Conversations

Education today is full of noise, pressure, and competing philosophies, yet the conversations on BaseCamp Live consistently point listeners back to what matters most: forming whole human beings. Across these episodes, you’ll hear thoughtful voices reflect on how schools and families can cultivate wisdom, character, attention, and a love for what is true, good, and beautiful. Rather than reducing learning to information transfer or performance metrics, these discussions explore how education shapes the heart, habits, and affections of the next generation.
Whether the focus is classroom practices, parent partnerships, or the deeper purpose of schooling, each episode invites listeners to slow down and reconsider what flourishing looks like for students and communities. These conversations offer encouragement, practical insight, and a renewed vision for education that honors the dignity of every child and supports the adults guiding them. This archive brings together a rich collection of ideas to help you navigate the journey of raising and educating human beings who are prepared not just for work, but for life.

Classical Home Habits with Jeff Hendricks

Healthy habits are one of the greatest gifts we can give our children because habits quietly shape what they love and who they become. In this episode Davies Owens is joined by Jeff Hendricks, headmaster at Providence Christian School of Texas, for a practical conversation about how formation happens through repeated, everyday actions. Jeff defines…

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Alumni Interview with Ashton Lawrence

Many listeners have been asking for more alumni interviews, and this episode delivers. Davies Owens sits down with Ashton Lawrence, an Ambrose School graduate who joined the classical Christian world in fifth grade and stayed through graduation. Ashton reflects on the early challenges of adjusting to a more rigorous environment, the slow-burning value of logic…

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Recovering Wisdom in America with Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU

In a world filled with distraction, content overload, and cultural confusion, raising children who are wise, discerning, and grounded can feel daunting. In this episode, Davies Owens sits down with Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU, to explore how families can recover wisdom in America through small, faithful practices at home rather than sweeping overhauls. Marissa…

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How the Ancients Shaped Virtuous People with Dr. Louis Markos

In this episode, Davies Owens briefly steps into the archives to revisit a valuable conversation with Dr. Louis Markos on how the ancient world understood virtue, education, and human flourishing, and why those insights remain essential today. Dr. Markos explains how the Greeks and Romans, though lacking Christian revelation, asked the right questions about human…

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Future Jobs for Students in an AI World with Tami Peterson

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how work gets done across nearly every industry. As automation accelerates and technology reshapes careers, parents and educators are asking pressing questions. What kinds of jobs will still exist? How should students prepare for an uncertain future? And what kinds of skills will truly endure? In this episode of BaseCamp Live,…

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The Countercultural Rhythm of Great Teaching with Carrie Eben

What is a good teacher? Most of us can name a teacher who made a lasting impact, not just through information, but through formation, awakening curiosity, shaping understanding, and building confidence. In this BaseCamp Live episode, host Davies Owens sits down with classical educator and mentor Carrie Eben, co-author of The Good Teacher: 10 Pedagogical…

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How Classical Students Thrive in an AI World with Emily Harrison

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…

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Classical Classroom Distinctives with Mandi Gerth

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,…

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Why Smartphones Aren’t the Only Option with Chris Kaspar

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…

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Rhetoric in Action: The Senior Thesis with Dr. Tom Vierra

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…

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