Shows
Sales ZenKnow When To Walk Away From A DealIn the high-pressure world of sales, the instinct is always to close the deal. But what if walking away is actually the smartest move you can make? In this episode of Sales Zen, we dive deep into the counterintuitive yet crucial skill of knowing when to say "no" to a deal.Discover how top sellers identify red flags – from unrealistic client expectations and difficult personalities to fundamental value misalignments. Learn why chasing misaligned opportunities is a colossal waste of your most precious resources: time, energy, and sanity.Host Kevin Currie reveals the powerful question that he...2025-06-0503 minSales ZenUnlock Your Sales Instincts: Thriving Amidst Internal HeadwindsAre internal frustrations and disagreements draining your sales energy and disrupting your flow? Many sales professionals struggle with feeling a lack of control over internal dynamics. In this episode of Sales Zen, we unpack these common challenges and provide actionable insights on how to shift your focus to what you can control. Discover how to strategically navigate your internal landscape, filter out the noise, and channel your efforts into maximizing the effectiveness of sales career. It's time to turn those perceived obstacles into opportunities.2025-05-2004 minSales ZenBeyond the Quick Close: Building Lasting B2B Relationships with Sales ZenTired of the relentless pressure in B2B sales? Welcome to Sales Zen, where host Kevin Currie guides you to a more fulfilling and successful sales career by integrating mindfulness with practical techniques. Discover how to trust the established sales process, build strong client relationships, and avoid the pitfalls of rushing deals. Learn to balance the urgency to close with the imperative of doing it right, ensuring long-term partnerships and sustainable success. Whether you're navigating complex, multi-stakeholder deals or faster-paced cycles, Sales Zen provides actionable insights to help you build a solid foundation, understand your clients' needs...2025-05-1504 minSales ZenB2B Sales Success: Making It Easy for Clients to Say YESTired of wrestling with the complexities of B2B sales? Discover a more mindful and effective path to success with Sales Zen. Hosted by Kevin Currie, this podcast blends practical sales techniques with the power of mindfulness, helping you unlock your instincts and create a fulfilling career.Have you ever experienced a seamless, confident purchase? In B2B, that's the goal. Join Kevin as he reveals the strategic art of making it easy for your clients to say "yes" – not through pressure, but by creating a clear, frictionless path to purchase. Learn how to streamline pr...2025-05-1305 minSales ZenPositive MindsetUnlock Your Sales Success with the Power of a Positive MindsetTired of feeling like B2B sales is a constant uphill battle? In this candid episode of Sales Zen, host Kevin Currie gets real about the negativity that can easily creep into the world of sales. As a self-proclaimed former pessimist, Kevin shares his personal journey and practical techniques for counteracting negative thought patterns that can sabotage your success.Discover how to navigate rejection, demanding managers, and frustrating corporate complexities not by ignoring them, but by consciously training your brain to focus on the...2025-05-0905 minSales ZenDo Business With People Who Want To Do Business With YouImagine a sales process with less heartbreak and more wins. This episode dives into the powerful concept of doing business with people who want to do business with you. Learn how to spot the early indicators of a strong potential fit, understand why chasing uninterested prospects drains your energy, and discover the impactful results one sales rep saw by shifting his focus. Unlock a more efficient and fulfilling path to sales success.2025-05-0605 minSales ZenPrioritizationFeeling overwhelmed by the constant demands of B2B sales? On this episode of Sales Zen with Kevin Currie, we build upon the power of grit by exploring the crucial skill of prioritization. Learn how detaching from immediate outcomes can sharpen your focus, enabling you to identify high-impact activities and strategically manage your time. Discover practical techniques to assess deadlines and potential impact, allowing you to move beyond reactive panic and cultivate a proactive, priority-driven mindset for greater productivity and success.2025-05-0105 minSales ZenGritUnlock your inner resilience and achieve greater success in B2B sales with Sales Zen. Hosted by Kevin Currie, this podcast blends mindfulness techniques with practical sales strategies to help you navigate challenges, overcome rejection, and tap into your inherent grit. 1 Learn to cultivate the mental toughness needed to thrive in the demanding world of sales and find a more fulfilling path to success. 2025-04-2904 min
The QP Diaries, by AssureBioBitesize Diary Entry - 6 [Kevin Currie]
Welcome to the QP Diaries podcast! In this episode of the QP Diaries podcast, host Dal Pawar speaks with qualified QP, Kevin Currie, from the pharmaceutical industry. They discuss the importance of inspiring and empowering the next generation of QPs and share their personal story and expertise. Kevin shares how their career started in a laboratory working with chemicals and how they learned critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Tune in to this episode to gain insights into the world of QPs and learn from industry thought leaders.
