What happens when schools and homes truly align?

In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Sadie Elliott, Director of the Herzog Foundation Institute, to talk about one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of Christian education: the partnership between parents and schools.

Sadie shares what she is seeing from her unique vantage point serving thousands of Christian school leaders across the country. Together, she and Davies explore why education can never be outsourced, why parents remain the primary disciplers of their children, and how healthy Christian schools are working to build stronger connections between school life and home life.

They also discuss the continued growth of Christian education, the dangers of drifting into a “me too” model of schooling, the impact of technology on family life, and simple ways parents can become more intentional without feeling overwhelmed.

Tune in to hear:

• Why Christian education is about much more than academics
• What Sadie is seeing in the growth of Christian schools nationwide
• Why parent engagement matters so much for spiritual formation
• How schools and families can either reinforce each other or work against each other
• Why the dinner table still matters
• How technology can erode attention, formation, and family rhythms
• What the Herzog Foundation Institute is doing to equip Christian school leaders

This conversation is a timely encouragement for parents, teachers, and school leaders who want to see the next generation formed with wisdom, faith, and conviction.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Life Architects
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

What is education actually for?

Is it mainly about helping students get into college and launch a career, or is it about forming the kind of person who can flourish in faith, wisdom, and vocation?

In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by Ali Ghaffari, Executive Director of the St. John Henry Newman Institute and founder of Divine Mercy Academy, for a rich conversation about leadership, renewal, and the true purpose of education.

Ali shares his remarkable journey from a difficult childhood to flying F-18s in the Navy, teaching leadership at the Naval Academy, embracing the Catholic faith, and helping lead renewal in Catholic education. Along the way, he reflects on how mentors, failure, and God’s providence shaped his life and calling.

Together, Davies and Ali explore the growing renewal movement in Catholic schools, the leadership challenges many schools face, and why education must aim higher than test scores and college admissions. They discuss the need for schools to form students in wisdom, virtue, and vocation, while also encouraging parents to raise their expectations and stay actively engaged in their children’s education.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Ali’s powerful personal story
• Why leadership in schools is so difficult and so important
• What is fueling renewal in Catholic and classical education
• Why education must be about formation, not just information
• How parents can partner more intentionally in their children’s schooling

This is an encouraging episode for school leaders, parents, and anyone asking the deeper question of what education is really for.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Life Architects
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Many parents today feel that education has been reduced to information transfer and job preparation. But what if education is meant to be much more than that?

In this episode, Davies Owens is joined by Dr. Patrick Egan to explore the enduring insights of Charlotte Mason, a visionary educator who emphasized the formation of the whole person. Her approach focuses not only on knowledge, but on shaping habits, cultivating affections, and nurturing a deep love for truth, goodness, and beauty.

Together, they unpack how Mason’s philosophy complements classical Christian education and offers practical ways to bring learning to life in both classrooms and homes. From narration and habit training to the importance of student ownership and joyful discovery, this conversation highlights what it truly means to educate a child as a person.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why education must go beyond information and focus on formation
• How Charlotte Mason’s ideas align with classical Christian education
• What it means to train habits that shape lifelong character
• How to cultivate deeper attention and meaningful learning
• Practical ways parents and teachers can foster ownership and joy in learning

This episode offers a compelling vision for education that forms not just knowledgeable students, but wise and flourishing human beings.

🎧 Join us for this must-hear episode and rediscover what it means to truly educate the whole child.

Show Notes:

Hear Davies being interviewed by Patrick as well on the Educational Renaissance podcast… https://open.spotify.com/episode/5dGgITjCsYnSGSzC8CuhqQ?si=69deaacd06c34721

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Life Architects
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Modern education often promises clarity, efficiency, and measurable results. But what if those very strengths are quietly reshaping what we believe education is for?

In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Joshua Pauling to explore the subtle but powerful influence of what he calls the “tyranny of technique.” When systems, metrics, and methods take center stage, students can easily become outputs to manage rather than persons to form.

Josh brings a thoughtful perspective shaped by years in public education, classical education, and his work launching a new hybrid classical school. Together, they reflect on how common educational practices can unintentionally erode relationships, diminish wonder, and narrow our vision of formation.

But this conversation is not merely critical - it is deeply constructive.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What Joshua Pauling means by the “tyranny of technique” and how it shows up in modern education
• How efficiency, grading systems, and metrics can subtly redefine what success looks like
• Why relationships, trust, and contemplation are essential to true learning
• The role of narration, oral assessment, and embodied practices in forming students
• What it looks like to resist a purely mechanistic model of schooling
• How Josh’s hybrid classical school is pursuing a more humane and restful vision of education
• Practical encouragement for parents and educators seeking to prioritize formation over performance

This episode is an invitation to step back and reconsider our assumptions. For parents, educators, and school leaders alike, it offers a compelling reminder: education is not primarily about producing results, but about raising human beings.

Show Notes:

• All Saints Classical Academy
• Are We All Cyborgs Now? Reclaiming Our Humanity from the Machine
• Writing Portfolio

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Life Architects
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Where do classical Christian schools find their teachers, and how are they trained?

In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Dr. Rob Jackson to explore one of the biggest challenges facing classical education today, building a strong pipeline of teachers.

