19 episodes
The Well-Trained Mind podcast Susan Wise Bauer & Susanna Jarrett
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- Education
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4.7 • 89 Ratings
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Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett discuss homeschooling and education.
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Learning Before School -- Teaching Pre-Grammar Stage Students
In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett discuss creating a positive learning environment for young children, before formal education begins.
Our Top Recommendations for Preschool Curricula:
Preschool Math at Home by Kate Snow The Toddler Busy Book by Trish Kuffner Complete Daily Curriculum for Early Childhood by Pam Schiller and Patt Phipps
(00:00) - Intro
(00:14) - Welcome to Season 2! (plus a little Season 1 recap)
(00:43) - The Nuts and Bolts of Classical Education
(01:28) - What Classical Education looks like before the grammar stage
(06:50) - The preschool years at a brain development level
(09:15) - The preschool years at a physical development level
(11:40) - Laying out some basic principles
(11:50) - Don't push into formal education activities
(12:44) - Create and environment for reading, math, and thinking
(21:27) - If your child does want to do school
(24:24) - How to create a learning environment
(24:58) - Don't confuse entertainment with education
(27:50) - Encourage drawing counter-clockwise circles
(29:15) - Incorporate counting into everyday life
(31:16) - Talk! (and listen!)
(34:21) - Read read read!
(38:23) - What your kid should know before 1st grade
(42:31) - Outro -
Teaching Writing, Stage by Stage
In this episode, Susan and Susanna discuss Susan’s classical approach to teaching writing across all three stages of a classical education. Apologies, Susanna’s audio was a bit messed up in this episode!
Show Notes:
The Current State of Writing InstructionSusan’s Youtube video on teaching writing: Teaching Writing, Stage by StageA Plan for Teaching Writing: Grades K-12, Audio WorkshopThe Complete Writer (Our recommended writing program by Susan) -
Different Approaches to Teaching Writing w/ Julie Bogart
Summary: In this episode, Susan and Susanna are joined by Julie Bogart, the founder of the Brave Writer program. Susan and Julie compare their different approaches to teaching writing and discuss which approach might work best for different types of students.
Show Notes:
Writing With Ease Brave Writer Julie Bogart’s Books:
The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning and LifeRaising Critical Thinkers
(00:00) - Intro with Julie Bogart of Brave Writer
(07:29) - A perfect segue story
(10:20) - The basic philosophy of Brave Writer
(13:26) - Comparing and contrasting WTM and BW
(20:37) - An example of an inappropriate writing assignment and a fix!
(23:33) - The pressure to come up with original content
(27:57) - How to deal with writing-terrified parents
(33:26) - What are we going to do about AI?
(37:25) - Listener question: Left brain vs right brain thinkers?
(42:31) - Wrapping up -
When Classics Curdle: Reading Children's Literature that Did Not Age Well
Summary: In this episode, Susan and Susanna discuss their thoughts on teaching children’s literature, particularly older books that have problematic or insensitive content.
Show Notes:
Articles We Reference:
Are some children’s classics unsuitable for kids? The GuardianAmerican Indians in Children’s Literature Web Page by Debbie Reese Ted Talk: The Danger of a Single StoryBooklists and Resources for Finding Windows and Mirrors: https://www.storiesofcolor.com/https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/Heritage Mom Recommendations for Black History
(00:00) - Intro
(00:14) - The inspiration for this episode
(01:03) - Revisiting classic books with objectionable content
(04:21) - Defining and discussing "objectionable content"
(18:19) - How do we read these books?