2024-08-3013 min
The QP Diaries, by AssureBioInspiring and Empowering the Next Generation of QPs ~ The QP Diaries ~ Kevin Currie ~ Ep6
Welcome to the QP Diaries podcast! In this episode of the QP Diaries podcast, host Dal Pawar speaks with qualified QP, Kevin Currie, from the pharmaceutical industry. They discuss the importance of inspiring and empowering the next generation of QPs and share their personal story and expertise. Kevin shares how their career started in a laboratory working with chemicals and how they learned critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Tune in to this episode to gain insights into the world of QPs and learn from industry thought leaders.
Key moments
00:00:10 - Introduction to QP Diaries Podcast
00:00:52 - Inspiring the Next...2024-08-2249 minSales ZenUnderstand Why They Said YesIt's just as important to understand why a client said yes as it is why they said no.2024-05-2201 minSales ZenDetach From OutcomesClients don't buy from you so you can mark closed won in your CRM. They buy based on the impact the partnership will have on their business. 2024-05-2001 minSales ZenThink Like A CEOAre you struggling to expand your outreach? Try thinking like a CEO. 2024-05-1701 minSales ZenEmbrace FailureI failed last year. Not only did I fail in hitting my goals, I failed in how I let it impact me. Sales comes with highs and lows. Learning to embrace failure will only help you succeed in the long run.2024-05-1503 minSales ZenTrust The ProcessInternal demands and fire drills are part of being a B2B seller. Top sellers separate the internal panic from their approach with clients.2024-05-1301 minSales ZenFocus On The ProcessIf you are struggling to maximize your success, start with your process. Top sellers work tirelessly on their approach to the business. They are flexible to make pivots but they always have a set process.2024-05-1001 minSales ZenHold Clients AccountableTop sellers view client deadlines and accountability as buying signals. Don't be afraid to give the clients deadlines upfront. Once they are invested in the partnership they want it to move forward as much as you do. 2024-05-0901 minSales ZenMove On From Stuck DealsTop sellers have enough in their pipeline they are able to move on from chasing a potential client. Be protective of your time and move on.2024-05-0801 minSales ZenGet Out Of Your Comfort ZoneTop sellers are willing to put themselves out there. You don't need to have all the answers but you do need to be uncomfortable to truly unlock your potential.2024-05-0701 minSales ZenActive ListeningActive listening and curiosity are critical to success. Want to be a top rep? Listen without judgement or jumping to conclusions.2024-05-0601 minSales ZenAct Like You've Been There BeforeWhether you have all the answers or not you need to be confident and act like you've been there before.2024-04-2601 minSales ZenHumanize ItWas your first meeting a success and now your client is no where to be found? Humanize your follow up.2024-04-2501 minSales ZenRide The MomentumDid you get get a win? Don't stop, ride the momentum.2024-04-2401 minSales ZenSet deadlines so your clients won't go darkTime is the biggest killer of a deal. If you aren't setting deadlines with your clients, you are likely getting ghosted.2024-04-2301 minSales ZenBe YourselfDon't minimize your ability to have flexibility and be yourself. Being authentic in your sales process is critical to success.2024-04-2301 minSales ZenGrab Their AttentionPeople are jammed with messages from work and their personal life. To cut through the clutter you need to grab their attention.2024-04-1901 minSales ZenBe PassionateIf you aren't passionate about your clients and helping them solve their challenges, you are doing it wrong. Be passionate.2024-04-1801 minSales ZenBe The ExpertTop sellers not only know their product, they are experts in their industry and their clients business. Approach sales with a growth mindset and be the expert.2024-04-1701 minSales ZenLess Is MoreAre your client's missing your key message? You need to assess your communication style. In sales, less is more.2024-04-1601 minSales ZenDon't ApologizeTop sellers don't apologize for doing their job. You shouldn't either.2024-04-1501 minSales ZenExecutive PresenceOwn your business. Command Respect... Think and act like a CEO.2024-04-1201 minSales ZenFind The NoThe best outcome is a yes. The next best outcome... getting a no. And there is no debate. So push for the no.2024-04-1101 minSales ZenSlow DownTop sellers don't let internal pressure of closing deals impact their approach with clients. They've learned the art of prioritizing impact over recency. 