The not so good news…Barna reports that only 10% of young adults ages 18-29 report keeping their faith in the face of a resistant culture. The good news…their “resilient faith” is very strong. So how do young adults from Christian homes or who attended church as teens maintain their faith – if at all? Brooke Hempell, Barna’s Senior Vice President, shares how this new study measures faith and the three trends that will help equip teens who will soon step into that space where faith meets world.

Classical Christian education offers some of the highest ROI, or return on investment, for the amount of tuition, time and effort parents spend. Jean Kim of The Cambridge School tells story after story of how the classical Christian school model uniquely adds value to your child’s educational experience. And the value is priceless. Why so high? She explains how on this inspiring podcast.

According to Harlan Gilliam, the Science and Nature Center coordinator at Regents School in Austin, natural curiosity in our children makes education possible. In fact, it’s up to the child, and not the teacher, to learn. And real learning happens in the heart, not just the mind. So how do parents and teachers build on a child’s natural curiosity? Get some practical tips, as well enjoy hearing how Dorothy Sayers and Charlotte Mason complement one another. Harlan Gilliam will inspire you to take your students outside and really connect with God’s creation.

Why would we want our classical Christian students to read books filled with pagan myths, fantasy worlds with darkness, and stories that might be R rated if they were made into a movie? Why not just read Christian books? Louis Markos points out that the pagan writers actually had great wisdom and asked life’s questions better than most. In fact, even our Founding Fathers, who were either Christians or at least strong theists, looked back to these people (pagans) because they found wisdom in them. Find out how the pagan classics offer us insight for living today and why we should pay attention!

If you are like the average person, you easily forget what you’ve just read. But not if you “commonplace”. Commonplacing is a practice of antiquity that was particularly popular in the Renaissance and the nineteenth century. And many classical schools are reviving the practice and reaping the benefits. Chris Browne, Humanities Instructor at the Ambrose School, explains how to record and categorize ideas, scripture and quotes in a commonplace book at school or at home. Special guests, high school students Kristen Stanciu and Rivers Nordquist, stop by to offer their experience and the value of commonplacing in their educational journey. The beauty is that anyone can – and should – commonplace!

How do we know when we’ve overstepped technology in the classical educational environment? Don’t we need to raise “real world” ready kids? Martin Cothran argues that today’s schools – and parents – are actually raising “Windows” ready kids, to the detriment of their ability to focus. Listen in to hear about the latest technological trends in education and how to respond in the classroom and the home.

Dr. Mark Phillips has been on a lifelong journey to the science classroom. From Vanderbilt to Oxford, from comedy clubs with Steve Martin to Classical Christian Education, he has pursued God’s calling. Listen in to hear him describe the two scientific discoveries that he believes should be taught to every student in classical Christian schools. You also don’t want to miss his amazing conversion story!

Jeremy Tate explains how the Classic Learning Test (CLT) counters the SAT and ACT as a better resource to assess your student for college, and well as new tests for the high school and middle school years. Standardized tests are a necessary hoop to jump through on the way to college but have changed since their beginnings. Colleges are having to adapt to the changing landscape and more and more are recognizing the CLT as a valuable tool. Listen in to hear how your child can benefit!

Adolescence can be one of the most difficult and challenging seasons of our lives, whether you are a middle schooler, a parent, or teacher of middle schoolers. And sometimes all three collide. But with a measure of grace and some practical tips in your pocket, those in-between years can be redeemed, treasured and used for good. Nathan Jordan is a longtime educator of middle schoolers. He reminds us that our children’s fluctuating emotions are actually developmentally normal! So take a deep breath and listen in…

Alexander the Great considered stories his most prized possession and Jesus deemed stories worthy of the secrets of the Kingdom of God. Storytelling is more than something we do around a campfire… it is what drives how we learn and engage the world. But when the average American spends upwards to 84 hours a week in front of a screen, how can educators and parents combat this? Aaron Ames shares the science behind our two brain hemispheres as well as what you can do as a parent or teacher to capture the imagination…through storytelling.