Upright Christian Parenting - Treehouse Storytelle... - PT 1: From the Family Table to the Table of Influence | College of the Ozarks

WELCOME TO SEASON 5!!! What does it look like to educate children not just for academic success—but to know what they believe, why they believe it, and how to live it out with courage? In this two-part conversation on the Upright Christian Parenting Podcast, Hannah Pierrou sits down with Dr. Sue Head of College of the Ozarks and Andrew Pyatt, a graduate of both School of the Ozarks and College of the Ozarks who returned to teach theology and classical humanities. Together, they explore a different vision for Christian education—one rooted in faith, character, hard work, truth, goodness, beauty, and preparing the next generation to follow Christ in the real world. Andrew shares how classical Christian education shaped his own faith, from wrestling with comparison and difficult questions as a teenager to discovering a deeper understanding of Jesus, theology, and the Incarnation. Now, as a teacher, he is helping another generation of students wrestle with the Great Books, church history, Scripture, and the big questions of life. Dr. Head takes us behind the scenes of School of the Ozarks and College of the Ozarks, including their unique work-education model, commitment to Christian discipleship, low-tech approach to learning, patriotic education, support for veterans, and emphasis on developing young adults who understand both the dignity of hard work and the responsibility of influence. The conversation also gets incredibly practical for parents. How much technology should be in our children's education? What happens when kids are never allowed to be bored? How do phones affect their ability to think deeply? How can parents help their children develop a biblical worldview instead of simply inheriting someone else's beliefs? And what does it look like to raise kids who are prepared to influence culture without being consumed by it? One of the most important themes throughout this conversation is simple: our children eventually have to own their faith for themselves. Christian parenting and Christian education aren't about retreating from the world. They're about forming young people who know Christ, can think critically, work hard, communicate well, serve others, and understand what they believe and why. And that formation doesn't begin with influence on a national stage. It begins at home. It begins around the family dinner table. In Parts 1 & 2, we discuss: • Classical Christian education and the Great Books • Raising children with a strong biblical worldview • Helping teenagers make their Christian faith their own • Christian discipleship and spiritual formation • Truth, goodness, and beauty in education • College of the Ozarks and School of the Ozarks • The College of the Ozarks work-education model • Teaching kids the value of hard work • Christian parenting in today's culture • Technology, smartphones, AI, and education • Why boredom, stillness, and deep thinking matter • Low-tech education and handwritten learning • Patriotism, citizenship, and honoring America's veterans • Preparing Christian students for cultural influence • The importance of the family dinner table • Parental involvement in children's education • Building strong local Christian communities • Returning to Jesus as the center of cultural renewal Whether your children attend public school, private Christian school, classical school, or are homeschooled, this conversation offers encouragement for parents who want to raise grounded, thoughtful, hardworking kids who lov