As more schools launch and grow, many are realizing that traditional certification programs do not prepare teachers for the classical classroom. Instead, schools are looking for educators with a love of their subject, a commitment to wisdom, and a willingness to be formed through mentorship and experience.

Dr. Jackson shares where schools are finding teachers today, including recent graduates, second-career professionals, homeschool parents, and experienced educators searching for a better model.

The conversation also highlights the role of apprenticeship, mentorship, and ongoing training in helping teachers grow in both skill and confidence.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why traditional teacher certification often falls short
• Where classical schools are finding teachers today
• How mentorship and apprenticeship shape strong educators
• What schools are really looking for in a teacher

Join us as we explore how schools are raising up the next generation of teachers and strengthening the future of classical Christian education.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

In this next episode in the BaseCamp Live series exploring classical Christian education, Davies Owens welcomes Dr. Michael Adkins for a thoughtful conversation about what classical Christian education really is and why that question matters so much for families, schools, and the future of society.

Dr. Adkins brings both historical depth and practical insight as he explains that classical Christian education is not primarily about training students to do more, but about forming them to become a certain kind of person. In contrast to modern models that often focus on utility, credentials, and workforce preparation, this conversation highlights an older and richer vision of education, one centered on truth, goodness, beauty, wisdom, and virtue.

As part of this ongoing series, the episode helps listeners see that classical Christian education is not a trendy alternative or niche experiment. It is part of a much larger tradition that has shaped the West for centuries. Davies and Dr. Adkins trace the historical shift from a largely biblical and classical model of education to the progressive philosophy that reshaped modern schooling, showing how those changes affected not only academics, but also the way students understand freedom, authority, responsibility, and the purpose of life itself.

This episode is both a defense of classical Christian education and an invitation to better understand its roots, its goals, and its lasting relevance in a modern world that often feels confused and disordered.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why classical Christian education is about formation, not just information
• How this episode fits into the larger BaseCamp Live series on classical Christian education
• Why modern education shifted from cultivating virtue to emphasizing utility
• How understanding the history of education helps families make wiser choices today
• What thinkers like W.E.B. Du Bois, Joseph Pieper, and others contribute to this conversation

How classical Christian education helps students gain the clarity and cultural literacy needed to navigate today’s world

If you have ever wondered whether classical Christian education is simply a trend, a niche alternative, or something much bigger, this episode offers a compelling answer. It is a reminder that education is never neutral, and that recovering a richer vision of learning may be one of the most important tasks before us.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens continues the alumni series with Neeya Toleman, a graduate of Coram Deo Academy in Texas who now works as an engineer helping develop major power transmission lines across the United States.

Neeya shares how her classical Christian education shaped her ability to think deeply, communicate clearly, and tackle complex problems. From memorizing Scripture and presenting senior author projects to navigating small class communities and rigorous coursework, her experience formed habits that still guide her today in the demanding world of engineering and energy infrastructure.

Along the way, Neeya reflects on the unique strengths of classical Christian education. She discusses the value of learning how to learn, the importance of strong relationships between teachers and students, and how schools, homes, and churches work together to shape faith and character.

Her story offers an encouraging reminder that classical Christian education prepares students not only for the humanities but also for careers in fields like engineering, science, and technology.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• How a classical Christian education prepared Neeya for a career in engineering
• Why learning how to think and learn matters more than specialized early training
• The impact of close relationships with teachers and mentors in small school communities
• How faith formation happened naturally across classes and conversations
• Practical reflections for school leaders and parents investing in the next generation

Whether you are a parent, educator, or school leader, Neeya’s story is a powerful example of what long-term formation can produce, Listen now and be encouraged by what happens when classical Christian education shapes a life.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

In this episode of BaseCamp Live, host Davies Owens sits down with Paul Leywell, founder of Eureka Science Education, to tackle a lingering stereotype - classical Christian schools love great books, but struggle to do science with the same depth and rigor.

Paul shares his journey from public school teaching to becoming a “one man science department” in a classical Christian school, and why he became convinced that science is one of the most integratable disciplines. Not by forcing a Bible verse onto every lesson, and not by stripping science down to formulas and memorization, but by teaching science as a story, with real people, real ideas, and real consequences.

You will hear why Paul jettisoned most textbooks, how he uses history and philosophy to strengthen scientific understanding, and why families do not need to fear that a classical approach will “hurt” students headed for medicine, engineering, or other STEM-adjacent careers. In fact, Paul argues that what universities and employers need most are students who can think, reason, and ask good questions.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why “Bible verse on the board” integration can be a disservice to both Scripture and science
• How telling the history of science helps students remember, and understand, what they are learning
• A classroom example that starts atomic theory as a philosophical idea before it becomes a scientific construct
• Why you cannot “cover it all,” and why depth beats speed and volume in a science classroom
• Paul’s pushback on the myth that you need a STEM-school model to thrive in college science and engineering
• How schools can build a science program that holds together rigor, wonder, curiosity, and theological imagination

A science classroom can be more than jam, cram, and forget. It can form students who love truth, pursue discovery with humility, and recognize God’s fingerprints in a world worth exploring.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.