The Well-Trained Mind podcast

Latest Episodes:

A Special Announcement! (The Story of the World Volume 1: 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition) Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

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!!!

The Joys and Challenges of Homeschooling w/ Our Podcast Listeners Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

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
(26:31) - If you could change one thing, what would it be?
(26:38) - Us vs. Them
(32:21) - Structure and technology
(37:11) - Biggest challenges as a homeschool parent
(37:24) - Career/school balance
(44:02) - One piece of advice
(44:12) - It will not look like the picture in your mind
(45:15) - Try things!!
(47:07) - Trust your gut
(48:35) - Outro

A Life of Learning w/ Colleen Sharpe Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

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
(19:15) - Evolutions that stand out
(23:37) - "Staying steady by staying curious"
(26:16) - The role of books
(28:50) - Finding room for curiosities and hobbies
(30:59) - Instilling wisdom
(34:06) - Colleen brags
(37:43) - Outro

RE-RELEASE: Is Classical Education Necessarily Eurocentric w/ Dr. Anika Prather Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

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 Website

Dr. 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 Ellison
Richard 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

The Call to Homeschool, Freedom in Routine, and Hobbies as a Homeschool Mom w/ Dr. Melanie Wilson Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

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 Field
The 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
(28:12) - Back to the outline
(28:24) - Changing styles
(32:59) - Not losing yourself while homeschooling
(40:22) - A pride point and sore point
(45:43) - Outro

Multilingual, Multicultural, Multigenerational Homeschooling w/ Rachel G. from Seven in All Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

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 and Susanna chat with Rachel from Seven In All on YouTube! Check out Rachel's YouTube Channel here. She also has her own curriculum and resources available here.

(00:00) - Intro with Rachel
(01:38) - Rachel's history and experience with homeschooling
(07:49) - One thing to be thankful for
(10:27) - What works and what doesn't
(15:08) - Break
(15:10) - How well did homeschool prepare Rachel?
(17:26) - Was homeschooling a given?
(18:38) - Difference between homeschooling offspring vs. siblings
(20:22) - Fears and differences
(22:41) - Any particular style?
(28:28) - When and why did Rachel decide to start sharing?
(29:48) - One piece of advice
(33:35) - Outro

The Loneliness of Motherhood, Finding the Right Community, and Adapting Curricula For Your Kids W/ Tammy Deneb, Kat Stelly, and Amy Plank Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

CONTRIBUTE your own response to this episode's interview questions!

In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett interview three homeschool veteran moms who also happen to be members of our incredible customer service team here at The Well-Trained Mind Press!

1. Kat discovered homeschooling through the writing of early homeschool thought leader John Holt. Check out his organization and books here.
2. TedXTalk on renaming postpartum depression recommended by Susanna
2. Articles on the loneliness of motherhood, recommended by Susan:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/aug/21/it-felt-shameful-the-profound-loneliness-of-modern-motherhood

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/07/the-captivity-of-motherhood/398525/

https://msmagazine.com/2023/05/11/motherhood-mom-lonely-mental-health/

https://www.mother.ly/life/motherly-stories/motherhood-is-lonely/

(00:00) - Intro with the Customer Service team
(03:29) - Discovery of Homeschooling
(10:35) - Biggest homeschooling fears
(15:17) - Keeping the fear at bay
(22:19) - Break
(22:20) - Homeschooling evolution
(27:49) - Biggest challenge as a homeschool parent
(39:21) - Homeschool pride
(40:51) - Adapting curriculum
(50:04) - One piece of advice
(53:44) - Outro

Homeschool Sibling Relationships, Homeschoolers and The Sciences, And Learning How to learn w/ Nathan and Shelby Otto Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

On this episode, we have two guests, Nathan Otto and Shelby Otto. Nathan and Shelby are homeschool graduates who are both doing amazing work in the sciences. We talk about homeschooling and sibling relationships, community college, and pursuing passions that your parents (and educators) don't have expertise in.

CONTRIBUTE your own response to this episode's interview questions for a chance to be featured on the final episode of this season!

(00:00) - Intro with Nathan and Shelby Otto!
(03:16) - How the Ottos ended up in the Sciences
(10:40) - The community college experience
(13:40) - How homeschooling prepared for what came next
(19:24) - Break
(19:26) - Post-homeschool FOMO
(27:45) - Haunted by misconceptions?
(31:20) - Things that could've been done differently
(34:27) - One thing they're thankful for from homeschooling

"Your Kids Are Not Your Report Card," The Origami Rebellion, and a Homeschool Math Redemption Arc w/ Heather Quintero Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett interview Heather Quintero, an early homeschool graduate and homeschool veteran parent. Heather shares her inspiring, and sometimes hilarious, experiences and joins us for a discussion on the importance of allowing your children to fail.

(00:00) - Intro with Heather Quintero
(00:43) - Heather's homeschool history
(14:45) - Journey from then to now
(18:38) - Decision to homeschool her own kids
(25:39) - Break
(25:40) - Homeschool doesn't have to be to excel beyond in school education
(36:45) - Regrets and things Heather would've done differently
(45:11) - One piece of advice
(47:45) - Outro

Free-Radical Kids, Tailor-Made Education, and When to Care Less w/ Julie Bogart Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, we’re joined by Julie Bogart, author and creator of the Brave Writer curriculum. Julie shares laughter, insights, and hard-won wisdom from her years of homeschooling five children.

Find Julie Bogart's curriculum at bravewriter.com and her author website at juliebogartwriter.com. Check out her latest book: Help! My Kid Hates Writing: How to Turn Struggling Students into Brave Writers! And if you enjoyed this conversation, check out The Brave Writer Podcast—we highly recommend it!

(00:00) - Intro with Julie Bogart
(00:55) - Julie's history with homeschool
(03:05) - Julie's first encounter with homeschooling
(07:01) - Fears before starting
(09:13) - Choosing an ideal method over time
(15:43) - What "being flexible" looks like
(28:43) - Break
(28:44) - Being in the thick of it
(40:49) - Looking back on the journey
(47:13) - Julie's new book!
(49:45) - Outro

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