Podcast
The Liberty Show
Hosted by Liberty Classical · EN
A podcast by Liberty Classical Schools
15episodes
Episodes
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What AI Can’t Replace: Why Great Books Still Matter | Walter DuPre
1w ago00:49:10Tap to summarizeWhat can artificial intelligence never replace?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with investor, lifelong reader, and Atlanta Classical Academy supporter Walter DuPre to discuss the enduring value of great books, liberal arts education, and lifelong learning.Walter shares how reading transformed his own life, why he believes classical education prepares students not just for careers but for life, and why great literature remains essential in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.The conversation explores virtue, writing, critical thinking, parenting, and the habits that help students become wise, thoughtful, and capable of self-government.Topics include:• Why great books still matter• Reading in the age of AI• Aristotle, virtue, and character formation• Why writing clarifies thinking• Raising children who love learning• The purpose of education• Liberal arts and lifelong learning• What makes classical education different• Why Atlanta Classical Academy gives him hopeWhether you’re a parent, educator, student, or lifelong learner, this conversation offers a thoughtful perspective on what education is truly for.🎙️ About the GuestWalter DuPre serves as a Portfolio Manager at Buckhead Capital Management and has spent decades studying great books, mentoring young people, leading reading groups, and supporting classical education. He is a longtime supporter of Atlanta Classical Academy and currently leads a Great Books discussion group for parents and teachers.📚 Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, character formation, virtue, and lifelong learning.
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Go Where You’re Known: Lessons on Friendship, Teaching, and Community | Garrett Holt
1w ago00:58:06Tap to summarizeWhen Garrett Holt graduated from college, he had opportunities to move across the country and pursue adventure.Instead, a mentor gave him simple advice:“Go with your friends.”More than a decade later, that decision shaped his career, his family, his community, and hundreds of students at Atlanta Classical Academy.In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Garrett Holt to discuss teaching, coaching, friendship, fatherhood, and the role community plays in forming meaningful lives. Garrett reflects on his journey from a young teacher fresh out of college to one of the most beloved educators and mentors at Atlanta Classical Academy.Along the way, they explore classical education, character formation, faculty culture, coaching athletics, digital distraction, and why the relationships we build often matter more than the opportunities we chase.Topics include:• Why community matters more than career advancement• Lessons from teaching fifth grade and high school students• Building meaningful friendships after college• Coaching, leadership, and character formation• The role of history in developing wisdom and judgment• Why schools should help form virtuous citizens• The importance of intergenerational relationships• Fatherhood and finding a slower pace of life• Fighting distraction in a digital world• Advice for aspiring teachersWhether you’re a parent, educator, coach, student, or recent graduate, this conversation offers a thoughtful reflection on what makes a life well-lived.🎙️ About the GuestGarrett Holt serves as Dean of Student Life and History Teacher at Atlanta Classical Academy. Since helping launch the school in 2014, he has taught across multiple grade levels, coached championship athletics, mentored students, and helped cultivate a thriving school culture rooted in friendship, virtue, and intellectual formation. 📚 Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, character formation, leadership, and human flourishing.
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Why Music Is Essential to a Child’s Education | Bryan Franklin
May 501:08:15Tap to summarizeWhat is education really for?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Bryan Franklin, Director of Fine Arts at Atlanta Classical Academy, to explore the role of music in shaping not just the mind, but the heart.Together, they walk through what classical education looks like in practice, including a live classroom-style lesson using Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World.” Along the way, they discuss how music connects to history, imagination, and the formation of young people.This conversation goes beyond curriculum. It gets at something deeper.Why music and the arts are essential, not optionalHow great teachers bring subjects to lifeWhat it means to cultivate wonder in studentsWhy education should aim at forming meaningful livesIf you care about education, culture, or the development of the next generation, this episode is for you.About the GuestBryan Franklin serves as Director of Fine Arts at Atlanta Classical Academy, where he has taught since the school’s founding. He leads a flourishing arts program and is known for bringing music, history, and imagination together in the classroom.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.org👍 If you enjoyed this conversation, consider subscribing for more episodes of The Liberty Show.