2024-04-0901 minSales ZenDon't Provide The ObjectionFrontrunning objections is critical to being a top sales rep. But top sellers don't let objections stop them from their sales process.2024-04-0801 minSales ZenFind Your MotivationIf you are struggling with the roller coaster that is sales... Remember to find your motivation.2024-04-0501 minSales ZenEmbrace Your PipelineI've never seen a sales rep excited to manage their pipeline. But it's part of the job and top sellers embrace pipeline management to run their business.2024-04-0401 minSales ZenFocus On What You Can ControlSales has the highest highs and the lowest lows... Top sellers focus on what they can control.2024-04-0301 minSales ZenSet A GoalWant to be a top seller and close more deals? You need to have a goal with each step of the sales process including your presentations. If you don't know what the goal is of a specific slide, delete and move on.2024-04-0201 minSales ZenKeep It SimpleDon't overcomplicate the process for your buyer. The more you have to make them think, the less likely you get the deal... Keep it simple.2024-04-0101 minSales ZenBe Empathetic... For Real This TimeIf you aren't leading with empathy you likely aren't maximizing your opportunities with clients.2024-03-2901 minSales ZenLeverage FOMONo one wants to miss out on what other's have. Leverage FOMO to close your next deal!2024-03-2801 minSales ZenLead With ConfidenceIf you are playing scared, you are doing it wrong. Instead, lead with confidence.2024-03-2701 minSales ZenKnow Your PipelineTop sellers not only manage their pipeline, they know why they make updates. A good rule of thumb is, no meeting, no deadline, no deal.2024-03-2601 minSales ZenBe CuriousIf you want to increase revenue and be a top seller... Be Curious!2024-03-2501 minSales ZenIntro- What Is Sales Zen?Intro to Kevin Currie and the Sales Zen Podcast2024-03-2201 min
The QP Diaries, by AssureBioThought leadership for QPs keeping the patient in mind ~ The QP Diaries ~ Kevin Currie ~ Ep6
Welcome to the QP Diaries podcast! In this episode of the QP Diaries podcast, host Dal Pawar speaks with qualified QP, Kevin Currie, a Quality Professional for 30 years and 15 of those as a releasing QP. They discuss the importance of inspiring and empowering the next generation of QPs and share their personal story and expertise. Kevin shares how their career started in a laboratory working with chemicals, then on to his journey to becoming a Qualified Person. Kevin shares his experiences working as a Quality leader improving culture within organisations, and also how they learned critical thinking and problem-solving...2024-01-2449 min
The Fasting HighwayEpisode 146 Rindi and Kevin Trainer, a couple who fast together that have had spectacular results. A combined weight loss of 68 Kg (150 pounds) in 11 months.Kevin and Rindi Trainer have been married for almost 37 years and live in the great state of Texas in the United States. They have raised two children who are now adults, and they became grandparents in August of 2022 to a sweet baby boy.
To back up a bit, in March of 2020. Rindi went for her yearly physical and was not completely surprised to find out she was pre-diabetic. Her weight was up, blood pressure was up, she just knew she wasn’t in a good, healthy place. Family history of losing her mom and maternal grandmother to di...2022-10-2358 min
SophiaWhat Can Philosophy Actually Do? (w/ Robert Gressis, Dan Kaufman, and Kevin Currie-Knight)Robert Gressis (UC Northridge), Dan Kaufman (Missouri State) and Kevin Currie-Knight (East Carolina) discuss what is and isn't realistic to expect of philosophy. Topics include realism (Rob) and antirealism (Dan and Kevin), foundationalism (maybe Rob) and antifoundationalism (Dan and Kevin), and what we do when we attempt to ground and justify our positions to others. The conversation sprang from a set of articles at Electric Agora. In one, Dan argued that philosophy is largely incapable of making sense of even basic moral considerations; in two others, Kevin argued that individual temperament plays a significant role in forming our philosophies.2022-04-121h 14
Recovery Revolution LiveRecovery Revolution Live with Kevin BarhydtKevin Barhydt is the author of Dear Stephen Michael’s Mother.
