PODCAST · education
BaseCamp Live
by Davies Owens
BaseCamp LIVE will equip you, the parent, educator, or mentor to climb the biggest mountains as you seek to shape young people to become exceptionally prepared, compassionate, and thoughtful human beings. Our guests are thought leaders, culture watchers, and educational experts who are seeing the benefits of a classical Christian education to form students into adults who can think critically, believe with courage, and serve compassionately.
Episodes
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What AI Can't Teach Our Children with Andrew Pudewa
AI can write essays, solve problems, and produce polished work in seconds. But does that mean our children no longer need to learn how to do those things themselves? Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, joins Davies Owens to explore a question that goes far beyond...
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Rethinking Childhood in a Digital World with Emily Harrison
What if some of the things we’ve accepted as normal for childhood aren’t actually healthy? Children and teenagers now spend hours each day on devices, carry the internet in their pockets, and increasingly experience friendship, entertainment, and even education through technology. But as Emily...
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What If Educating Your Children Isn’t One More Thing? with Leigh Bortins
When parents hear that they are the primary educators of their children, it can sound like one more responsibility to carry. But what if it’s actually good news? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Classical Conversations founder Leigh Bortins to rethink what education...
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Rethinking Childhood in a Digital World with Emily Harrison
What if some of the things we’ve accepted as normal for childhood aren’t actually healthy? Children and teenagers now spend hours each day on devices, carry the internet in their pockets, and increasingly experience friendship, entertainment, and even education through technology. But as Emily...
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What Do We Need to Unlearn? with Christine Norvell
What if becoming better educated isn’t always about learning more, but about unlearning some of what we already believe? Most parents today did not grow up with classical Christian education. We bring our own experiences of school with us, along with assumptions about grades, success, learning,...
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Behind the scenes with Davies: 400th Episode! with Hannah Brusven and Davies Owens
Four hundred episodes. Nearly ten years. And a world that looks very different from the one in which BaseCamp Live began. For this milestone episode, Davies Owens steps to the other side of the microphone as his daughter, Hannah Brusven, takes over as host. Together they look back at the unlikely...
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The Music That Shapes Us with Eliot Grasso
Music is everywhere. We stream it in our cars, hear it in stores, and carry thousands of songs in our pockets. But in gaining nearly unlimited access to music, have we lost sight of what music is actually for? Dr. Eliot Grasso, musician, scholar, educator, and one of America's leading performers…
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Beyond “Can My Kid Watch This?” with Brett McCraken
Every story is shaping us. Movies, television, books, music, and digital media do more than entertain. They work on our imaginations, stir our affections, and quietly influence what we love, admire, fear, and desire. So how can Christian parents help their children engage culture thoughtfully...
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Forming Souls - Not Just Minds with Heidi White
Classical Christian education often talks about forming students to love what is true, good, and beautiful. But how does that formation actually happen? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by author, educator, and podcaster Heidi White to explore the formative power of…
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Teaching Kids to Think, or Just Find Answers? with Charley Dewberry
Modern education often trains students to absorb information, reproduce it on a test, and move on. But is that really learning? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens talks with Charley Dewberry, co-founder, Academic Dean, and tutor at Gutenberg College, about what it means to teach...
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Building a Generation on a Firm Foundation with Joshua Weir
Young people today are surrounded by voices telling them to discover their own truth, define their own identity, and create their own purpose. But what happens when the foundation underneath those ideas keeps shifting? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Joshua Weir,...
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Curiosity: The Career Skill AI Can't Replace with Tami Peterson
Artificial intelligence is changing the workplace faster than anyone can predict—but does that mean we should prepare our children by chasing "AI-proof" careers? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens welcomes career coach Tami Peterson back to the show to explore a very different…
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Summer Flashback: Classical Christian Education for All Students with Heather Lloyd
Many parents love classical Christian education until one of their children doesn't seem to "fit the mold." Does classical education only work for naturally academic students? Or should an education rooted in truth, wisdom, and Christ be accessible to far more children? In this Summer Flashback,...
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Why Every Civilization Begins at Home with Laura Kraus
Strong families don't happen by accident. They are built through ordinary habits, shared life, and intentional choices. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by Laura Kraus, founder and CEO of the Family Digital Foundation, to explore why the family remains the foundation of...
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Praying the Scriptures for Your Children with Jodie Berndt
As parents, it's easy to believe that everything depends on us. If we just choose the right curriculum, set the right boundaries, or say the right words, our children will turn out well. But Scripture reminds us that we were never meant to carry that burden alone. In this episode, bestselling...
