The ReasonRx Podcast: A Rational Perspective on Education

In this episode, humor theorist Chris Land joins us in a first discussion of what humor is, what you can learn from the art and science, and how you can use it to teach and learn better. You can learn more on Chris' website Why Funny is Funny: https://whyfunnyisfunny.com To support the show and help us grow our audience -- so we have more of an impact on education and the culture -- please help us...

Mother and daughter Gail Paquette and Kira Withrow join us to discuss what education is, what good teaching is, the state of modern education, and why one might homeschool. After telling us about their backgrounds, they discuss the culture in general and their experiences homeschooling in the 1990s. About Gail: "Gail Paquette was a homeschooling mom in the 90's when the internet was in its infancy...

Crossposted from the CCERP Podcast, Dan joins us to discuss - our nature as fission-fusion rational, social animals -how that nature informs how we react to COVID -how that nature has allowed us to survive through history -what "fission-fusion" means -human history in North America -some history of human-animal interactions in North America -human culture -what science is -the importance of "inter...

Experienced engineer Hannes Hacker joins us to discuss: -what engineering is -the scientific roots of engineering About Hannes: "I have almost thirty years of professional experience in space mission systems engineering with emphasis in flight dynamics, attitude control subsystems, and mission operations. This experience spans the entire spacecraft program lifespan from proposal writing through sp...

Experienced engineer Hannes Hacker joins us to discuss: -his background -what engineering is -thinking skills involved in engineering -examples of good engineering and bad engineering, and why they are good or bad About Hannes: "I have almost thirty years of professional experience in space mission systems engineering with emphasis in flight dynamics, attitude control subsystems, and mission opera...

Chess Master Chris Land joins us to discuss chess, its nature, its rating system, leaning it, teaching it, playing it, and how they all relate to other domains of learning and human performance. About Chris: Chris Land has been an official chess master for 30 years, and currently ranks among the top 1,000 players in the United States. He has taught chess off-and-on to advanced students, a few of w...

In this episode, Scott and Michael discuss teaching in the quarantine. Scott discusses the adjustment on the part of a teacher and gives some advice to students, parents, and teachers. To support the show and help us grow our audience -- so we have more of an impact on education and the culture -- please help us with a donation: 1. https://www.patreon.com/reasonrxpodcast 2. https://www.paypal.com/...

In this episode, Dr. Gundula Bosch joins us to discuss the R3ISE Graduate Science Program and the R3 Center for Innovation in Science Education. We discuss her background, the R3ISE program, how it came to be, what it does, why it is needed, the importance of philosophy and a philosophic perspective, and what you can do to make your children, students, or yourself a more critical thinker and a bet...

In this episode, Dr. Bernstein discusses an issue that must be addressed before details about education can be addressed: why do we even need education? From where in our nature and in reality does it arise? And why do these questions matter? What is the cash value? What do they affect us each and all in our everyday lives? With clear, concise thinking and some powerful, emotion-packed examples, D...

Dr. Hans Schantz joins us to for an initial discussion of physics. We first establish some context: in the history of science are many initial, unscientific rejections of valid ideas; we need to recognize science by how thinking is done, by method, not by mere authority or prestige or convention. With that said, Dr. Schantz takes us quickly through some major scientists (and their work) in the dev...

Today we are joined by Matt and Megin Sharp of KidStrong to discuss KidStrong, its principles, its results, and what you can do for your children and students. We have a great, fast-paced discussion about the importance of movement/exercise to children and how they benefit from it in all areas of life. In this day and age when some schools are mistakenly taking P.E. and recess out of a child's day...

Educator Stanislaw Pstrokonski of The Education Bookcast joins us to discuss his background, his podcast, why he started his podcast, and what he has learned from it. This is an interesting discussion for all those interested in education in any way: teachers, business professionals, coaches, and parents. And, heck, anyone who wants to learn or teach anything. He describes his podcast as "Educatio...

