On and For a Purpose

Education

Dr. Arianna Molloy, Associate Professor of Organizational Communication at Biola University and author of Healthy Calling dives into the realities of burnout from your calling.

 
As part of IVP, an organization dedicated to creating and publishing resources that deepen lives in Christ while engaging the university, the church, and the world, she tells us why our calling matters and how it connects us relationally to the Caller, Jesus Christ. She encourages us to avoid the temptations of workaholism and job idolization and evaluate where we are on the spectrum of burnout.

Healthy Calling

If you’re a parent with a child about to graduate from high school and considering college, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Connor Champion, the President of Austin Christian University. Connor has a wealth of experience, from cognitive performance and leadership to coaching college football. Listen in as Connor explains how he is now using his expertise to lead a new kind of university that prepares students for business leadership, grounded in a biblical worldview. ACU regularly hosts top Christian executives from companies like Nike, Apple, and Chick-fil-A, giving students exposure to both timeless wisdom and cutting-edge practical insights.

An Innovative Approach for College: Austin Christian University | S3 E4

In this episode of the InFormed Parent, Suzanne Phillips interviews Matt Beaudreau, founder of Apogee. Matt shares his story of excelling in the conventional school system but finding that it did not equip him or others with the real-world skills needed for life. Matt's experiences at Stanford University and in public education exposed him to systemic issues within traditional schooling, where students were often well-prepared for academic success but struggled with practical life skills. This led him to explore alternative educational models, leading to the founding of Apogee. Apogee focuses on personalized, self-directed learning and emphasizes holistic growth for both students and parents. Listen in as they highlight the importance of not only educating children, but also mentoring parents, strengthening families, and preparing individuals for sovereignty and personal responsibility in their lives.

Raising Heroes: Building Leaders and Character in Education | S3 E2

Connor Champion recounts his experience of receiving a profound calling from God to transition from coaching to ministry in education and establish Austin Christian University (ACU). ACU is a university with a foundation in biblical principles and a focus on business, located within the local church. The university offers students an immersive education, practical training, and individual mentorship to equip them to become influential leaders within their church, workplace, and families.

Special Interview with Connor Champion

Are you concerned about how our next generation is being educated? InFormed Parent Podcast host, Suzanne Phillips, interviews a panel of leaders engaged in creative and impactful work in the education space. 




As a new school year starts, become aware of the challenges and opportunities a new generation of parents and students are encountering. Learn from frontline practitioners, Joel Penton, Donna Martin, and Connor Champion on how they are finding opportunities for the Christian faith to continue making an impact.

Taking Back Education

Are you finding it hard to keep up with all the changes happening in your child's school and wondering how you can make a difference? It can be challenging to understand all the policy adjustments in your school district and where they originate from. In this episode, Suzanne interviews Sonja Shaw, President of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board, who advocates for parents to decide what's in their children's best interest instead of state bureaucrats. Tune in to hear Sonja's inspiring story of how she went from being a homeroom mom to fighting for accountability from elected officials and ensuring they serve the parents and children they represent well. You'll learn how you can take similar action in your child's school.

The Power of a Parent Who Takes Action | S2 E12

Many parents are concerned about the questionable agendas in schools across the United States. But where do these agendas stem from? These deep-rooted issues are being promoted and advocated for by teacher's unions, rather than by well-meaning educators. In this episode, Suzanne interviews Rebecca Friedrichs, a twenty-eight-year public school teacher who is part of a movement to restore the voices and authority of parents and teachers in America's schools. Listen in as they discuss the challenges posed by teacher's unions and the effect they can have on your child's education, the classroom environment, and the nation as a whole.

Teachers Unions: How They Impact Your Family | S2 E11

Have you ever considered who is providing healthcare to your child at school? You would never let a doctor treat your child without your consent, but what about a seemingly harmless School Health Center? In this episode, Suzanne interviews Valerie Borek, a Policy Analyst at Stand for Health Freedom, an organization committed to informing and mobilizing a grassroots movement to protect families' health. Join them as they delve into the risks posed by School-Based Health Centers that could affect your child's privacy and health, and how these centers can significantly impact the decisions you make as a parent.

What You Should Know About School-Based Health Centers | S2 E9

Believe it or not, there is a way for the Bible to be taught to public school students during school hours. In this episode, Suzanne interviews Joel Penton, Founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy, a program that offers Bible class as part of the public school day to more than 300 schools and 25,000 students across the U.S. each week. Listen in as they discuss how this legally works within the First Amendment’s guidelines of separation of church and state and how you could adopt this biblically based program for the children in your community.

