Modern education has lost its sense of history, meaning, and moral orientation—and I believe that loss is shaping how our children see the world and themselves. In this episode, I sit down with Michael, a lifelong educator and the Founder and President of the Catholic Textbook Project, to explore why history must be taught as story rather than fragmented facts, and why faith, imagination, and truth are essential to real education. Drawing on his 35 years in Catholic education, his background in classical liberal arts, and his work as a former headmaster and educational leader, Michael explains how removing Christianity from the teaching of Western civilization distorts our understanding of culture, virtue, and human purpose. We discuss the dangers of modern social studies models, the importance of teaching children through flawed but redemptive historical figures, and how parents and educators can help restore wisdom, courage, and hope in the next generation. I invite you to listen thoughtfully, share your reflections in the comments, and subscribe if you value meaningful conversations about faith, culture, and the formation of the human person.

Find more from Michael:
Catholic Textbook Project: https://www.CatholicTextbookProject.com/Tammy
Catholic Liberal Education: www.CatholicLiberalEducation.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-van-hecke-447ba8a

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— Chapters —
00:00 - Opening the Conversation and Michael’s 37 Years in Education
03:10 - Why Most History Textbooks Are Boring, Fragmented, and Misleading
06:05 - Removing Story From History and the Consequences for Students
09:00 - The Disappearance of Catholic History Textbooks After the 1960s
11:45 - Rebuilding a Full K–12 Catholic History Curriculum
14:35 - Why History Must Be Taught With Perspective, Not Current Events
17:40 - Learning to Judge the Present Through the Lens of the Past
20:25 - History as the Foundation for Philosophy, Economics, and Culture
23:10 - Why Social Studies Replaced History and What Was Lost
25:55 - Prehistory, Archaeology, and Teaching Intellectual Humility
28:05 - The Biggest Mistakes Parents Make in Modern Education
30:40 - Imagination, Story, and the Formation of the Human Person
33:45 - Perseverance, Vocation, and Saying Yes to What You’re Called To Do
36:15 - Salvation History and Each Person’s Role in the Larger Story
38:55 - Canceling the Past: Statues, Authority, and Cultural Amnesia
41:40 - Why Children Need Biblical Stories When Parents Fall Short
44:20 - Teaching Discernment: Learning to Say No in a Culture of Excess
46:50 - History, Slavery, and Understanding Moral Complexity
49:30 - Living History Through Community, Ritual, and Embodied Learning
52:10 - Standing Firm in Truth Amid Cultural Pressure
54:40 - Closing Reflections on Hope, Formation, and the Future of Education