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Why We Should Still Be Proud of America | The Folsoms on History, Liberty & Education
Apr 2200:51:01Tap to summarizeWhy should we be proud of America?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Burt and Anita Folsom to explore the historical foundations of American liberty and why those ideas still matter today.Drawing from their work on American history and their recent pamphlet Three Reasons to Be Proud of America, the Folsoms walk through the principles that shaped the nation and the stories that are often overlooked in modern education.They discuss how the Declaration of Independence established enduring truths about human equality and rights, why entrepreneurship played a critical role in shaping the modern world, and how America’s actions on the global stage have impacted history in profound ways. In this conversation:• The foundational truths of the Declaration of Independence• Why rights come from God, not government• How America helped lead the abolition of slavery• The role of entrepreneurship in shaping the modern world• Why the U.S. rebuilt Europe after World War II• How history should be taught to the next generationThis episode is a reminder that understanding history is essential to forming thoughtful, informed citizens.About The Liberty ShowThe Liberty Show features conversations with educators, historians, and leaders shaping the future of classical education and culture.Produced by Liberty Classical Schools, where students are formed through an education rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness.Learn more:https://libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on education, history, and formation.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #AmericanHistory #EducationMatters
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What Great Teachers Actually Do | David Han on Character and Formation
Apr 700:48:49Tap to summarizeWhat makes a great teacher?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with David Hahn, lower school principal at Atlanta Classical Academy, to explore the deeper purpose of education and what it looks like to form students in both mind and character.David shares his journey from aerospace engineering to education and reflects on the mission that drives classical schools: cultivating students who are not only knowledgeable, but virtuous.In this conversation, they discuss:• Why education must go beyond academics to shape character• What it means to form students in both heart and mind• How great teachers bring learning to life• The role of community in sustaining educators• Why coaching, feedback, and growth are essential to school culture• How parents and schools can partner in raising childrenThis episode offers a practical and inspiring look at what it takes to build schools that form students for lives of purpose, responsibility, and leadership.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, formation, and culture.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #CharacterFormation #EducationMatters
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Why Modern Education Feels Empty And How We Fix It | Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton
Mar 1701:06:17Tap to summarizeWhat is education actually for?In this episode of The Liberty Show, we sit down with sociologist and author Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton to explore the deeper purpose of education and why modern systems may be missing something essential.Much of education today is focused on credentials, outcomes, and career preparation. But historically, education aimed at something much greater: the formation of the whole person. The cultivation of wisdom. A love for truth, beauty, and goodness.Dr. Mooney Clayton helps us rediscover why these ideas still matter and why recovering them could transform the way we educate the next generation.In this conversation, we explore:• Why modern education has drifted away from its deeper purpose• The role of beauty in shaping the human soul• How the liberal arts form wisdom, not just job skills• Why great teachers must love the subjects they teach• The importance of moral formation alongside intellectual development• How parents and educators can restore meaning to educationDr. Mooney Clayton shares insights from her work as a sociologist and educator, offering a vision of education that develops both the mind and the character of students.About Dr. Margarita Mooney ClaytonDr. Margarita Mooney Clayton is a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the founder of the Scala Foundation, an organization dedicated to restoring meaning and purpose in American culture through the integration of education, art, and religion.Learn more about her work:https://margaritamooneyclayton.comhttps://thescalafoundation.orgAbout The Liberty ShowThe Liberty Show features conversations with educators, scholars, and leaders exploring the ideas shaping the future of education and culture.Produced by Liberty Classical Schools, where students are formed through an education rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:https://libertyclassicalschools.org
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FORMING CITIZENS | Robert Kelly on Character, Citizenship & Classical Education
