Finding balance in a self-paced process

Samantha Jansky and Janita Lavani are co-founders of Ascent: An Acton Academy in North-Central Austin. With many years of experience as Socratic guides and Acton curriculum developers, they have a lot to say about the balancing act required of both learners and adults in a flourishing self-paced learning environment. We’re pleased they agreed to share some of their wisdom with us on the Alt Ed Austin blog.

The ingredients of a healthy self-paced learning process can prove empowering and set learners up for success for life. However, there’s an element of balance required to pull them all together. Paradoxically, autonomy requires accountability, and flexibility requires structure. While it might seem as though these are in conflict, they work in tandem to give much-needed balance to an individual’s learning process.

Autonomy, as you could have guessed, is at the core of self-paced learning. At Ascent, the learners determine for themselves how and when to approach their work. They do so when they are motivated through pursuing their curiosities, when they are equipped to engage freely in their environment, and when they practice toward mastery. Learners are not bound by limits placed on them because of their age. They can go as far and beyond what is expected of them in a particular subject. They can also choose when to work on the material; perhaps they are someone who likes to focus on a certain subject for weeks at a time, or perhaps they like a little balance each day. Ultimately, it is up to them to decide how to approach their work.

The flexibility of self-paced learning plays into genuine autonomy. Learners practice adjusting timelines, revisiting concepts, and incorporating feedback, allowing them to navigate their learning journey with resilience and a growth mindset. it offers the opportunity to practice adaptability in the face of unforeseen challenges and push through when faced with resistance.

This flexibility, however, doesn’t imply a lack of structure or discipline; rather, it encourages individuals to take ownership of their learning journey and create the structure themselves through tools introduced to them (some examples include SMART Goals, the Urgent/Important Matrix, squad frameworks, and the badge system to stay on track). Self-paced learning means you work on each subject at your pace—slowing down when you need to grasp something, and accelerating once you’ve mastered a topic. Self-paced learning empowers individuals to keep moving forward.

One of the most important tools offered to learners in a self-paced environment is goal-setting: establishing realistic objectives and timelines to maintain a sense of purpose and direction. Goal-setting ensures that the learners stay focused, motivated, and accountable. In a learner-driven environment, the learners are accountable to their growth. A key difference between this and more traditional learning environments is that a learner’s standing in any subject area is not compared to a predefined standard; rather, their progress is measured against their past achievements and efforts. The practice of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Tough/Time-Bound) Goals is critical in this regard. A true SMART goal is challenging. It pushes your limits to see what you can do, and it is built upon past progress and learning. This is where the rigor of a learner-driven environment comes into play.

The combination of clear goals, accountability, and active engagement creates a tremendous amount of structure in a learner-driven environment—but it’s not a “top down” structure created by someone else. When the learners have autonomy over their learning and their work output, they are the ones creating the structure they need to thrive, leading to a strong sense of responsibility.

Here’s a story that pulls all of this together. It’s one of many examples we have seen over the years of the magic of balancing autonomy with accountability and structure with flexibility.

It was a chilly February morning, and one learner was celebrating. Running around the studio, she was ecstatic. “I got my level 2 Math badge, I got my math badge!” The other learners in the studio were not silent on the matter, either. Loud jubilation and high-fives took place all over the space.

This young hero had finally found her stride in math—a process that included a lot of help but that was hers to own. For a couple of years, she had struggled to find flow in this particular subject. Her squad frequently supported her in goal setting, and her guides engaged her with questions and challenged her to set tough goals and develop a regular practice. She had the tools, such as SMART goals, a watch that reminded her to take quick breaks before getting back to work, a badge system that offered extrinsic motivators in each subject area, and powerful online platforms. She had the support of her parents, who checked in with her frequently but were also aware of when they needed to give her space; they also left her plenty of space to fail (and to own that, too).

This recipe was one for success, but she needed time to find her stride—to accomplish big wins in math on her timeline, at her pace. This allowed her gradually to build up confidence. She faced setbacks and learned to lean on her support system when she got an answer wrong—asking for help when she needed it—and eventually built up the mental muscle she needed to resist the urge to give up when she got an answer wrong. After months of setting daily math goals to create a habit, having the discipline to tell friends she was working, using her watch, and rewarding herself with reading after she finished her math goal, she created a structure that worked for her and found flexibility in her practice.