(25:04) - Break
(25:13) - Reading classic literature in the grammar stage
(40:38) - Susanna's experience with classic literature
(44:32) - Windows and Mirrors
(47:14) - Classic literature in the logic and rhetoric stage
(48:58) - There are definitely books that should be skipped
(52:35) - An important question to ask yourself
(55:53) - At the end of the day
(57:25) - Outro -
Teaching History in the Internet Age
Show notes:
What is History? How andWhy Should I Teach It by Susan Wise Bauer Why Learn History When it’s Already on Your Phone? By Sam Wineburg Sam Wineburg for CBS Research on middle schoolers ability to interpret information on the internetA helpful introduction to teaching historical thinking skillsResources for Teaching History: The Big History Project (skills taught: contextualization, sourcing, causation, comparison, continuity & change over time, close reading) Digital Inquiry Group (formerly Stanford History Education Group or SHEG). This organization offers free lesson plans and assessment ideas that emphasize historical thinking skills, perfect for logic stage students. The “Lunchroom I” and “Lunchroom II” lesson plans are a fun introduction to historical thinking skills. A great introduction to history for rhetoric stage students: Telling the Truth About History Reading Lists for Hard History American Indians in Children’s Literature Web Page by Debbie Reese Heritage Mom Recommendations for Black HistoryAnnotated Reading list for Grammar Stage: Picture Books About Slavery and Freedom via Heritage MomAnnotated Reading list for Logic Stage: Age-Appropriate Books about the Holocaust via School Library Journal (you know your student, some of these may be too heavy for younger logic stage students). Another reading list with both grammar stage and logic stage titles on enslavement: Children’s Books about Slavery and Enslavement via Pragmatic Mom
(00:00) - Intro
(00:25) - History as a battleground
(05:21) - A Drag Queen example
(08:31) - History as a story and historical "accuraacy"
(16:49) - 4 historical approaches
(16:57) - Biographical history
(19:06) - Progressive history
(29:35) - Positivist history
(33:55) - Social history
(37:33) - How do we teach this?
(40:10) - History in the grammar stage
(47:52) - History in the logic stage
(55:21) - History in the rhetoric stage
(58:37) - Wrapping up
(59:22) - Outro -
Teaching Languages the Classical Way (with Elizabeth Weber Edwards)
German: Goethe Institute
Spanish: Instituto Cervantes
French: Alliance Francaise
Well-Trained Mind Academy
Beth Gibbons – singing Penderecki/Gorecki Symphony #3
ANNOUNCEMENT: We will record a Q&A episode at the end of this season. If you have questions for Susan or Susanna, send them to podcast@welltrainedmind.com.
(00:00) - Intro with Elizabeth Weber-Edwards
(01:59) - A brief introduction to learned languages
(08:15) - How do you learn languages?
(14:06) - Some principles for choosing a way to teach a language
(21:52) - Which language should you pick?
(30:41) - Break
(31:34) - How language learning fits into classical education
(41:23) - What to look for in a quality online language class
(54:51) - It's never too late to learn a language!
Customer Reviews
More episodes please!
Such a delightful podcast to listen to, almost like sitting in a cozy coffee shop with two bright, funny, lovely friends talking about the important things in life. I’m not a homeschooler, but with a young child and another on the way, am thinking a lot about the educational approach I want to take with them. Classical education intrigues me, more so after listening to this. More broadly, these are insightful, thought-provoking conversations about philosophy, raising children well, how we learn, virtue and so much more — applicable to all parents, homeschoolers or not, classical education adherents or not. Please make more episodes! I binge-listened to these and need more!
Such a treat
Absolutely love every aspect of this podcast & really missing it during the in-between-season break! Feels like we’re sitting in a room with Susan and Susanna over a cup of coffee or tea chatting, which is a huge treat for this super-fan of a WTM. I’ve found their perspectives incredibly informed and balanced (even coming from someone who I suspect may not always vote the same as Susan). The value and contribution from their topics transcends simply importance to the field of education but enriches our perspectives on humanity as well. To those critical in reviews I’ve previously read who find Susan’s tone condescending, I say “she’s earned the right to be!” but also would beg to differ in the first place (I don’t find condescension in her tone in the slightest). Susan is such a rockstar and Susanna is absolutely lovely as well. Love their conversations and miss hearing their voice after season one wrapped up - had to go out and pick up “Rethinking School” just to get my weekly fix during the break. Thankful for their contribution to education and society through this podcast!
Expansive
I LOVE how my mind feels invigorated every time I listen! I am looking into a classical education based school (I currently homeschool), and I wanted to dive in to understand more completely the classical education approach. I feel so much passion about education, and this fuels that passion! Thank you!!!!
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