We live in a culture of soundbites, but Christian parents and educators are called to form young people who listen well, think deeply, and speak with humility and grace. Host Davies Owens sits down with Dr. Justin Smith, Head of School at Little Rock Christian Academy and Herzog Foundation coach, to unpack the Harkness Method (a modern form of Socratic dialogue) and why it may be one of the most vital forms of discipleship in our time.
In this conversation:
- Harkness vs. Socratic: what’s the same, what’s different, and how each keeps the text at the center rather than opinion.
- Truth matters: how Christ-centered schools avoid “bad talk radio” and anchor discussion in authorial intent, Scripture, and absolute truth.
- Formation over performance: why silence, restraint, and student discovery create stickier learning than efficient lectures.
- K–12 on-ramps: how Justin’s team trains 7th–12th graders in names, manners, eye contact, question stems, and textual evidence.
- Home practices: simple dinner-table question bowls, “roses & thorns,” and “heaven & earth” prompts that cultivate a household of inquiry.
🎧 Join Davies Owens and Jacob Hess as they unpack how to fill our homes and classrooms with better stories that train hearts to love what God loves.
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Dr. Justin A. Smith serves as Head of School and President at Little Rock Christian Academy, where he leads with steadfast dedication to Christian education and the integrated intellectual and spiritual formation of students. He earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Sam Houston State University, where his research explored the transformative potential of text-centered, discussion-based pedagogy through the Harkness approach. Dr. Smith later completed postdoctoral studies in Organizational Leadership at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and pursued executive training through Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. A Colson Fellow (2019–2021) and a Herzog Foundation Coach for Spiritual Formation and Parent Engagement, he is devoted to shaping communities rooted in a Christ-centered worldview. His academic journey also includes a Master’s in Educational Administration and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of San Diego. A thoughtful advocate for the Christian intellectual tradition, Dr. Smith champions the enduring pursuit of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in both education and life. Justin and his wife, Amanda, along with their daughter, Gracie, and son, Raleigh, make their home in Little Rock, where they worship as a family at Fellowship Bible Church.
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