She had full autonomy (no one was going to make her do her work) but was also accountable to her goals and to the people she pulled in for support. She felt pressure, but it was rooted in her self-paced striving toward mastery. Most importantly, she owned the whole process, all the ups and downs, and so in the end, she realized her potential all on her own.

Samantha Jansky and Janita Lavani | Ascent: An Acton Academy

Tips for decreasing sensory overload in your highly sensitive child

We’re pleased to welcome Laura Sanders, MA, LPCA, as a guest contributor to the blog with two pieces this week aimed at helping parents and educators better understand and support highly sensitive children. Laura is a licensed counselor, EMDR trauma therapist, author, and mindfulness teacher specializing in working with highly sensitive children and adults at Cosmic Heart Counseling in South Austin and online.

Photo by Arwan Sutanto on Unsplash

When a child becomes overwhelmed, their nervous system is in overload. To prevent a meltdown or diffuse one that has already started, you have to work to get the nervous system regulated again. Remember, their capacity to hold sensory information and emotions has a lower threshold than that of neurotypical children. Here are some tips to help things run more smoothly in your household!

Increase communication.

Give your child language so they can tell you when they are getting overwhelmed. Have them pick an animal that they think best embodies their meltdown. For example, they may call big scary feelings “an angry monkey.” When they start to feel it coming on, they can say, “Angry monkey is here,” or you can ask, “Is angry monkey coming?” and you can try to intervene before it gets out of control.

Many times, there is a physical cue causing your little one to react.  It could be as simple as being hungry or tired. While most children get cranky when they are hungry, thirsty, or tired, an HSP child is even more sensitive to these physical cues, meaning their reaction to the sensations of hunger or tiredness will increase. When we need to eat, a stress hormone called cortisol is on the rise. HSPs are also more sensitive to any hormonal fluctuations, which may also contribute to extra discomfort.  

Ask them where they are on their sensory meter (you can come up with a fun name for it together) but on a scale of 1–10, they can tell you how overwhelmed they are. If they are at a 7 or higher, it’s time to take a break.

Strive for a more natural lifestyle.

Decrease the use of chemicals and fragrances in the house. Free and clear laundry detergent and dishwashing soap can help their sensitive noses and skin. Watch processed foods. Chemicals, dyes, and sugars in food will lead to more dysregulation, hyperactivity, and meltdowns. Certain medications can interact with brain chemistry and can cause a sensitive person to become dysregulated, and many HSPs do not react well with pharmaceuticals made for neurotypical brains and bodies.

Create a chillout spot.

Find a spot in your home that you can make a comfort zone. Have your child help build it with blankets, soft lighting, snuggle friends, and anything they will find comforting. This can be a place for them to retreat to when they begin to feel overwhelmed. It can also be a place for them to go to as an alternative for punishment. Many times, a less than ideal behavior reflects a need for a calmer environment, rather than a need for punishment.

Photo by Vitolda Klein on Unsplash

Take breaks.

A full day of running errands and playdates may be fun, but it could lead to overwhelm by the time you are ready to come home and relax. Checking in with your child frequently about where they are on their sensory meter or whether they are hungry can go a long way.

Let the child pick fabrics and clothing.

Allowing the child to tell you which clothing and fabrics they find overstimulating can be a game changer. Your day is doomed if your child starts out overloaded with tactile discomfort. Involve them in the process, and once you find what works, stick with it. As they get older, their clothing and fabric needs will change, so check in often.

Get tested for food allergies or cut out common allergens.

Food allergies are everywhere these days. Most HSPs are allergic to many different foods, and this can cause not only physical discomfort but also inflammation, brain fog, and even behavior changes. Getting tested can be pricey and time consuming. Many people choose to follow an elimination diet and see what works from there. You could also just cut out common allergens (dairy, gluten soy, sugar) and see what miracles happen!

Consider supplements.

There are lots of supplements out there that be helpful to calm down an overwhelmed nervous system, or ease anxiety. Some are branded for children, and some are branded for adults. Talk to a doctor or herbalist about which supplements can help with daily brain function and acute stress.

