Education Series Part 2 | The Purpose of Education Isn't Actually What We Thought with John Ricard

This isn't just a lesson in Latin. It's a conversation about courage, fortitude, resilience, and what education was always meant to be.  In Part 2 of the education series, we're going back to the roots of the words we use every day and finding out— they have a lot to teach us about how kids (and the rest of us) actually grow and learn. I sat down with John Ricard, a Latin teacher with nearly 20 years in the classroom, at the Step Up for Students Conference in Orlando, Florida in June 2026.  John talks about why he cares more about the formation of a person than a 97 on a test. He also explains how becoming a dad made him realize kids need structure and zeal. And he shares the simple classroom practice that teaches resilience. We also get into: Why courage is a muscle, and the concept of "failing harder" The difference between owning knowledge and just leasing it Why he calls Latin an eternal language, not a dead one (and how the space shuttle traces back to Roman roads) His "Plato's cave" moment, when he realized the education choice movement is real, growing, and hungry for classical learning How niche subjects like Latin and journalism may find new life outside traditional schools Whether you're a parent, an educator, or someone who's quietly wondered where our curiosity went, this one will get you thinking about what we're really leading out of the people we love. 📝Check out Latin Fluency by John Ricard on Substack  🎧Yoto Player | Screen Free Fun for Kids The audio player that makes screen free time easier. Choose from 1000+ cards, music or podcasts. +Follow the Raising Wild Hearts Podcast: https://raisingwildhearts.buzzsprout.com/585529/follow ⭐️Write a Review for Raising Wild Hearts on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-wild-hearts-with-ryann-watkin/id1480064322  Support the show 🛍️ Thank you to our incredible affiliates. To get any of the products or services mentioned on the Raising Wild Hearts podcast, head to: https://www.raisingwildhearts.com/market 🙏Follow + Subscribe + Review:   🍎Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-wild-hearts-with-ryann-watkin/id1480064322 🎶Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KmzkkszG99W2dkBtRUJm6 📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raisingwildhearts 🎙️Want to be a guest on Raising Wild Hearts? Send me a message on PodMatch, here:https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/raisingwildhearts 💰 I only share what I truly love — some some links may be affiliate links.