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Raising Sturdy Kids: The Book with Keith McCurdy
After years of encouraging families through counseling, conferences, and conversations on BaseCamp Live, Keith McCurdy's long-awaited book, Raising Sturdy Kids, has finally arrived. In this episode, Davies and Keith celebrate the book's release while exploring the foundational principles behind…
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Timeless Education for Modern Times with Robert Littlejohn (Series: What is Classical Christian Education?)
What exactly is Classical Christian Education? Ask ten people, and you might get ten different answers. Is it about Latin? The Great Books? The Trivium? Character formation? Academic excellence? In this foundational episode of our series, What is Classical Christian Education?, Davies Owens sits...
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Rooting our Families with Jennifer Freeman
Parents often spend so much time navigating the needs of today that it's easy to lose sight of where we're ultimately headed. But what if raising children begins with keeping the end in mind? In this episode, Davies Owens welcomes Dr. Jennifer Freeman of the Rooted Families Initiative to discuss…
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Forging the American Mind with David Goodwin
What happens after we realize that education is about far more than information transfer? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with David Goodwin, president of the Association of Classical Christian Schools and co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Battle for the...
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Parenting in an Age of Fragmented Attention with Suzanne Phillips
How do we faithfully raise children in a culture that constantly fragments their attention? In this episode of Base Camp Live, Davies Owens welcomes Suzanne Phillips of Beacon Parent for a thoughtful and deeply encouraging conversation about parenting in an age of distraction, anxiety, and…
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The Art of Friendship with Dirk Bellamy
Friendship does not happen automatically anymore. In a world filled with distraction, busyness, and surface-level interaction, many adults and students are struggling to form meaningful relationships. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Dirk Bellamy to discuss the…
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A Framework for Classical Education with Lindsey Ralls (Series: What is Classical Christian Education?)
What does classical Christian education actually mean? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, host Davies Owens continues the ongoing series on classical Christian education with guest Lindsey Ralls, Upper School Head at Summit Christian Academy. Together, they explore a practical framework for...
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Beyond Slogans: Can Virtue Actually Be Taught? with Sharon Carlson
How do we move students from simply talking about truth, goodness, and beauty to actually living those ideals out in everyday life? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by Sharon Carlson for a thoughtful conversation about what it means to develop an “operational theology” , a...
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Raising an Anxious Generation to Live Sturdy with Keith McCurdy
Anxiety is everywhere today, but what if it doesn’t always tell us the truth? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens welcomes back Keith McCurdy for another conversation in the Live Sturdy series. Together, they unpack why anxiety has become so common in students and parents, how...
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Gen Z Mental Health: Insights from the Barna Report with Stephanie Shackelford
Gen Z is more connected than any generation in history, yet also more isolated, anxious, and uncertain about their identity and purpose. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Dr. Stephanie Shackelford, senior fellow at the Barna Group and author of You on Purpose, to…
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Forming Attention in an Age of Distraction with Tami Peterson
In a world where attention is constantly pulled in a thousand directions, how do we help students focus on what truly matters? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Tami Peterson, founder of Life Architects Coaching, to explore the growing challenge of distraction and its...
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When Schools and Home Align with Sadie Elliott
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…
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What is Education Actually For? with Ali Ghaffari
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...
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Why Schools Need Charlotte Mason’s Wisdom with Patrick Egan
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...
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Raising Human Beings Not Human Doings with Joshua Pauling
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…
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How to Find and Train Classical Christian Teachers with Dr. Robert Jackson
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…
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What is Classical Christian Education? Series with Dr. Michael Adkins
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…
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Alumni Interview with Neeya Toleman
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…
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The Classical Science Classroom with Paul Laywell
In this episode of BaseCamp Live, host Davies Owens sits down with Paul Laywell, 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…
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The Art of the Question with Mandi Gerth
Good conversations with our children do not just happen. They require intentionality, attention, and the courage to ask questions that may take more than a few seconds to answer. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens welcomes back Mandi Gerth to explore how the questions we ask shape not...
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Training Life Skills for the Next Generation with Mitchell Slater
Students today need to be deeply formed to love what is true and beautiful, and they also need practical skills and confidence that comes from real life experiences they can carry into college, career, and beyond. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Mitchell Slater,...
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What is Classical Christian Education? with David Diener
“What is classical Christian education?” sounds like an easy question, until you try to answer it. In this episode, Davies Owens is joined by Dr. David Diener, professor of education at Hillsdale College and executive director of the Alcuin Fellowship, to offer a clear, grounded explanation of…
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Classical Home Habits with Jeff Hendricks
Healthy habits are one of the greatest gifts we can give our children because habits quietly shape what they love and who they become. In this episode, Davies Owens is joined by Jeff Hendricks, headmaster at Providence Christian School of Texas, for a practical conversation about how formation...
