Education Portals: Recent Episodes
Dr. Seann M. Dikkers
What if the best learning for our children looks different than what government schools have been presenting for the last sixty years? At Portals Academy we are building new tools for learning at home, in micro-schools, and supporting Christian private education. Let's explore current research, digital media, Biblical wisdom, classical models, and transformative projects for developing a new framework for local learning.
Discover how iVoterGuide empowers parents, students, and educators with in-depth, nonpartisan research on candidates and elections across the nation. Join Dr. Seann Dikkers as he talks to Debbie Wuthnow and Don Stroud of iVoterGuide about their resources that help families make informed voting decisions. As followers of Christ, we’re called to be good stewards of the influence God has given us, and that includes the way we engage in our nation’s elections. Let’s pray, prepare, and participate—because every vote matters, and every voice guided by truth can make a difference for our nation’s future.
In this episode, Dr. Seann Dikkers has a conversation with Cindy West—published author, speaker, teacher, and founder of Our Journey Westward. Cindy shares how frustrations with the traditional school system and a desire for family time led her to embrace homeschooling, inspired by the Charlotte Mason philosophy. Cindy and Seann discuss the value of shorter lessons, engaging literature, and project-based learning to foster higher order thinking and authentic engagement in children. Listen to this episode for practical ways that you can create a hands-on, flexible, and passion-driven approach to education that nurtures both academic and personal growth in your children.
In this episode, Dr. Seann Dikkers has a conversation with Sharon Swan—author of Jungle Prophet. You and your children can enjoy listening to this episode together as Sharon describes how she started writing and what advice she would give to aspiring authors. If you’re interested, you can even invite Sharon to do a video call with your family or homeschool co-op! Check out her website and grab a copy of Jungle Prophet today.
For a blink of history, government schools have experimented with institutional 'grading' and embedded it into our culture as 'essential' for learning. Yet, for thousands of years, educators have used other methods to evaluate learning that are more individualized and effective than testing and letter grades. Find out more about assessment options, fit, and appropriate use of a broader range of tools. Dr. Dikkers will provide context, examples, and cognitive science to support your move to 'project' and 'conversational' assessments so you can confidently recognize and document your child's learning.
In this episode, Dr. Seann Dikkers talks with the Portals Lesson Planning team about the importance of creating effective lesson plans that go beyond merely covering content. They discuss their approach to designing lessons that are clear, engaging, and adaptable, and how you can assess your student (without testing) to ensure they are understanding and engaging with the material. This episode also offers practical tips on how you can craft meaningful learning experiences across various grade levels and subjects.
In this episode, Dr. Seann Dikkers has a conversation with Alfrieda Baldwin—retired attorney and visionary founder of Laurel Community School. What began as a simple act of service in a local school district soon unfolded into a powerful calling: to create a microschool that was rooted in scripture and brought joy back into education. Though the path was not without its challenges, Alfrieda’s journey is a testament to the truth that when God calls you to something, He also equips you for it. Tune in as she shares the wisdom, faith, and resilience that have shaped her extraordinary mission.
In this episode Dr. Seann Dikkers has a conversation with Dr. Bonnie Houck, literacy consultant and author of Literacy Unleashed. From a young age Dr. Houck recognized the importance of being able to read. It created opportunities for her imagination, gave her pathways for learning things she didn’t yet know, and, most importantly, it gave her access to the Bible. Whether you are just starting to teach your child how to read, working with a struggling reader, or wondering how to help your student develop a love for reading, you’ll appreciate the practical tips and insights Dr. Houck shares in this episode.
In this episode Dr. Seann Dikkers has a conversation with Tina Hollenbeck, creator of the Homeschool Resource Roadmap. Have you ever walked into an exhibit hall filled with curriculum options, or done a Google search just to be overwhelmed by the number of curriculum options available to homeschool families? For more than a decade, The Homeschool Resource Roadmap has been helping families sort through nearly 6700 homeschool curriculum options, and providing detailed information on each providers' position and alignment with common core standards. If you've ever wondered what common core standards are, or whether you want your curriculum to align with these standards, check out this episode!
In this episode Dr. Seann Dikkers talks to Inder Singh, Director of Traditional Admissions at Crown College. Ever wondered whether your child would be able to get into college as a homeschooled student? This conversation will encourage you, and show you that college admissions teams LOVE homeschoolers. Gain insight into the admissions process and learn about the resources available once your child has enrolled in college.
Our first episode of the Homeschool Insights: Conversations for Educators and Parents podcast series features a conversation with Dr. Douglas J. Pietersma, from the National Homeschool Education Research Institute, summarizing research conclusions around homeschooling—you don’t want to miss it!
As you are wrapping up the year, we wanted to say thank you!
Here are a few announcements:
- Email and Dashboard are both getting new features for you to customize next year.
- 10% less reading load for 2024-5 AND extra readings available via Hub Support.
- Next Year's Theme: Ancient World History. 2025-6: Modern World History
We want to grow the Portals network next year!
Also, as you sign up for next year, you can save $50/registration up to $200 savings off of your $250 subscription. If someone signs up and says that you led them to Portals, we will reduce your cost, (or retroactively reimburse you), $50. If you have friends still in institutional schooling, show them Portals!
Have a great summer, have many adventures, and be on the look out for summer ideas from Mandy in your email box.
Blessings,
Dr. Seann Dikkers
As students approach Thinker and Leaders curriculum, you'll find some book choices, videos, articles, and podcasts that are presenting a non-Christian worldview. Why?
Dr. Dikkers provides the Portals approach to book choices and selections as educators and shares some Biblical reasons why we don't shy away from conflicting ideas and false religions in the curriculum overall.
Portals sits down with MACHE's Dayle Annand to talk about state organizations, the MACHE conference, and lobbying functions at the state.
Minnesota has a whole new set of criteria for teachers to demonstrate prior to getting a license in the state of Minnesota. Not is there room for abstaining or remaining silent on controversial leftist religious opinions.
Portals encourages parents to not only not worry about the myth of "Certification", but to actually reject it fully. These are not criteria we accept or want anywhere near our children!
Minnesota is passing a collection of bills engraining Critical Social Justice religious beliefs into every area of government schools from race-based hiring law, 'culturally sensitive' discipline, and 10th grade required 'ethnic studies' courses.
This is one great reason why we are building tools for parents and teachers to create new educational options.
What do we mean when we say Christ-Centered Learning? We put it in writing at PortalsAcademy.com under Philosophy, here we share out loud.
1) Starting with God Each Day
2) Whole Counsel of God
3) Christian Worldview across subject areas
4) Ministry opportunities built in
5) Time
6) Flexibility
The CLT test is a standard measure of reading using classic text scripts and evaluating understanding. Results like these are why Portals is leveraging homeschool resources to build lesson support for learning.
Betsy DeVos new book documents her time as Secretary of Education, what we need in American education, and advocates for Education Savings Accounts. Portals strongly recommends giving this book a read, and here are our notes on it.
Multi-Age Learning has seen a number of studies report on the overall benefits of the approach, but not necessarily where you think.