How to Teach the Bible in Public Schools | S2 E8

It's no secret that the curriculum and content our children are exposed to in classrooms today vary greatly from what many of us adults experienced in school. But what exactly is the difference and why should we be aware?  A huge part of the answer lies within the subjects of American history and civics. Listen in as Suzanne interviews author, attorney, and education advocate Jane Robbins and gets to the bottom of how American history and civics curriculum is changing, who is influencing the changes, and what the cultural and educational ramifications of those changes are. 

The Threat of Politicized Education | S2 E5

“We’re talking about who’s behind the scenes in the realm of education…When you ask a parent ‘Who is teaching your child? Who is leading your child?’ we used to think Mrs. Jones in room 203, but that’s no longer the case…In order to understand who’s truly teaching your child, you have to understand who all the players are….” In this episode, Suzanne interviews Melissa and Apryl Dukes-McDaniel, co-founders of Freedom in Education. They dig into the Whole Child education model—what it is, what it’s not…and who’s behind the redesign. Parents, grandparents, teachers, administrators–don’t miss this! Tune in to hear the implications and dangers of the Whole Child framework and the more positive alternatives to this approach. 

Whole Child: It's not what you think | Ep. 9

“Parents have so many rights that they can use to protect their children. They just need to know where to go find it and how to bring it forward to their school,” said author, attorney, and parent advocate, Kelly Hines Brolly. In this episode, Suzanne talks with Kelly about Kelly’s new book Laws, Rules, and Rights: A Guide to Protecting Children in Public Schools. Kelly lays out misconceptions of parental rights in public education across all 50 states and empowers parents with ways to assert their constitutional rights and protect their children from controversial instructional content. Tune in and get equipped to take action and propose solutions in your local school!

Laws, Rules, and Rights | Ep. 10

What is Education?

It’s no secret screens are invading our children’s environments–including their classrooms! Yet, you might be surprised to know only a sliver of the 6-9 hours a day they spend on their screens is actually spent on school work. Veteran teachers and co-authors of Screen Schooled, Matt Miles and Joe Clement, join Suzanne to discuss the negative impact screens are having on students’ focus, critical thinking, problem-solving, and relationships. “When you give that phone or tablet to a child, you’ve given them a burden. They might not see it that way…but what you’ve done is erected a barrier between other humans, academic content, and their brains,” said Joe. Tune in to get informed on the real impact of technology in our schools and learn how you can make a difference in your child’s brain development and learning.

Screen Schooled | Ep. 8

In this episode, Suzanne Phillips and Tim Kennedy dial up the straight talk about parents taking extreme ownership–especially when it comes to their children’s education.

Not only is Tim a Master Sergeant with the US Army Green Berets and a Special Forces sniper with multiple combat deployments, he’s also a father of four and an unapologetic American who can’t sit idly by and accept the trajectory of our current education system. 

Tune in and hear how Tim has taken matters in his own hands by starting Apogee Cedar Park school and how his work is equipping and empowering parents to do the same. 


School Solutions: Shifting Culture | Ep. 7

Buckle up, parents! In this episode, Suzanne interviews Noelle Kahaian and tackles the weighty topic of Comprehensive Sex Education—its pedophilic roots, its developmental inappropriateness, and its negative effects on the health and mental wellbeing of our children. 

Noelle shares insight from her work as a certified sex ed teacher, a Paralegal for the Child & Parental Rights Campaign and as the Co-Founder and President of Protect Student Health. She gives eye-opening examples of how Comprehensive Sex Ed is desensitizing and manipulating children in classrooms across the country and what parents can do about it.

Listen as Suzanne and Noelle implore parents to be aware, ask questions, and take initiative in their children’s schools and communities.

Sex Ed for All | Ep. 6

Suzanne talks with special guest Paul Lott from the National Society for the Advancement of Black Americans. They discuss a data-driven approach to Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and consider the question: If America is racist or if white privilege exists, does the data show it? What they find in the numbers might surprise you. Tune in to hear Suzanne and Paul uncover the historical context and data that’s really driving the systemic divisions and disparity in our communities and schools. 

Critical Theory or Critical Thinking? | Ep. 4

Suzanne talks with veteran history teacher Matt Janecek about the experiences that led him to step away from the public school classroom after a two-decade career and make half the salary teaching international students online.

Listen in as they discuss the state of the U.S. classroom and the compromising effects of reducing performance standards.

The State of the Classroom | Ep. 3

Schools today are no longer a playground. They’re a battleground for a child’s mind, will and emotion. Listen in as Suzanne poses some critical questions that determine if a parent’s vision and desired outcomes align with what and who is teaching their child.