Abandoned by his mother at birth, Kevin was enveloped in a labyrinth of adoption, addiction, and child sexual abuse.
By age 20, a shell of the boy he once was, Kevin succumbed completely to a suicidal lifestyle of drug dealing and prostitution.
At 45, after many years of recovery, Kevin began a painful journey to uncover his origins, and the hopeful search for his mother.
His book, “Dear Stephen Michael’s Mother”, chronicles the unfolding of these stories.
The interwoven perspectives offer an unflinching look at the myri...2022-01-251h 46SophiaA Sunny Nihilism? (w/ Wendy Syfret and Kevin Currie-Knight)Kevin Currie-Knight (East Carolina University) chats with Wendy Syfret (VICE Asia) about her new book The Sunny Nihilist: How a Meaningless Life Can Make You Truly Happy. They talk about such things as why the modern world relentlessly seeks meaning in everything, whether nihilism is a viable or liberating response, and whether/how nihilism is reconcilable with strong belief and activism.
3:00 - What is nihilism? 10:35 - When did Wendy come to nihilsm and find it liberating? 16:48 - Why do we in the modern world "find" meaning in everything? 25:41 - Why does "finding" objective meaning...2022-01-0356 minSophiaThe (Im)Possibility of Discussion on Social Media (w/ Sheena Mason and Kevin Currie-Knight)Sheena Mason (SUNY Oneonta) and Kevin Currie-Knight dialogue about the perils and promises of discussion on social media. (Sheena is more optimistic about the potential than Kevin is.) Along the way, they talk about perspectives on truth and whether humans are capable of getting it in an objective way, the postmodern-y fiction of Percival Everett, and the incentive structure of social and legacy media.
0:41 - Some online heat Sheena is getting about an article she published at Free Black Thought (link below). 9:43 - Why Kevin is Increasingly Pessimistic About Conversation on Social Media (and Why Sheena...2021-12-221h 34SophiaIs Race a Social Construct or Is It Not Real? (w/ Sheena Mason and Kevin Currie-Knight)The second in a planned series of dialogues between Sheena Mason (SUNY Oneonta) and Kevin Currie-Knight (East Carolina) on philosophies of race. In this dialogue, Sheena and Kevin flesh out the difference between saying that race is a social construction and (Sheena's position) that race isn't real in any sense.
3:23 - Kevin's Confusion: what is the difference between saying that race isn't real at all, and saying that race isn't biologically real but IS a social construct? 9:53 - If we can use racialized language reliably in every day life, how can we then say that race...2021-10-211h 29
R2Kast - People in Food and Farming/All InR2Kast Number 20 - Kevin Harrison of Clarkson’s Farm on NSA, SCOPS and Farm Management!Kevin Harrison was on ALL of our screens recently through Amazon Prime hit, Clarkson’s Farm! He is a busy man away from the screen being a full time farm manager, chairman of NSA, SCOPS and more! Listen in to hear more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2021-10-1547 minSophiaRace Skepticism and the Racial Satire of George Schuyler (w/ Sheena Mason and Kevin Currie-KnightKevin Currie-Knight and Sheena Mason (SUNY Oneonta) discuss Sheena's theory of racelessness, why she is a race skeptic and eliminativist, and their mutual interest in the race satire of Harlem Renaissance writer George Schuyler.
:05 - Why talk about race always seems so polarized and partisan7:45 - Sheena is a skeptic and eliminativist about race. What does that mean, and how does it compare to other approaches? 17:35 - Ibram Kendi's approach to thinking about race is understandable but wrong. 29:56: How to attempt racelessness in a world so used to the existence of race? 40:29...2021-09-291h 37
The Island Green PodcastEpisode 29 - Featuring: Duane Bock - Caddie for PGA Tour Star Kevin KisnerOn this weeks episode we are fortunate to have a conversation with PGA Tour Caddie - Duane Bock. This is incredible as his boss Kevin Kisner is right in the middle of playing in the BMW Championship and teed off hours after we spoke to him. A great conversation about life on tour, the life of a professional caddie, the experience of a 6-way playoff at the Wyndham Championship and so much more. The boys do a recap of some of the recent events like the MacKenzie Tour Pro-Am, the Island Open, and all kinds of new information and...2021-08-271h 23
The Learning and Forgetting PodcastCritical Race Theory, Racialization, and Schools (w/ Ben Blaisdell and Kevin Currie-Knight)In this episode, Ben Blaisdell (East Carolina University, Kevin's department-mate) talks about critical race theory (CRT) and its applicability to k-12 education. Ben's research and work in schools relies heavily on critical race frameworks, and at a time where people are so polarized about CRT, Ben explains what it is, what it's not, what critics get wrong about it, and how it can answer current criticisms leveled against it.
