Education rarely comes with a single script. A strategy that works well for one student may need to be adjusted for another, and new questions often arise as students grow.

Homeschool and classroom instructors benefit from spaces where they can discuss those questions openly and practically, without pretending there is always one perfect answer.

These kinds of conversations are at the heart of The Demme Learning Show.

What Is The Demme Learning Show?

The Demme Learning Show is an educational podcast series hosted by Gretchen Roe. Through discussions with educators, specialists, authors, professionals, and other guests, the show offers practical ideas, encouragement, and perspectives families and instructors can apply to real learning challenges. 

Why We Keep the Conversation Going

The Demme Learning Show reflects our larger commitment to “Helping Families Build Lifelong Learners.” 

That mission reaches beyond the curriculum. It includes helping adults think through the questions, transitions, frustrations, and opportunities that come with educating a student. During the show’s 2025 retrospective, Gretchen described one of her goals as helping listeners stay “in the learning journey for one more week.” That idea perfectly captures the spirit of the show.

Some episodes provide a strategy to try tomorrow. Others offer a new way to understand a student, reconsider a challenge, or think about what comes next. 

The format also fits how many educators use podcasts. A recent peer-reviewed study of education professionals identified information gathering, flexibility, social interaction, entertainment, and professional encouragement as important motivations for engaging with educational podcasts.

Those findings help explain why casual educational content can complement the other resources instructors use for support.

What Parents and Instructors Can Expect

Although the topics change, several benefits remain consistent:

• Practical support for real questions about teaching, learning, and student development.
• Different perspectives from guests with varied professional, educational, and personal experiences.
• Encouragement to keep adjusting as instructors observe students’ needs and build on what is working.
• Flexible access through various podcast listening and watching platforms.

The show’s range is part of what makes the show’s archive useful. A listener may arrive because of one immediate concern and leave with another idea worth considering later.

Four Conversations That Show the Range

Math Confidence With Vanessa Vakharia

In our episode “Transform Math Stress into Success,” author and math guru Vanessa Vakharia joined us for a candid conversation about math anxiety and the belief that someone is simply “not a math person.”

The episode also contains a memorable behind-the-scenes story about how the show came about. Gretchen had spent about six months trying to bring Vanessa onto the show, joking at the beginning of their conversation that Vanessa would probably say she had “stalked” her. Gretchen’s persistence had a purpose, though: Vanessa was challenging the very beliefs about math anxiety that Gretchen wanted families to hear.

Curiosity, Careers, and Learning How to Learn With Jack Carty

The Career Connections series grew out of a desire to help young people think more intentionally about their interests, independence, and future possibilities.

In Gretchen’s conversation with mechanical engineer Jack Carty, “How a Physics Grad Became an Engineering Innovator,” those themes came together through physics, engineering, ADHD, time management, and curiosity. Jack’s emphasis on learning how to approach problems makes this episode especially relevant for families preparing students for greater independence.

Finding the Real Source of Math Struggles With Lisa Chimento

Sometimes, the most useful conversation begins by questioning the problem itself.

In “Minding the Gaps”, Demme Learning Placement and Support Specialist Lisa Chimento explained how foundational gaps can interfere with later math success. Rather than assuming a struggling older student needs more practice with the current lesson, the conversation encourages instructors to look for an earlier concept that may need attention.

Rethinking Classroom Structure With Heather Cowap

The show also brings classroom-specific ideas into the conversation.

In “Flipping the Script,” high school biology instructor Heather Cowap explained how she adapted principles from Scrum project management to encourage student ownership, time management, collaboration, and reflection.

The episode shows how ideas from outside traditional education can sometimes give instructors a useful new framework for familiar classroom challenges.

Join the Conversation

We love hearing from our community! Listeners are encouraged to engage with our team in the comments and share episode insights on social media to spark meaningful educational conversations within their own networks.

The podcast archive covers academics, homeschooling, student development, career readiness, emotional intelligence, learning differences, and many other pressing questions shaping education.

You do not need to have every question answered before moving forward. Sometimes the right conversation is enough to help you see the next step more clearly.

Keep Building Lifelong Learners With Us

Education keeps changing as students grow and instructors encounter new situations. The Demme Learning Show gives families and educators a place to hear thoughtful perspectives, practical ideas, and encouragement for the road ahead.

Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!

Frequently Asked Questions