In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett are joined by Heather Quintero to discuss the pros and cons of getting your children diagnosed with learning differences or “labels.”

• NPR article Susanna mentioned: Younger children in a grade are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.
• Other studies referenced:
  • A 2025 study on diagnostic labels found that students labeled with a learning disability were seen as “lower in academic competence,” which led to lower performance expectations.
  • A 2025 qualitative analysis found that labels can lead to negative self-perception.
• Rethinking School by Susan Wise Bauer

• (00:00) - Intro with Heather Quintero
• (00:43) - Talking about labels
• (04:37) - Medical label vs school plan
• (05:53) - Why this is important
• (09:28) - Why are there hesitations to get labels
• (15:34) - Natural differentiation and over diagnosis
• (26:49) - Break
• (27:49) - What a diagnosis can unlock
• (40:48) - Think about the gut check
• (49:10) - Rule out vision and hearing issues
• (53:48) - Distress is not a moral failing
• (54:34) - Outro

In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett welcome Nendir Noel to the podcast to discuss classical education, its connection to the proverbial “West,” and a few alarming trends we’ve noticed in the American classical education community.

• Website recommended by Susan: https://pharos.vassarspaces.net/
• Correction: Cannon Press published Stephen Wolfe “The Case for Christian Nationalism,” not William Wolfe.

• (00:00) - Intro with Nendirmwa Noel
• (03:23) - Nendirmwa's background
• (07:13) - Looking back on Nendimwa's education
• (12:11) - Difference in American education
• (23:15) - Break
• (24:14) - Classical education being portrayed as superior
• (31:10) - Homeschooling's false link to racist ideology
• (37:17) - Curriculum red flags
• (46:57) - Defining what classical education is to us
• (50:34) - In the Conversation Co-op

In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett welcome two of our colleagues, Mel Moore and Bridget Nickerson, for a conversation about ignoring peer pressure and choosing homeschool programs that work for your students.

• (00:00) - Intro with Bridget Nickerson and Mel Moore
• (04:08) - The problem with lists
• (17:30) - Fear of explusion?
• (19:12) - Common gatekeeping tactics
• (26:44) - Break
• (27:44) - The myth of "safety"
• (35:26) - Hidden ideologies?
• (39:15) - Will I accidentally turn my child into [x]
• (41:08) - Pushing back against "sneaky"
• (44:24) - How to choose the "right" curricula
• (50:26) - Outro