address the current issues in universities, including the ideological takeover of the past decade and its effects on society at large. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of philosophy, rationality, and critical thinking, and explore ways to encourage the development of these traits.

Chapters:

0:00 - Jonny Anomaly

2:30 - Jonny's experience in the field of education

6:30 - The structure of education, schooling, and teacher's college

10:30 - When Johnny realized he wanted to change careers

13:30 - The changing landscape of educational institutions

21:30 - How has the value of a college degree changed? Should students pursue a degree?

31:30 - How do we encourage children to become free thinkers?

39:30 - How much regulation should there be for homeschooling?

50:30 - Why could fewer men going to college be a problem for college in general?

56:00 - What are the best alternatives to college?

59:30 - The power of disagreement and challenging your beliefs

1:06:30 - Why it's so important to follow your interests and how it can help you stand out

1:12:00 - What are the gaps that emerge from being an intellectual on the Internet?

1:16:30 - How can we cultivate critical thinking?

1:21:10 - How to connect with Jonny

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

The Case Against Education - Brian Caplin

Darwin’s Dangerous Idea - Daniel C. Dennett

The Mating Mind - Geoffrey Miller

Connect with Jonny Anomaly:

Website | https://jonathan-anomaly.com/

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | @hannahfrankman

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Michael Gibson is the cofounder of the venture capital fund 1517, which is devoted to backing dropouts and people who never stepped foot on a college campus. Before his academic apostasy, he was working towards a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Oxford. He has written on innovation and technology for MIT’s Technology Review, National Review, the Atlantic, and City Journal.

In this episode, we talk about Michael’s experience backing young people with the 1517 Fund, the importance of following up and pursuing research on effective learning, how we can encourage kids to be concerned with the big problems in the world, and the impact of a philosophical mindset when it comes to innovation and creativity. Michael also shares the purpose behind his new book Paper Belt on Fire, a guide for the next generation of innovators who seek an alternative to the traditional path in higher education.

Chapters:

0:00 - Michael Gibson

2:00 - How Michael supports and encourages students to take an alternative route

11:00 - Why is skipping college such a hard concept for many to understand, despite it’s track record of success

16:00 - How America has become less creative

23:00 - Why aren’t more people upset and doing something about the school system in the United States?

29:00 - Why don’t we follow up or pursue research on effective learning?

32:00 - The benefits of homeschooling

39:00 - Is college dead? Who should go to college?

47:30 - Has a path for success in certain fields become less clear over time?

52:00 - What are the big problems that we need to be solving for that Michael writes about in his new book

58:00 - How can we encourage kids to be concerned with the big problems in the world

1:05:00 - Is risk taking in our nature or is it something that can be cultivated?

1:09:00 - What is Michael looking for in investing

1:1430 - How much of an impact can philosophy have in innovation

1:20:30 - Is it important to encourage a liberal arts education?

1:27:00 - Have the arts lost their force?

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

The Story of Cole Summers

Paper Belt on Fire

Connect with Michael Gibson:

Twitter | @william_blake (https://twitter.com/william_blake/with_replies)

1517 | http://www.1517fund.com

New Book | Paper Belt on Fire

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | @hannahfrankman

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Welcome to the Hannah Frankman Podcast! This week we have my friend Razib Khan on the podcast.

Razib is a geneticist, writer, and currently works at the biotech firm, ⁠Genrait⁠ as CXO. He has written for publications that include ⁠The New York Times⁠, ⁠City Journal⁠, ⁠India Today⁠, ⁠National Review⁠, ⁠Slate⁠, ⁠Unheard⁠, ⁠Quillette⁠, ⁠Nautilus⁠ & ⁠The Guardian⁠, on a broad range of topics.

In this episode, Razib and I dive into the genetics of redheads. Are redheads genetic mutants?! Are redheads less pain-tolerant, more fiery tempered, going extinct?! Is there any scientific grounding to these statements? We also explore the cultural stereotypes and “side-effects” of red-heads and indicators that an individual might carry the redhead gene.

Chapters:

0:00 - Razib Khan

3:00 - The gene structure of redheads

10:40 - Why do redheads have so many freckles?

14:00 - The benefits of lighter and darker skin

19:00 - The “categories” of gingers and how the genes are expressed in the body

27:00 - Where did the redhead “mutation” come from?

36:00 - What cultures and groups are known for having red hair?

46:30 - Are redheads going extinct?

51:50 - What are the stereotypes and "side effects" of being a redhead?

1:10:00 - Do redheads have a lower pain tolerance?

1:19:30 - Differences between recessive and additive traits

1:24:30 - Indicators that you might carry the redhead gene

1:28:40 - Is there any relationship between red hair and IQ?

