Welcome to Between the Lines: a podcast for nuanced conversations about education.

“The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running,” wrote Simone Weil. At Between the Lines, this joy of learning is the air we breathe: the joy of discovery, of opening one’s mind to new ideas, and of reading, writing, and reasoning about the most important things. Above all, education is a joy because it hones the human powers of rational thinking—learning both what really is, and how to think well about what really is.

History attests to the power of learning—for good and for ill. The ideas human beings hold shape the course of history, from philosophical principles to medical breakthroughs. When children (and adults!) learn to reason well from good principles, they build flourishing societies, have sparkling insights, and produce great works of art. On the other hand, bad principles—or bad reasoning—have often led to the great tragedies of history.

In our time, education is of more importance than ever. More and more, pursuing truth takes a back seat to picking a side. We need courageous, thoughtful conversations about what children should learn, and above all we need to find the joy of learning once again—in children and in adults.

At Between the Lines, we host the nuanced conversations that reawaken that joy of learning. Despite their very different backgrounds—secular and religious—our cohosts, Emily and Joseph, come together over this pursuit of truth and a desire to take on challenging ideas and understand the nuance behind major questions in education sphere today. What makes a good education? How can classrooms incorporate modern technology without compromising pedagogical principles? How can we develop independence through intellectual rigor?

Our goal is to provide a space where powerful, constructive conversations can happen. Along the way, we talk to educational practitioners and theorists, forming a broad understanding of what it means to learn well. We take on challenging ideas with open minds aimed at truth.