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Available Episodes

5 of 50

A Special Announcement! (The Story of the World Volume 1: 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition)
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!!!
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18:30
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18:30
The Joys and Challenges of Homeschooling w/ Our Podcast Listeners
In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett react to listener responses to this season’s interview questions! Note on Audio: Due to a technical issue, Susanna’s audio in this episode isn’t as clear as usual. Thanks for bearing with us—we think you’ll still enjoy the conversation! (00:00) - Intro (02:05) - How we're organizing the episode (02:39) - Favorite memories being homeschooled (02:49) - Cake doughnuts on snow days (05:16) - Hands-on projects (06:57) - Co-ops can be good!!!! (08:10) - One of the biggest challenges of homeschooling (08:45) - Hard relationships with parents (12:11) - The story of socialization (14:43) - Making the transition out of homeschooling (19:56) - Being self-motivated in a subject you hate (26:29) - Break (26:55) - If you could change one thing, what would it be? (27:02) - Us vs. Them (32:45) - Structure and technology (37:35) - Biggest challenges as a homeschool parent (37:48) - Career/school balance (44:26) - One piece of advice (44:36) - It will not look like the picture in your mind (45:39) - Try things!! (47:31) - Trust your gut (48:59) - Outro
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50:18
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50:18
A Life of Learning w/ Colleen Sharpe
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
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39:01
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39:01
RE-RELEASE: Is Classical Education Necessarily Eurocentric w/ Dr. Anika Prather
We will be back next week with a new episode! In the meantime, enjoy this re-release of our episode featuring Dr. Anika Prather.Show notes: Dr. Prather’s WebsiteDr. Anika's Suggested Authors to Include in Your Study of the Cannon: Octavia Butler Anna Julia Cooper James Baldwin Martin Luther King Corretta Scott King Ralph EllisonRichard Wright Alain Locke Langston Hughes Carter G. Woodson Other Harlem Renaissance Author (00:00) - Intro with Dr. Anika Prather (02:22) - Is there Eurocentrism in classical education? (09:01) - Finding a better word than "eurocentrism" (12:33) - Marxist philosophy in classical education (15:42) - How to get to synthesis (38:58) - Classical education is understanding the human condition (43:02) - Wrapping up (43:21) - Outro
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44:04
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44:04
The Call to Homeschool, Freedom in Routine, and Hobbies as a Homeschool Mom w/ Dr. Melanie Wilson
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
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47:13
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47:13