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ & ⁠Spotify⁠

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

⁠Udmurts⁠

Connect with Razib Khan

Website | ⁠https://www.razib.com/bio/wordpress/⁠

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | ⁠@hannahfrankman⁠

Website | ⁠http://hannahfrankman.com⁠

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Ed Latimore is a retired professional heavyweight boxer, writer, and speaker. Ed has written several books, including "Not Caring What Other People Think Is a Superpower," and “Sober Letters to My Drunken Self”. Ed is prolific on Twitter, has a degree in physics, and is a competitive chess player... a true Renaissance Man.

In this episode, we talk about Ed’s recent journey into fatherhood, his upbringing in the Pittsburgh Public School System and the power of taking risks and learning from mistakes. We also dive into the current landscape of education, the value of school choice, and how we can better serve today’s students by inspiring a love for learning.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

7:40 - How having a child changes your perspective on the world.

9:00 - How your actions influence others, even those you’ve never met.

12:00 - Nature vs. Nurture: How to overcome nature.

20:30 - Ed’s experience in Pittsburgh Public Schools and how it shaped his future.

33:00 - The benefits of school choice and the differences between public and private schools.

45:00 - What are the most effective ways to support kids in underserved neighborhoods?

50:00 - How do we inspire a love of learning in kids?

1:01:30 - How processing and consuming information has changed in the age of the internet.

1:13:00 - The power of letting yourself be wrong, learning from mistakes, and taking risks.

1:23:00 - Ed and Hannah’s experience being bullied as kids and how it shaped him.

1:29:00 - How Ed plans to support his son's education.

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Connect with Ed Latimore:

Twitter | @EdLatimore

Instagram | @edlatimore

Website | https://edlatimore.com/

Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/@EdLatimore1

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | @hannahfrankman

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

David Perell is an educator, writer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the online writing school Write of Passage, where he teaches students to think, write, and communicate with clarity and impact. David is also the host of the North Star Podcast, where he interviews fascinating people and explores innovative ideas. Through his work, David has become a leading thinker on topics such as education, creativity, and the future of work.

In this episode, we dive into what makes an effective online course, the dynamics behind curating incredible online experiences, and how he draws inspiration from visual artists and electronic music artists like Madeon and Porter Robinson to create his online education courses. David also shares his thoughts on digital branding, the future of learning, and the changes he hopes to see in K-12 education. 

Chapters:

0:00 - David Perell

2:00 - What makes an effective online course, experience, or cohort?

14:30 - The operations and team dynamics behind curating incredible experiences

20:00 - How David draws inspirations from other artists

28:00 - The logic behind David’s branding

34:00 - Why is David invested in education and what is the future of learning?

44:00 - How to turn potential energy into kinetic energy

59:00 - What David hopes to see change in K-12 education

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Connect with David Perell

Twitter | @david_perell

Website | https://perell.com/

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | @hannahfrankman

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for onversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Connor Boyack is an author, speaker, and advocate for educational freedom. He is the founder and president of Libertas Institute, a public policy think tank in Utah, and is also the author of 40 books, including his new book Mediocrity and the popular Tuttle Twins series for children. Connor has been a leading voice in the homeschooling movement, working to reform laws and regulations to expand educational choice for families. Connor is passionate about helping individuals and families discover their unique paths to success and fulfillment through self-directed learning and personal responsibility.

In this episode we talk about the genesis of Connor’s new book, Mediocrity, all the ways Connor is helping to create change in the education system on a policy level, and his mission to empower parents to deliver an amazing education to their kids at home. Connor offers some great insight and encouragement on how we can make learning fun for kids, help them find their passion and purpose, and set them up to thrive in the 21st century. Throughout the episode, Connor mentions a wealth of resources related to homeschooling, all of which are linked in the “Resources” section below.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

1:00 - Introduction to Connor and his work

5:30 - Tips on discovering your path early in life

6:00 - The inspiration behind Connor's new book

12:00 - Encouraging parents to explore alternative education options instead of settling for the status quo

18:30 - Education models and systems that Connor finds exciting

25:00 - Connor's role in reforming homeschooling laws in Utah

27:15 - Resources available to parents interested in homeschooling but unsure of how to start

29:00 - Strategies for managing time and attention to maximize productivity and impact

42:00 - The value of entrepreneurial and profit-driven learning

51:00 - The importance of taking responsibility and not blindly trusting systems

58:00 - Criticisms of the Federal Reserve and its impact on the economy

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Libertas Institute

HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association)

spn.org

The Bitcoin Standard

connorboyack.com

Tuddletwins.com

Connect with Connor Boyack:

Twitter | @cboyack

bio.link | https://bio.link/cboyack

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | @hannahfrankman

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for onversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.