In this episode, Kerry Baldwin is back to talk about her new courses designed to help people of all ages become critical, reflective, thinkers and why this lost skill is becoming more and more crucial. Craig and Kerry begin their conversation by taking a look at how both the public’s and the government's responses to COVID-19 have shifted since April.
They next dive into Kerry’s course where we are invited to reconsider how we think about thinking, learning, and what actually is wisdom? This episode is not about answers, rather it is a beacon to the importance of crafting the question to precede any answer.
Timestamps and resources to start learning more:
1:17 Who is Kerry Baldwin
Kerry’s Facebook page
Coronavirus New Mexico
Governor of New Mexico - Michelle Lujan Grisham
5:51 Shifts in public attitudes toward COVID-19
Bad Roman Episode #2 with Kerry Baldwin
Friedrich Hayek quote about the fatal conceit
11:16 Are coronavirus measures removing our humanity?
Crime against humanity?
13:35 Kerry’s Socratic Seminars
What is it, who is it for?
A brief history of the Socratic method
His death
Ignorance as a starting point for learning
Ignorance vs. stupidity
21:36 Materials Kerry uses in her course and why
Middle schoolers
Kerry’s created lessons
High schoolers
Lessons for the Young Economist, Robert Murphy
Out of Frame Series. The Foundation for an Economic Education
Adults
Lessons & discussions on education, faulty reasoning, manipulation and more!
Weekly Zoom discussions to practice the Socratic Method - learning how to ask good questions
26:53 Social media contrasted with the Socratic method
28:41 Importance of participation in the Socratic method...aka why you can’t skip the Zoom call
Benefits of a coach in facilitating an open learning environment
Starting with asking questions and feeling safe asking them
Answering questions you weren't’ prepared for
33:58 How does this method teach critical thinking?
Different skill levels in thinking - 6 Stages
Reflective thinker
Socrates definition of wisdom - the more knowledge you have about the world the more you realize how much you don’t know
Those with less knowledge believe they know more than actually do - Dunning-Kruger Effect
Socratic method as a way to learn about the world and self
How can these skills help us with social media?
40:09 Understanding how true statistics can be framed to manipulate us
43:04 Kerry’s Socratic seminars vs. lecture-style classes
What does learning look like to you?
Permission to fail and be wrong
Teacher pouring knowledge into student vs. engaged learning
Forced vs. voluntary engagement/participation
50:00 Why we need more people involved in asking good questions and productive methods of conversation
It’s ok not to agree, in fact, we don’t want everyone to agree with us
It’s not about “putting someone in their place”
Social media and the desire to be right, even without understanding why you may be right (or wrong)
53:16 Learning more from being right than being wrong
The “gut punch” of being wrong
Getting comfortable with not knowing
Bruised egos
55:37 What skills do students develop?
Compare and contrast, clarifying issues conclusions and beliefs, understanding the difference between over-simplification and generalization
“Feelings care about facts”
Intellectual humility, courage, and integrity
Independent thinking, self-awareness, fair-mindedness
Perseverance, confidence, and reason
And more!
57: 41 Feedback: What people have said of Kerry’s Socratic Seminars
Don’t underestimate kids!
Giving kids a safe environment to make mistakes and what they will reveal they know
1:01:00 What we can learn from younger generations
Why “old people” may be stuck in their ways - what’s going on in a child’s brain?
1:04:25 Kerry’s plugs
Website: courses.meereliberty.com
Sign up for a course!