Episodios

  • Gijs van Hensbergen on Antoni Gaudí & the Sagrada Família

    Gijs van Hensbergen on Antoni Gaudí & the Sagrada Família
    Apr 3 2026
    In this week’s special Easter episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Dutch art historian Gijs van Hensbergen, author of Gaudí: A Biography and The Sagrada Familia: Gaudí's Heaven on Earth. They discuss the life, faith, and enduring legacy of Antoni Gaudí and his masterpiece, the Sagrada Família. Mr. van Hensbergen reflects on Gaudí’s upbringing in Catalonia, where deep Catholic devotion, modern artistic dynamism, and the natural landscape shaped his unique architectural philosophy. He explores how Barcelona’s Modernisme movement, alongside avant-garde artists like Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, fostered Gaudí’s distinctive blend of Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, and organic design. He highlights Gaudí’s vision of the Sagrada Família as a “stone Bible,” uniting theology, geometry, and nature-inspired engineering. Mr. van Hensbergen also discusses the Nativity, Passion, and Glory façades, each representing key moments in the life of Jesus Christ, and the challenges of continuing construction after the destruction of Gaudí’s plans and models during the Spanish Civil War. In closing, Mr. van Hensberger reflects on Gaudí’s lasting influence and the spiritual and artistic significance of his work, by reading a passage from Gaudí: A Biography.
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    46 m
  • Aaron Lansky on the Yiddish Book Center & Preserving Jewish Culture

    Aaron Lansky on the Yiddish Book Center & Preserving Jewish Culture
    Apr 1 2026
    In this Passover episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools and Eos Foundation’s Andrea Silbert speak with Aaron Lansky, founder of the Yiddish Book Center and author of Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books. Lansky delves into his personal relationship to Yiddish literature and the formative educational experiences that led to him found the Yiddish Book Center in 1980. He explains the history of the Yiddish language, and how many of its words have been integrated into the English vocabulary over the years. Rescuing over one million Yiddish books, Lansky elaborated on why it was so important for him to honor the victims of the Holocaust and by preserving the enduring legacy of Jewish literature. He also reflected on his experience writing Outwitting History sharing how the book is another opportunity to preserve the Yiddish language, books, and memory of those Eastern European Jews who perished due to the tyranny of Nazi Germany. Lansky concluded by reading an excerpt from his book and offering advice on how the following generations can continue to uphold the Yiddish language and culture.
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    47 m
  • U-MI's Sarah Cohodes on Charter Public Schools & Paths to College Success

    U-MI's Sarah Cohodes on Charter Public Schools & Paths to College Success
    Mar 25 2026
    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Sarah Cohodes, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, about her extensive research on charter public schools and education reform. Cohodes reflects on her academic journey and how it shaped her focus on school accountability, autonomy, and student outcomes. She explains the foundational charter school model—greater state regulatory flexibility in exchange for stronger accountability—and emphasizes the importance of rigorous authorization and data transparency. She highlights her 2021 research on charter effectiveness, showing strong gains for low-income students in urban areas and positive competitive effects on district schools. Cohodes also discusses high-performing charter networks, the importance of exceptional teachers and leaders, and Massachusetts’ charter schools’ standout success in closing achievement gaps and improving college outcomes. She concludes with a forward-looking discussion on policy solutions to address declining academic performance and how research can guide leaders and families in improving opportunities for urban students nationwide.
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    38 m
  • Willard Sterne Randall on Alexander Hamilton & Founding Era Political-Economy

    Willard Sterne Randall on Alexander Hamilton & Founding Era Political-Economy
    Mar 18 2026
    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and former MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson speak with Prof. Willard Sterne Randall, American historian and author of Alexander Hamilton: A Life and The Founders' Fortunes: How Money Shaped the Birth of America. Prof. Randall delves into the turbulent childhood of Alexander Hamilton, describing pivotal experiences that shaped his political views and led him to become a world-changing Founding Father. While working under Gen. George Washington during the American Revolution, Hamilton expanded his knowledge of constitutionalism and political economy, which, Mr. Randall tells us, led to helping create the United States and establish the new republic’s financial stability. In the 1780s, Hamilton joined James Madison and John Jay in co-authoring the Federalist Papers promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, famously advocating for federal executive power and the judiciary. Prof. Randall explores Hamilton’s transition into power as the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, describing Hamilton’s tense political rivalry with Thomas Jefferson. Notably, Alexander Hamilton’s Report on Manufactures (1791) argued for U.S. industrial self-sufficiency, which Mr. Randall explains contributed to Hamilton’s enduring legacy. In closing, Prof. Randall explores how Hamilton’s historical significance and reputation was brought to new and wider audiences through Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway hit musical Hamilton.
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    24 m
  • FL State's James Shuls & Cato's Neal McCluskey on History of U.S. School Choice