3:12 - What is critical race theory and what is its significance for a field like k-12 education?14:12 - Concrete ways racialization plays out in schools 26:26...2021-05-261h 12The Learning and Forgetting PodcastUngrading in Schools (w/ Susan Blum and Kevin Currie-Knight)In this conversation, I talk with higher education anthropologist Susan Blum (Notre Dame) about her work on how students experience higher education. We also talk about an essay collection she recently edited called Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What To Do Instead).
0:58 - How Students Navigate and Experience School; It Ain't Pretty! 12:35 - Why Do So Many Students Play School Like a Game?23:55 - What Makes Grading So Problematic? Can We Motivate Students Without Them?36:43 - Ways Different Teachers (including Susan and Kevin) Have Backed Off of Grades in Their Classrooms52:50...2021-04-111h 08The Learning and Forgetting PodcastCritical Race Theory and Antiracism Trainings in K12 Education (w/ Samantha Hedges)Kevin talks with Samantha Hedges (Heterodox Academy, Substack) about recent articles she has written criticizing critical-race-influenced approaches to diversity and equity training in schools. They talk about why Samantha believes that these trainings inadvertently stoke racial division as well as the possibility of an alternative "common humanity" approach to these issues.
3:41 From Teacher to Education Policy Writer14:58 - Samantha's Concerns with Critical Race Approaches to Diversity and Equity in Education24:38 - Questions and Concerns About Research on Implicit Bias Tests32:50 - Might Critical Race Approaches Misidentify the Cause of Some Educational Disparities? 44:55...2021-03-161h 08The Learning and Forgetting PodcastAcademic Freedom in a Social Media Age (w/ David Labaree)Kevin Currie-Knight (East Carolina University) and David Labaree (Professor Emeritus, Stanford University) talk about the history and meaning of academic freedom. They talk about whether there has ever been a “golden age” where academics were safe to be heterodox (no), and what academic freedom means in an age of social media and the in-group policing it fosters.
00:00:32 - David’s Life as a (Newly) Retired Academic and Kevin’s Life as a Grinding Academic00:04:49 - The European Origins of (and the Reasons Behind) Academic Freedom11:14:58 - Academic Tenure Comes About at Stanford University00:19:32 - Academic...2021-02-221h 08The Learning and Forgetting PodcastWhat is the Grade Economy and What's Wrong With It (w/ Robert Gressis)Robert Gressis (California State Northridge) and Kevin Currie-Knight (East Carolina University) hae a wide-ranging conversation about the (fraught?) relationship between schooling, learning, and A-F grading. The discussion centers around an essay Currie-Knight wrote called Against the Grade Economy: https://theelectricagora.com/2020/12/...
00:02:36 Rob and Kevin make small talk 00:07:01 Kevin describes and laments the grade economy 00:36:07 What's the relationship between grades and learning? 00:57:19 Bryan Caplan's "The Case Against Education" and how it has traumatized Rob 01:05:58 Unschooling 01:21:35 If schools sucks so much, how did Rob and Kevin learn?2021-02-121h 34The Learning and Forgetting PodcastWhat's Wrong with Normal? (w/ Jonathan Mooney)This episode's guest is not normal... and that is a GREAT thing. Jonathan Mooney is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and activist within the disability rights community. Before all that, he was a kid struggling in school with various diagnosed disabilities, told that he just wasn't normal. Today we talk about his recent book Normal Sucks, where he interrogates and examines this idea we have of normality, and how we've built a culture that strives for it. We talk about how we can - teachers, students, parents - build a culture that welcomes and supports difference and diversity instead.2021-01-0845 min
Off-Trail LearningKevin Currie-Knight on Self-Directed Learning in CollegeKevin Currie-Knight (kevinck.net) is a philosopher, historian of education, and Teaching Associate Professor at East Carolina University’s College of Education. Following a stint as a high school special educator, Kevin began training future public school teachers at the college level and experimented with giving them high levels of autonomy. We discuss the results of Kevin’s experiments, his unique definition of “self-directed learning,” the benefits of letting students choose their own grades, the tension between learning and credentialing, why students cheat, and whether the Ph.D. model of learning could be applied at the high school level.