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What Are We Training Our Children to Love? with Keith McCurdy
Augustine argued that many of our biggest problems come not from loving bad things, but from loving good things in the wrong order. In this episode, Davies Owens sits down with counselor and Live Sturdy president Keith McCurdy to talk about the “ordering of loves” and why it impacts everything…
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Alumni Interview with Ashton Lawrence
Many listeners have been asking for more alumni interviews, and this episode delivers. Davies Owens sits down with Ashton Lawrence, an Ambrose School graduate who joined the classical Christian world in fifth grade and stayed through graduation. Ashton reflects on the early challenges of…
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Recovering Wisdom in America with Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU
In a world filled with distraction, content overload, and cultural confusion, raising children who are wise, discerning, and grounded can feel daunting. In this episode, Davies Owens sits down with Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU, to explore how families can recover wisdom in America through…
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Best of BaseCamp Live: How the Ancients Shaped Virtuous People with Dr. Louis Markos
In this episode, Davies Owens briefly steps into the archives to revisit a valuable conversation with Dr. Louis Markos on how the ancient world understood virtue, education, and human flourishing, and why those insights remain essential today. Dr. Markos explains how the Greeks and Romans, though...
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Future Jobs for Students in an AI World with Tami Peterson
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how work gets done across nearly every industry. As automation accelerates and technology reshapes careers, parents and educators are asking pressing questions. What kinds of jobs will still exist? How should students prepare for an uncertain future?…
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The Countercultural Rhythm of Great Teaching with Carrie Eben
What is a good teacher? Most of us can name a teacher who made a lasting impact, not just through information, but through formation, awakening curiosity, shaping understanding, and building confidence. In this BaseCamp Live episode, host Davies Owens sits down with classical educator and mentor...
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How Classical Students Thrive in an AI World with Emily Harrison
AI is moving faster than any technology humanity has ever created. For Christian schools and families committed to timeless, unchanging truth, that speed raises urgent questions. How should schools rethink testing, writing, and academic integrity? Where is the line between being informed and...
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Classical Classroom Distinctives with Mandi Gerth
What truly sets a classical Christian classroom apart? Curriculum matters, but as Mandi Gerth explains, it is not the only or even the primary driver of formation. A child is shaped day after day by the culture of the classroom, the small liturgies, the tone of the teacher, and the habits that...
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Why Smartphones Aren’t the Only Option with Chris Kaspar
Smartphones have become the default for families, but what if the default is actually harmful? In this episode, Davies Owens talks with Chris Kaspar, founder and CEO of Techless, about why modern devices were never designed with children in mind and how parents can choose a healthier path. Chris...
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Rhetoric in Action: The Senior Thesis with Tom Vierra
Senior thesis is the capstone of a classical Christian education, and Dr. Tom Vierra believes it may be one of the most countercultural things schools do today. In this episode, Davies Owens talks with Tom, longtime classical educator and Senior Thesis Coordinator at Wilson Hill Academy, about…
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What the UK's Classical School Renewal Teaches Us with Jamie Burns
Classical learning has deep roots in the United Kingdom. Yet many schools in England, Scotland, and Wales have drifted toward child-led, utilitarian models that leave students unformed and unmoored. At the same time, a quiet renewal is beginning to take shape. In this episode, British educator...
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Helping Children Read the Hard Books Well with Sara Osborne
Parents often wonder if pushing through difficult books is worth the tears and late nights. In this episode, Davies Owens is joined by Sara Osborne, author of Reading for the Long Run, as she explains why classics feel hard, how to discern real obstacles from attitude or context, and practical...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
BaseCamp LIVE will equip you, the parent, educator, or mentor to climb the biggest mountains as you seek to shape young people to become exceptionally prepared, compassionate, and thoughtful human beings. Our guests are thought leaders, culture watchers, and educational experts who are seeing the benefits of a classical Christian education to form students into adults who can think critically, believe with courage, and serve compassionately.
HOSTED BY
Davies Owens
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does BaseCamp Live have?
BaseCamp Live currently has 404 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is BaseCamp Live about?
BaseCamp LIVE will equip you, the parent, educator, or mentor to climb the biggest mountains as you seek to shape young people to become exceptionally prepared, compassionate, and thoughtful human beings. Our guests are thought leaders, culture watchers, and educational experts who are seeing the...
How often does BaseCamp Live release new episodes?
BaseCamp Live publishes regularly with 404 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to BaseCamp Live?
You can listen to BaseCamp Live on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts BaseCamp Live?
BaseCamp Live is created and hosted by Davies Owens.
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