In this episode, Jesse Hake talks with Sarah Kwilinski about her new ClassicalU course, Restoring Wonder for Every Learner: Universal Design in the Classical Tradition, and how classical education can faithfully serve every learner through what she calls “durable hospitality.” Drawing on more than twenty-five years in special education and the influence of Dr. Amy Gilbert Richards, Sarah explains why universal design is not merely an accommodation strategy but a return to time-tested classical practices that benefit all students. She challenges prevailing assumptions about homework, standardized testing, inclusion, and early academic pressure while offering practical alternatives rooted in narration, the common arts, Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, and the principle of festina lente. Sarah also shares how Sundial Classical School & Farmstead’s small-group instruction, multi-age classrooms, collaborative culture, and emphasis on building the student before emphasizing academic performance have produced remarkable outcomes for learners with and without disabilities. The conversation explores why assessment should cultivate student ownership rather than anxiety, how parents become indispensable partners in education, and what schools can learn from current research on early childhood education. Throughout the discussion, Sarah and Jesse point toward resources including Chris Hall’s ClassicalU course, Common Arts Education, Dr. Amy Gilbert Richards’ ClassicalU course, Disability and Classical Education: Student Formation in Keeping with Our Common Humanity, Christopher Perrin and Carrie Eben’s The Good Teacher, NOVARE Science, and the Templeton Master of Arts in Classical Teaching program while highlighting research from Vanderbilt University’s Tennessee Pre-K Study. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, school leader, or parent, this conversation offers a hopeful vision for restoring wonder, dignity, and genuine flourishing to every learner. 

Listeners may also be interested in related ClassicalU courses, including Jason Barney’s Charlotte Mason: A Liberal Education for All and Narration: A Classical Guide, which further explore the educational philosophy and teaching practices that complement many of the ideas discussed in this episode.