Kevin’s 2019 pape...2020-12-101h 12
Learning By Living PodcastUnschoolers Learning to Read (w/ Gina Riley)Listeners know today’s guest well. She’s Gina Riley, the co-host of this podcast. Gina is an educational psychologist, a Clinical Professor in the Adolescent Special Education Program at CUNY – Hunter College and, of course, she has a big interest in unschooling, even having written a book called Unschooling: Learning Beyond the Classroom. Today, we’re talking about a 2018 study she did, appropriately titled Exploring Unschoolers Experiences Learning to Read, where she analyzes the experiences of 28 unschoolers. What were the similarities and differences, and what can teachers and parents learn from these experiences? Stay tuned for a really informative discussi...2020-12-0537 minThe Learning and Forgetting PodcastWhy Do Teachers Quit? (w/ Doris Santoro)In this episode, I talk with Education Professor Doris Santoro about why teachers leave the profession. She distinguishes between teacher burnout and teacher demoralization and argues that, if we want to counteract the persisting and large teacher attrition problems, we need to treat these as different sets of reasons. We also talk more generally about why teaching is such a demanding field and what teachers and administrators can do to guard against attrition. Doris A. Santoro is Professor of Education at Bowdoin College. She teaches courses in educational studies and teacher education. Her philosophical and qualitative research examines...2020-12-0447 min
Yes Music PodcastKevin Currie and Ted Stockwell tell the story of the band, White – 457Produced by Jeffrey Crecelius, Wayne Hall, Preston Frazier and Bill GovierThe album from WhiteBack of WhiteThe eponymous albumAcross the globe from Canada, Indonesia, the UK and the US (I think!) it was a real pleasure for Mark and I to speak to Kevin Currie and Ted Stockwell this week about their band, White, which has featured Alan White and Geoff Downes in the past. It's a great, in-depth interview in which we delve into the fascinating history of the band and their strong links to Yes....2020-11-2046 minLearning By Living PodcastSelf-Directed Learning in the College Classroom (w/ Kevin Currie-Knight)On this episode, Gina interviews the show's co-host, Kevin Currie-Knight, about his experience with self-directed learning. Kevin is a professor in East Carolina University's College of Education where he teaches future teachers. But he teaches in a way that leans heavily on self-directed learning where students have control over what to learn, how to learn it, and even how to evaluate themselves. He's written a recent article about his experience teaching this way, and here is a fantastic conversation about it! 1:19 - Kevin’s self-directed college course: “At various spots along the way, my thinking started changing to incl...2020-11-1740 minThe Learning and Forgetting PodcastWhat Do Racial Disparities in Schools Have to Do with Government Housing Policy? (w/ Richard Rothstein)On this episode, I talk with Richard Rothstein (Economic Policy Institute) about his book Color of Law: The Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. While the book is not about education, Rothstein’s research is an outgrowth of prior research on racial disparities in education. In the book, Rothstein tells the story of how government policy has been used to create and sustain residential and financial segregation that, it turns out, may have a lot to do with the racial disparities we see between and within schools. Richard Rothstein is a Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Po...2020-11-1345 minThe Learning and Forgetting PodcastHow Does the Other Half Learn (in Charter Schools)? (w/ Robert Pondiscio)On this episode, Robert Pondiscio (Fordham Institute, author of How the Other Half Learns) discusses his experience writing about the Harlem Success Academy Charter School in the South Bronx. He spent a year immersed in this school and came away with some interesting insights - both praise and concern - about what life is like at this charter school. We talk about the role of charter schools in the education system, the merits and drawbacks of charters, the importance of school culture, and even lessons he learned about the importance of how lessons are designed and planned.2020-10-2450 minLearning By Living PodcastFrom Unschooling to College to a Career in Science (w/ Xaq Rzetelny)In this episode, we talk to Xaq Rzetelny. Xaq is a grown unschooler, science writer, and communicator of science focusing on astrophysics. He's also been a radio host and most recently, a performer at Liberty Science Center's Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Gina and Kevin sat down with Xaq to talk about the transition from unschooling to college to career, how unschooling and college led to an interest in the sciences, and much more. Enjoy the episode. 