    FL State's James Shuls & Cato's Neal McCluskey on History of U.S. School Choice
    Mar 11 2026
    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with with Neal McCluskey and James Shuls, co-editors of Fighting for the Freedom to Learn: Examining the Nation’s Centuries-Old School Choice Movement, about the historical roots and modern evolution of educational freedom in America. They discuss the inspiration behind the book and highlight key chapters that trace the development of school choice from the nation’s founding to today. Their conversation explores how early American leaders viewed education as essential to republican self-government and how early state constitutions supported pluralistic schooling that included religious and private institutions. McCluskey and Shuls examined the rise of the 19th-century Common School movement, its influence on public education, and the ways it departed from the Founders’ more decentralized, locally controlled vision of schooling. They also addressed major historical milestones, including the Roberts v. Boston (1850) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954) legal cases and the struggle for equal educational opportunity for Black Americans. They conclude with reflections on modern school choice debates, critiques of choice programs, and the growing legal and policy momentum behind expanding educational freedom across the United States.
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    49 m
  • Roxana Robinson on Georgia O'Keeffe, Mother of American Modernist Painting

    Roxana Robinson on Georgia O'Keeffe, Mother of American Modernist Painting
    Mar 4 2026
    In celebration of Women’s History Month, this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and MassPotential’s Mary Tamer speak with Roxana Robinson to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe, the pioneering artist often called the “Mother of American Modernism.” Drawing from Robinson’s 1989 biography Georgia O'Keeffe: A Life, she traces O’Keeffe’s life from the farmlands of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin to the bustling cultural landscape of early 20th-century New York City and to North Central New Mexico. The artist’s reverence for natural landscapes, color, and light was shaped by her rural Midwestern upbringing and formal artistic training in Virginia. Robinson explains how O’Keeffe’s stark transition to city life is reflected in her artwork, which often explores the line between modernism and traditional landscape painting. O’Keeffe’s personal and professional relationship with celebrated photographer and art dealer Alfred Stieglitz marked another major turning point in her life and career. While Stieglitz championed her artistic talent, O’Keeffe also became the subject of more than 350 of his photographic portraits—some sparking public acclaim and controversy, while also helping shape her carefully constructed public image. Ms. Robinson further explores O’Keeffe’s most famous works including Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue and Ram's Head, White Hollyhock – Hills, as well as her large-scale, magnified floral paintings, Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 and Red Canna. From O’Keeffe’s early abstract experiments to her late-life desert visions, Robinson shares how the artist’s expansive body of work reshaped American art and left a legacy that continues to inspire artists, scholars, and students in the 21st century. She closes with a reading from her book Georgia O'Keeffe: A Life.
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    55 m
  • Pulitzer Winner Gordon Wood on Benjamin Franklin & American Revolution 250

    Pulitzer Winner Gordon Wood on Benjamin Franklin & American Revolution 250
    Feb 26 2026
    In this special American Revolution 250 episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and Kelley Brown, Massachusetts state champion U.S. history and civics teacher, sit down with renowned Brown University historian Gordon Wood to explore the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin and the American Revolution. Drawing on his book, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin, Prof. Wood examines Franklin’s journey from obscure beginnings in colonial Massachusetts to global fame as an entrepreneur, scientist, and statesman. He discusses Franklin’s embrace of Enlightenment ideals, his rise in Philadelphia through printing, publishing and civic leadership, and his immense wealth, which fueled his image as America’s quintessential self-made man. Prof. Wood also traces Franklin’s evolution from loyal British subject and aspiring gentleman to revolutionary American patriot. In closing, he highlights Franklin’s scientific genius, his pivotal diplomatic triumph in securing the 1778 French alliance, and enduring cultural symbolism as the embodiment of American ingenuity and statesmanship.
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    46 m
  • Step Up for Students' Ron Matus on Florida School Choice

    Step Up for Students' Ron Matus on Florida School Choice
    Feb 25 2026
    In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools speak with Ron Matus, Director of Research and Special Projects at Step Up For Students in Florida and former longtime education reporter for The Tampa Bay Times. Mr. Matus reflects on his career from journalism to helping lead the nation’s largest portfolio of K–12 school choice programs. Drawing on decades of covering Florida education policy, he explains how the state became a national leader in school choice through steady, incremental expansion rather than sudden universal eligibility. Matus discusses how key U.S. Supreme Court rulings and COVID-era school disruptions accelerated parent demand for flexible options, positioning Florida as the state serving the most students through education savings accounts and scholarship tax credits. He outlines the core principles behind that growth: building durable political coalitions, focusing relentlessly on families, safeguarding program integrity, and maintaining public trust. Looking ahead, he examines challenges including scaling ESA implementation, encouraging high-quality private schools, and addressing accountability concerns.
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    49 m