Kolbecast

AMDG. Catholic clinical psychologist, author, TV and radio host Dr. Ray Guarendi joins the Kolbecast to discuss parenting, the advantages of homeschooling, and his recent and upcoming books. This episode will leave you laughing hard and thinking deeply– don’t miss it!  

Links mentioned & relevant: 

• Dr. Ray Guarendi’s website drray.com 

• How to Get Along with (Almost) Everybody 

• Drama-Free Discipline 
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AMDG. Standardized testing is a minefield for parents and students, but it does not have to be. Kolbe alum Colin and current Kolbe senior Tobias join the Kolbecast to share their firsthand experiences taking the ACT, SAT, CLT, and PSAT. The duo explains the differences between the tests, breaks down how scoring works, and shares the study strategies that helped them succeed. Whether you are a parent guiding your child through the t...

AMDG. Kolbe Alumna and Holy Heroes brand manager Clara Davidson joins the Kolbecast to share how homeschooling served her both personally and professionally, her experience working in a family business, how to talk to children about complex topics, and what is next for Holy Heroes. Don’t miss this insider’s look into a beloved Catholic company!  

Links mentioned & relevant: 

• Holy Heroes 

• St. Kateri Tekakwitha Gl...

AMDG. Steven and Bonnie are joined by Kolbe’s Megan Lengyel and Leslie Spencer to discuss physics. Physics can be a course that many find intimidating in the high school years, yet it provides an amazing look into the modern natural sciences while exploring the theories behind everything from motion to electricity and light. In this episode, we discuss the place of physics in a classical curriculum, the challenges to including phys...

AMDG. Today, following this Jubilee Year of Hope, we welcome Joan Watson back to the Kolbecast. We’ve talked about pilgrimages in the past, but with the release of her new book Making a Pilgrimage, a Companion for Catholics, we’re able to focus a bit more on approaching life as a pilgrim. We also take the opportunity to live vicariously through Joan’s experiences on pilgrimages throughout the years.

Links mentioned & relevant:...

Many people know Dale Ahlquist through his television show, his many writings, or through his work as the president of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton. Today Steven, Bonnie, and Kolbe Academy marketing director Josh Beckman get to hear more about G.K. Chesterton, both as a man and about his writings. So whether you’re a longtime Chesterton fan or new to his work, you’re sure to enjoy this conversation about the Apostle of C...

AMDG. Any time is a good time to meditate on the life of St. Joseph.  Fr. Lanzetta gives us many insights into the life of this extremely important saint and how, through a devotion to St. Joseph, this wonderful saint will lead us to the Blessed Mother and Our Lord.  

Links mentioned & relevant: 

• The Silent Witness of Nazareth by Serafino Lanzetta 

• Radio Immaculata 

• Marian Franciscans 

• Kolb...

AMDG. Theologian, podcaster, and author Dr. Brett Salkeld wants to make every class Catholic. Brett contends that faith and science are complementary. Though the two fields answer two fundamentally different questions, their conclusions are inseparably intertwined.  

In this lively episode, Brett discusses his experience as a homeschooling parent, his background as a diocesan theologian, and how he approaches complex topics with hi...

AMDG. Homeschooling parents often feel the pressure to do it all. But sometimes what they need most is a lighter load. In this continuation of our conversation with Curriculum Project Manager Erica Treat, we explore the range of additional support available to parents. Whether you want access to supplemental lectures from our skilled teaching staff or want to have a teacher on call for grading support and questions, Kolbe has somet...

AMDG. Curriculum Project Manager Erica Treat joins the Kolbecast to walk parents through the many resources available in Kolbe's course plans and how to implement them for a successful homeschooling year. Not only has Erica helped Kolbe create and refine these course plans, but she has also used them in her own home with her children. Erica discusses how the course plans are modified to meet your family's unique needs and offers st...

AMDG. Best-selling Catholic author Emily Stimpson Chapman returns to the Kolbecast to discuss the launch of her three newest books: Around the Catholic Table: 100+ Simple Recipes for Family and Friends, The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics, and Sacred Wine: The Holy History and Heritage of Catholic Vintners.  

Around the Catholic Table began as an e-book fundraiser to raise money for Emily's second adoption. ...

AMDG. Iconographer Joseph Bremer invites you to discover the “real presence” of the saints in icons. Joseph discusses the rich history of iconography— from its roots in Egyptian art to the separation of eastern and western traditions— and the profound religious significance of iconography. For Joseph, iconography is not just art; it is devotion.  

Links mentioned & relevant: 

• Romanesque Icons by Joseph Bremer 

• J...

AMDG. Do you struggle to pray the rosary deeply or even to pray it at all? Chews Life founder and author of The Way of The Rosary Shannon Wendt discusses how she went from not praying at all to praying the rosary every day. After a series of tragic pregnancy losses, Shannon found herself in a crisis of faith. Out of her crisis came reconversion, and Shannon was inspired to create a product to help busy parents to embrace the rosary...

AMDG. What does homeschooling look like in First Grade? Kindergarten? Pre-K? Advisor Pam Castor and resource teacher Emmanuelle Wilhelm share practical tips that you can implement today to set your youngest students up for success in the home.  

Related Kolbecast episodes: 

• 90 Vocations Here, Now, and Eventually with Adam & Pam Castor 

• 269 Resources and Roadmaps  

• 197 Tools in a Toolbox – Kolbe Academ...

AMDG. We all want to grow in virtue, but how do we get there? Dr. Ryan Hanning breaks down how to create a personalized approach to growing in virtue in his new co-authored book, The Willpower Advantage. Dr. Ryan explores what it means to be happy, how different temperaments interact with the virtues, and the universal appeal of virtue. 

A professor of historical philosophy and theology, Dr. Hanning has 25 years of experience in ho...

AMDG. Bonnie and Steven are joined by professor and author, Dr. Michael Pakaluk. They discuss Dr. Pakaluk’s family's homeschooling experience his new book, The Shock of Holiness; and his thoughts about St. Maximilian Kolbe. 

Links mentioned & relevant: 

• Dr. Pakaluk’s new book The Shock of Holiness 

• The Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God by Ruth V.K. Pakaluk & Michael Pakaluk 

• Recent piece o...

AMDG. Poetry is a cornerstone of many homeschooling parents’ education plans— but why? Curriculum Director Maggie Hayden, Curriculum Project Manager Erica Treat and her son, Eben, join the Kolbecast to break down the reasons that poetry should be an integral part of any well-rounded education. “The children who had done poetry when they were young liked to read when they were older,” Maggie comments, “and they could read harder thi...

AMDG. Catholic evangelist and podcaster Dave VanVickle is “obsessed” with St. Maximilian Kolbe and Marian consecration, and you should be too. In his background aiding exorcists, Dave discovered that “Mary is the lynch pin in almost every case.” Since then, Dave dove deeply into Marian consecration, inviting everyone to “give your life to Our Lady.” He discusses what Marian consecration really is (hint: it doesn’t have to be 33 day...

AMDG. Catholic author Susan Peek joins the Kolbecast to discuss her mission: bringing the stories of lesser-known saints alive for teens and young adults. Susan found herself frustrated searching for morally-sound but still engaging stories for teenagers: “the plots might be exciting, the writer might be excellent— and yet there’s so few things that we can give to teenagers to read.”Her first novel began as a movie script about Sai...