In this episode, Scott and Michael discuss the fad of "emotional wellness" programs in schools -- and how to do things right. We have emotions and should deal with them -- and we all have to learn how to do so through life -- but "emotional wellness" programs get things wrong in many ways, and do not give teachers and school personnel the means to do what they really want: produce emotionally and...

In this podcast, Tom Brown III joins Michael (Melanie was busy today! Sorry!) to first discuss what tracking is and what all is involved (terrain, geology, natural history, and more), then to discuss a neglected aspect of tracking: moving. Human movement. We discuss why it matters, how to do it, and how to practice it. To support the show and help us grow our audience -- so we have more of an impa...

In this episode, Scott and Michael discuss what "learning styles" means according to differing definitions of some researchers and website articles, dig into background of the idea of learning styles, discuss why the idea of learning styles is so widely accepted by some today, discuss why the idea is wrong, discuss how to think about the issue, and offer some suggestions on how to think about lear...

In this episode, Scott, Melanie, and Michael discuss what "learning styles" means, then take some online learning styles assessments (several questions from one assessment, and a few from some others). We answer, criticize, and logically analyze the questions, putting them in context of education and human life. To support the show and help us grow our audience -- so we have more of an impact on e...

In this episode, Dani Hemmat joins Melanie and Michael in a fascinating discussion of movement and how its affects pervade our system: biomechanically, neurologically, emotionally, fasciaistically (yeah, that's a made-up word). Yes, we are holistic, integrated, whole systems: one living organism living in and affected by its environment and ecology. We discuss: -her background -what she had to suf...

In this episode, Joe Camp discusses detail and science of how he takes care of his horses. His passion leads him to research, reason, and be scientific in all aspects of a horse's life --- just as we should with our children and our students (and our dogs and out cats and our pets). Thinking about and spending time with horses gives us a detached way to learn to be passionate and scientific with a...

In this episode, Joe Camp discusses detail and science of how he takes care of his horses. His passion leads him to research, reason, and be scientific in all aspects of a horse's life --- just as we should with our children and our students (and our dogs and out cats and our pets). Thinking about and spending time with horses gives us a detached way to learn to be passionate and scientific with a...

In this episode, Sabrina Bell joins Melanie and Michael to discuss her varied background, her wide training in movement and nutrition and family development, her work with children, and her advice on how to raise happier, stronger, more independent, more confident children. She discusses: -her background and the training she’s received -her work under Katy Bowman: what she learned and how it is us...

In this episode, Joe Camp -- writer, movie director, movie producer, animal lover, story teller -- discusses his life making the Benji movies -- which were rejected by the Hollywood establishment and had to be made and marketed independently, outside and against the "powers that be." We get to hear some great stories about the making of the movie and its marketing: stories about Benji the dog, sto...

In this episode, Joe Camp -- writer, movie director, movie producer, animal lover, story teller -- discusses his life making the Benji movies -- which were rejected by the Hollywood establishment and had to be made and marketed independently, outside and against the "powers that be." We get to hear some great stories about the making of the movie and its marketing: stories about Benji the dog, sto...

In this episode, Montessori Expert Charlotte Cushman describes in detail and in principle what Montessori Education is, tells us how to tell a real Montessori school from a fake, gives us some ideas of how it differs from other systems, and discusses the profound importance of Montessori for human life and your child's future. To support the show and help us grow our audience -- so we have more of...

In this episode, Scott discusses his background, why he got into teaching, what he loved about it, what made him so successful -- and why he got out of education. He discusses the problems he had with dyslexia, how he helped students learn to read (even students with reading difficulties), and what he recommends for teaching reading. To support the show and help us grow our audience -- so we have...

In this episode, Scott, Melanie, and Michael provide and discuss evidence that science education is broken and in need of help, then discuss some ways to fix science education (and education in general). To support the show and help us grow our audience -- so we have more of an impact on education and the culture -- please help us with a donation: 1. https://www.patreon.com/reasonrxpodcast 2. http...