1:37 - Transition from Unschooling to college: “My first day, I’m sitting there in my seat in clas...2020-10-1037 minThe Learning and Forgetting PodcastHow Does Interest Work? (w/ Psychologist Ann Renninger)In this episode, I talk with teacher-turned-psychologist K. Ann Renninger to talk about the psychology of human interest. How do learners (and people in general) become interested in something? Is interest 'hardwired' and hard to change, or can teachers influence what learners are interested in? How can teachers make subjects more interesting for students? We go over what all the best data - including Anne's own research - says.2020-10-0948 minThe Learning and Forgetting PodcastWhat Is School For? (w/ Sociologist David Labaree)On this episode, we talk with historical sociologist David Labaree (Stanford University, Professor Emeritus) about the evolution of school in the United States and how that impacts what we think about school. What is the purpose - or really, are the purposes - of school? Why do we ensure that all kids learn a lot of things in common, whether they want to learn them or not? What are the good and bad effects of grading on how kids and teachers experience school? We discuss these and many more issues.2020-10-0947 minLearning By Living PodcastUnschooling (or Worldschooling) with Five Children (w/ Kate Green)Today’s guest, Dr. Kate Green, has five very successful, alternatively educated young adult and teen children of her own. She also loves working as an educational consultant, to help other families make decisions that enable their children to joyfully excel. Kate, Gina, and I talked about what it is like to raise FIVE unschooled - or maybe worldschooled - kids, how each found their own unique path, balancing work and parenting, and more. So stay tuned for a great episode. 2:29 - The journey from schooling to unschooling: “I had to wear the teacher hat and then...2020-09-1938 minLearning By Living PodcastSelf-Directing Life (w/ Ki Aoyagi)Since doing this podcast, one thing Gina and I have noticed about self-directed learning is that people who undertake it in their formative years develop a really strong sense of self - the kind of sense of self that is unafraid to take on any limits around them. That's definitely true of today's guest, Ki Aoaygi. Ki discovered self-directed learning around the high school years and has gone on, among other things, to work `at the self-directed Sego Lilly school in Utah. Enjoy a fascinating conversation!4:47 - When Ki Discovered Self-Directed Learning and Living: “It was a journey wi...2020-08-3041 minLearning By Living PodcastLiberating Teen Learning at Northstar (w/ Ken Danford)This episode’s guest has been advising teens to opt out of school for over two decades now. Ken Danford used to be a middle school teacher, but once he discovered self-directed learning, he co-founded the North Star Learning Center for Teens, a space where teenagers have control of their time and learning. Twenty some years later, North Star is thriving and has given way to the Liberated Learner network of Learning Centers. Ken even wrote a book about it, called Learning is Natural, School is Optional. Gina and Ken sat down to talk about what learning looks like at No...2020-08-0142 minLearning By Living PodcastLearning and Growing at the Circle School (w/ Jim Rietmulder)What happens when kids rule the school? Well, that - When Kids Rule the School - is the title of a recent book by today’s guest, Jim Rietmulder. Jim is is a founding staff member at The Circle School in Pennsylvania, which is among the oldest self-directed democratic schools, where kids really do rule the school. They choose what they want to do with their time as well as create and uphold school rules. Kevin, Jim, and Gina sat down to talk about what all of this looks like in practice, as well as why Jim thinks that learning sh...2020-07-0446 minLearning By Living PodcastUnschooling Four Kids in the 1990's (w/ Robin Alpern)On this episode, we are joined by Robin Alpern, a 65-year-old white woman who narrowly missed a career as an elementary school teacher. Instead, she and her former husband unschooled their four children to college. This was largely in the 1990’s, and since there weren’t many resources for unschoolers, Robin co-founded the Tri-County Homeschoolers network, which, as we’ll hear, helped Gina when her own family unschooled. Robin, Gina and I talk about the challenges and benefits of unschooling in the ‘90’s, the diverse ways her children learned, and much more. Enjoy. 1:46 - Robin’s Decision to...2020-06-1243 min