Ever wish your kids got as excited about math as they do about game night? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Lisa Bailey talks with Jennifer Hester and Chris Blackburn — two of the original minds behind National Number Knockout (N2K) — about how this simple dice-and-numbers game turns math facts, exponents, and order of operations into something kids actually beg to play.

Jennifer and Chris break down exactly how to play (all you need is a 1–36 grid and three dice), share where to find sample boards, and explain how the game secretly builds skills in addition, multiplication, exponents, and even fractional exponents — without a single worksheet in sight. They also point parents to the packet waiting in the CC Connected Learning Center, including a "Powers, Squares, and Cubes" cheat sheet that makes patterns click for kids of every age.

You don't need to be a math person to get your family playing tonight. Whether you're aiming for the National Championship or just want your kids to stop dreading math, this episode gives you everything you need to start reclaiming the world of numbers — together.

This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by the 2027 CC Family Cruise featuring the National Memory Master Competition, the National Number Knockout Competition, & the National Commencement.

The CC Family Cruise is setting sail May 2-8th, 2027, departing from Galveston, Texas, and your whole family is invited! Onboard, you can enjoy CC Signature events and exclusive perks like group dining, merchandise, events, onboard credit, and time with Leigh and Robert Bortins.

Space is filling up quickly, so visit classicalconversations.com/cruise to start your booking today!

Can a simple gift really change how a child sees God? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Delise Germond sits down with Katie Shearin and Izabella McMillon — two women whose lives intersect through Operation Christmas Child, the shoebox ministry of Samaritan's Purse. Izabella shares her powerful testimony of growing up in communist Romania, where faith had to be practiced in secret, and how a single shoebox gift — and the snow globe tucked inside it — became the moment God's faithfulness became undeniably real to her as a 13-year-old girl.

Katie, a Classical Conversations mom of 15 years, shares how her family has packed shoeboxes together year after year, and how Operation Christmas Child's mission of tangible love and gospel outreach mirrors CC's own heartbeat of discipleship — knowing God and making Him known. Together, Katie and Izabella talk practically about how to get your own family or CC community started, from buying your first pack of boxes to hosting a packing party.

Whatever phase of homeschooling you're in, this conversation is an encouragement that discipleship doesn't have to be complicated — sometimes it starts with a box, a prayer, and a willingness to just do it. Pack a box, follow its journey, and see what God does with it.

This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Your homeschool community can be part of this global mission by packing gift-filled shoeboxes full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items that are sent to children in over 100 countries. Through this project, Samaritan's Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations. Make Operation Christmas Child part of your school year leading up to National Collection Week November 16-23.

Learn More at https://samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

Ever wonder if social media is doing your homeschool family more harm than good — or if it might actually be a gift? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Delise Germond sits down with Classical Conversations' own social media team, Tunrade Schumann and Treva Barnes, to talk honestly about what it looks like for homeschool families to use social media well.

Tunrade and Treva share the practical guardrails they use in their own homes — from time limits and phone-free schoolwork to defining your "why" before you scroll — plus how to talk with teens about social media boundaries without making it more enticing than it needs to be. They also unpack the difference between mindless scrolling and using social media as a true tool for encouragement, connection, and even friendship (including a few CC community stories that will make you tear up). To close things out, Tunrade and Treva break down exactly what you'll find on CC's Facebook, Instagram, X, Band, and YouTube — so you know where to go for equipping, encouragement, and a reminder that you are not doing this homeschool thing alone.

Whether you're wary of social media, love it a little too much, or just want a game plan before your kids start asking for it, this conversation offers wisdom, humor, and permission to use the tool wisely instead of letting it use you.

📱 Follow Classical Conversations: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), Band, and YouTube — search "Classical Conversations" on your platform of choice

🎬 Watch "What's the Point?" (CC's memory-work explainer series) on the CC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Classical_Conversations