Mar 300:59:46Tap to summarizeWhat is education ultimately for?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Robert Kelly to discuss the deeper purpose of classical education.Beyond credentials and career preparation, Liberty Classical Schools exists to form students in moral and intellectual character — preparing them not only for success, but for responsible citizenship.Together, they explore:Why character must precede systemsHow classical education cultivates thoughtful, virtuous citizensThe relationship between formation and freedomWhat it takes to build schools that strengthen communitiesThis is a conversation about education as formation and about the kind of people our schools are shaping.Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools:🔗 libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, civic formation, and meaningful leadership.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #Citizenship #CharacterFormation
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Noble Ambition & Liberal Education | Dr. Shilo Brooks on Great Books and Self-Government
Feb 1700:59:24Tap to summarizeWhat is education ultimately for — achievement, or something higher?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Dr. Shilo Brooks — professor of political science at SMU, CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, and author of the forthcoming book Noble Ambition.Dr. Brooks shares his powerful journey from West Texas to St. John’s College, where a Great Books education reshaped his life. He reflects on the mentor who made his education possible, the discipline of reading Homer and Aristotle line by line, and why liberal education remains essential to forming free citizens.🎓 In This Episode:The difference between ambition and noble ambitionHow Great Books cultivate judgment and characterWhy liberal education prepares students for self-governmentThe responsibility that comes with opportunityHow mentorship can change the trajectory of a lifeDr. Brooks also co-hosts the YouTube podcast Old School, where he and his colleagues explore classical ideas, politics, and culture through the lens of the Great Books. If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out Old School for more thoughtful dialogue.📘 Look for Dr. Brooks’ upcoming book, Noble Ambition🎙️ Watch Old School on YouTube🔗 Learn more about Liberty Classical Schools: libertyclassicalschools.orgSubscribe for more conversations on classical education, civic formation, and raising knowledgeable, virtuous citizens.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #NobleAmbition #OldSchoolPodcast #GreatBooks #LiberalEducation #CivicFormation #LeadershipDevelopment
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Trusting the Process | What Great Teaching Really Requires with Deidre Wallace
Nov 2500:28:56Tap to summarizeWhat does it mean to “trust the process” in classical education—and why does it work?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Matthew Kirby sits down with Deidre Wallace, a founding second-grade teacher at Northwest Classical Academy. Deidre shares her journey from public school to homeschooling to becoming a core part of a thriving classical school community.She explains why parents often need time, patience, and trust as their children adjust to a new educational model—and why the fruit always comes.🎓 In This Episode:Why “trusting the process” matters in classical educationHow virtue, order, and joy shape strong school cultureWhat great teaching really requires from adultsWhy classical education works for every student—even those who didn’t start in itThe power of great books, clear expectations, and meaningful conversationDeidre’s story reveals why classical education forms not just better students, but better human beings.📘 The Liberty Show shares conversations about classical education, character formation, and raising knowledgeable, virtuous citizens.🔗 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more episodes on education, leadership, and formation.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #VirtueAndWisdom #TeacherStories #FormationMatters #EducationThatFormsTheHeart #TrustTheProcess
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Recovering the Joy of Learning | Dr. Christopher Perrin on Wonder and Classical Education
Nov 1801:21:08Tap to summarizeWhy does classical education awaken something in students and teachers that modern schooling often suppresses?In this episode of The Liberty Show, Dr. Christopher Perrin—author, educator, and leading voice in the classical renewal movement—explores why education must recover delight, rest, contemplation, and wonder if we want students to flourish.Dr. Perrin explains how classical education forms the whole person by giving students:A human education, not a mechanized oneTime to slow down, reflect, and enjoy learningTeachers who model curiosity, humility, and joyA sense of identity and belonging in a community of virtueA vision for what is true, good, and beautifulThis conversation goes beyond curriculum.It’s about formation, not information.It’s about restoring the love of learning and cultivating the kind of human beings our world desperately needs.🎓 If you’ve ever wondered why classical education feels different—this episode explains it.📘 Learn more: libertyclassicalschools.org📺 Subscribe for more conversations about education that forms both the mind and the heart.#TheLibertyShow #LibertyClassical #ClassicalEducation #JoyOfLearning #TrueGoodBeautiful #FormationMatters #EducationReform #VirtueAndWisdom #Schole #RecoverWonder
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