In this episode, Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome Dr. Carrie Currier from TCU to discuss China's geopolitical position - with their neighbors and with the west. In the process, the hosts and guest discuss what lies in store for China in the coming years, from growing tensions surrounding North Korea and Taiwan as well as their attempts to influence developing countries. The three also serve up a little tennis talk.

Dr. Currier is the director of the North Texas National Consortium for Teaching About Asia - for teachers, a free class offered each school year on all topics related to East Asia, covering all aspects of life, from history and language to pop culture and philosophy. More information can be found at www.nctasia.org.

If the mood to expand your mind has gripped you after the great conversation with Dr. Currier and exploring continuing education opportunities for teachers, check out the hosts' tome over the American education system called, The Center Cannot Hold: A Critical Look at Contemporary Education.

Sponsored by Ahart Solutions.

Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller, in what may be the start of a on-going series of state profiles, take a look at the 34th state to join the Union - Kansas. In particular, the hosts delve into its history - such as its history related to the Civil War and Civil Rights as well as the Wild West; its culture, including its food; the capital of Topeka and the government's efforts to change the reputation of the state; in short, everything that makes the Sunflower State worthy of consideration.

Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome Ksenia Filatov, a doctoral candidate at Boston College, to discuss her background that has led to her research on teacher agency and how college teacher training can both help or hinder new teachers entering the classroom. As with many of their guests, there is also the idea that more episodes with Ms. Filatov could be in the future.

United World College Robert Bosch College in Freiburg, Germany is the mission-driven international school that Ksenia worked at between 2016 and 2020. In any academic year, about 200 students aged 16–19 from all over the world study and board there. Each cohort has students from over 90 different nations / states. Here is the founding, and now retiring, rector of the college, Laurence Nodder speaking about the ethos of the school.

You can read more of Ksenia's thoughts about education and the teaching profession on her blog, On Teachers and Teaching.