10 Months At Sea, A School For Global Leadership
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
welcomes Emily Waugh and Gabriela Delgado de Fina, both Assistant Heads of School for the A+ World Academy. They discuss the academy's unique educational model: a 10-month voyage for 72 students aboard the Sorlandet, a fully rigged ship built in 1927. The conversation explores the challenges and rewards of a "school at sea," where academics, communal living, and maritime training converge. Have some feedback you’d like to share? You can email me at . If you enjoyed this episode, please share it and please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening. Emily and...
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Failure Factory, A Warning For Public Schools
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
talks with investigative reporter Chris Papst about his book, Failure Factory: How Baltimore City Public Schools Deprive Taxpayers and Students of a Future . Papst, a reporter for Project Baltimore, shares his deep-dive into why one of the most funded school systems in America remains one of the lowest performing . From systemic grade manipulation to the misuse of school funds, this conversation explores the "end stages" of a failing public education system and serves as a critical warning for the rest of the country . Video version available at: Papst details the findings of his...
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AI, Inquiry, And The Future Of Thinking
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
welcomes Carole Geneix, Director of Teaching and Learning at Washington International School, to the podcast to discuss the evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence in education. As schools grapple with the "AI revolution," Geneix argues that instead of fearing these tools, educators must integrate them into content-rich, inquiry-based frameworks to deepen student thinking. Have some feedback you’d like to share? You can email us at drew@thoughtstretchers.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you’re listening. Carole...
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Beyond Explicit Instruction, The Importance of Elaboration
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
welcomes education writer and author Natalie Wexler to the podcast to discuss her latest work and the evolving conversation around explicit instruction and the "Science of Reading." While the movement has successfully brought phonics to the forefront, Wexler argues that too narrow of a focus ignores the lessons of the Science of Learning. Wexler notes that the "Science of Reading" is often misunderstood as being synonymous with phonics. While foundational skills are non-negotiable, she explains that the "Mississippi Miracle" and other literacy success stories are incomplete...
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Why Classroom Technology Harms Learning (with Jared Cooney Horvath)
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
welcomes neuroscientist and acclaimed author Jared Cooney Horvath to dissect his new book, The Digital Delusion, which provides a rigorous, evidence-based critique of edtech. Horvath doesn’t mince words, arguing that the majority of student-facing, internet-connected devices should be removed from schools. He reveals that over 60 years of consistent data supports his claim that the integration of digital tools is fundamentally detrimental to effective learning. This isn’t a Luddite’s complaint; it’s a detailed exploration of the Neuroscience of Learning. The harm is...
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How Free Speech Builds a Better Brain With Barbara Oakley
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
In this episode of the ThoughtStretchers podcast, host Drew Perkins talks with Dr. Barbara Oakley, distinguished professor of engineering and co-instructor of the celebrated Learning How to Learn course, to discuss her critical opinion piece: Censorship Hurts Our Brains: Why Neuroscience Confirms the Importance of Free Speech. They dive deep into the neural mechanisms behind free expression, the challenges facing K-12 education, and the dangers of sacrificing liberty for perceived order. Show Notes & Main Discussion Points: Neuroscience and Free Speech: Dr. Oakley explains...
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Knowledge-Rich Inquiry With 4QM Teaching
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
welcomes Gary Schiffman and Jon Bassett of 4QM Teaching to the podcast to discuss their new US History curriculum and the principles behind their innovative Four Question Method. This conversation explores the gap between traditional inquiry-based learning and the need for explicit instruction in historical content and disciplinary thinking. Gary and Jon explain how their curriculum is designed to support "ordinary teachers" and build students' capacity for civil disagreement by grounding critical thinking in a robust body of knowledge. Key Takeaways & Discussion Points The Power of the...
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Memorizing History Facts, So What?
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
Is the core of teaching history about memorizing history facts, or is it about critical thinking? And what is the role of knowledge-rich inquiry in the history classroom? is joined by history educators Lauren Brown, Jonathan Dallimore (author of Teaching History: A Practical Guide for Secondary School Teachers), and Professor Aaron Astor for a frank, dialectic conversation on these essential questions. They discuss the necessity of foundational knowledge, how to promote historical thinking, and the biggest threats to historical understanding in the age of AI and social media. This...
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Are Leveled Readers Hurting Student Growth?
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
is joined by guest co-host, fourth-grade teacher Melinda Karshner, for a critical conversation with Timothy Shanahan, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and former Director of Reading for Chicago Public Schools. They discuss the core arguments of his book, Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives, How Students' Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It. Key Themes & Time-Stamped Highlights (00:10:31) The Flaw in Instructional Level Theory: Dr. Shanahan explains why the long-held notion of teaching kids at their "instructional level"...
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Change Starts Here with Shane Leaning
The ThoughtStretchers Podcast
talks with Shane Leaning about his new book, Change Starts Here: What If Everything Your School Needed Was Right in Front of You?
info_outlineDrew Perkins welcomes Gary Schiffman and Jon Bassett of 4QM Teaching to the podcast to discuss their new US History curriculum and the principles behind their innovative Four Question Method.
Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode
This conversation explores the gap between traditional inquiry-based learning and the need for explicit instruction in historical content and disciplinary thinking. Gary and Jon explain how their curriculum is designed to support "ordinary teachers" and build students' capacity for civil disagreement by grounding critical thinking in a robust body of knowledge.
- Key Takeaways & Discussion Points The Power of the 4QM Method: We detail why 4QM Teaching shifted from consulting to developing a full curriculum, recognizing the need for a practical vehicle to implement their teaching framework in the classroom.
- The Four Question Framework: Learn the four core questions that anchor every lesson and build specific historical thinking skills:
- Q1: What happened? (The skill of Narration and Storytelling)
- Q2: What were they thinking? (The skill of Interpretation of documents)
- Q3: Why then and there? (The skill of Explanation and causation)
- Q4: What do we think about that? (The skill of Judgment and civil discourse)
- Knowledge-Rich Inquiry: Jon and Gary firmly assert their position in the "knowledge first" camp, arguing that deep critical thinking is domain specific. They share why "structure is liberating" when students are equipped with a strong base of historical facts.
- Teaching Civil Disagreement: Discover how separating the "judgment" question (Q4) allows students to practice the art of civil disagreement in a structured, reasoned way, even when addressing controversial historical topics.
Time-Stamped Topics Key moments in the discussion:
- 06:52 - The origin story and philosophical foundation of the Four Question Method (4QM Teaching).
- 10:41 - A detailed breakdown of the four questions: Narration, Interpretation, Explanation, and Judgment.
- 14:20 - Why 4QM Teaching finally decided to write a full US History curriculum.
- 21:45 - How Question 4 teaches the "art of civil disagreement" (and the related work of Natalie Wexler).
- 36:14 - The argument that critical thinking is entirely domain-specific in advanced fields.
- 52:09 - Simplifying the curriculum to reduce cognitive load with four transparent lesson types.