Practice breathing exercises.

My favorite exercise to do with kids is “Sniff the Flower, Blow out the Candle.” This has them take a big inhale through their noses and slowly exhale through their mouths.

Try physical helpers.

Sensitivity to the environment doesn’t mean that zero stimulation is ideal. A physical helper like a weighted blanket or a giant stuffed animal can provide much-needed comfort to an overstimulated child and help them get back to their baseline.

I hope you found this list helpful! If you are not sure if your child is highly sensitive, check out my related blog post here on Alt Ed Austin, “Is your child highly sensitive?” For more information on this topic, visit therapyforsensitives.com.

Laura Sanders, MA, LPCA | Cosmic Heart Counseling

Is your child highly sensitive?

Laura Sanders, MA, LPCA, is a licensed counselor, EMDR trauma therapist, author, and mindfulness teacher specializing in working with highly sensitive children and adults at her private practice, Cosmic Heart Counseling, in South Austin and online. We’re happy to welcome her as a guest contributor to the blog with two companion pieces this week to help parents and educators better understand and support highly sensitive children.

Photo by Ksenia Makogon on Unsplash

High sensitivity is a form of neurodivergence that is gaining in recognition and popularity. An highly sensitive person (HSP) is just that—highly sensitive. Their ability to tolerate sensory information and emotions is smaller than that of others, leading to overwhelm. A highly sensitive person has a finely tuned nervous system that can prime them for anxiety and stress. Without positive coping skills, this sensitivity can be overwhelming and lead to a host of behavioral issues in childhood and beyond.

With knowledge, understanding, and positive coping skills, sensitivity can be a superpower! Although navigating the challenges of sensitivity can be difficult, your child’s sensitivity can wield multiple gifts, including creativity, empathy, and even intuition.

Many adults are becoming aware of and owning their sensitivity, gaining coping skills, and thriving. For children, it can be more difficult as their brains, bodies, and nervous systems are constantly growing and changing. They have little control over their daily activities, foods they eat, and clothing they wear. An HSP child is even more vulnerable to the environment as exposure to even small amounts of stimulus may be too much.

To a neurotypical (NT) adult, the sensitive child might seem over reactive, overemotional, and dramatic. To the NT parent, the child is having an absolute meltdown because they don’t want to wear the shirt that was picked out for them. To the child, the physical body has become so incredibly uncomfortable that it causes stress hormones to spike. In turn, the child’s nervous system is activated, and they are flooded with emotions that they don’t know how to process. Screaming ensues.

To sensitive children, the world can seem entirely overwhelming. They may recognize that they respond differently to the world than their peers and not understand why. Arming them with knowledge, tools for self-care, and nervous system regulation at an early age can change the trajectory of their lives so they can use sensitivity as a superpower and avoid having to go through so much heartache.

Image by Rod Long on Unsplash

So, how do you know if your child is highly sensitive? Here are some signs that might indicate your child has a finely tuned nervous system and might need some additional tools to thrive in our crazy world.

Sensitivity is threefold—physical, emotional, and energetic. Physical sensitivity affects the five senses: touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight. When any of these senses start to get overwhelmed, a highly sensitive person’s nervous system detects a threat and goes into hyperdrive.

 Here are some physical sensitivity signs that your child might be an HSP:

• allergies to perfumes and other synthetic fragrances in detergents, scented candles, and even dishwashing soap

• an aversion to certain types of fabrics or shapes of clothing

• complaints that certain environments, video games, or television shows are too loud

• multiple food allergies

• proprioception or tactile sensitivity

• meltdowns after time spent in big crowds or places with bright or fluorescent lights

 Emotional sensitivity can look like:

• crying easily

• having feelings hurt easily

• bursts of anger

• feeling overcome when watching television and movies

• feeling a high level of empathy for animals, stuffed animals, or other people

• a sense of not belonging

• asking deep questions or having deep thoughts

• being described by others as “an old soul”

Energetic sensitivity shows up in some children and adults as:

• a strong sense of overwhelm in crowded places

• connection to spirituality

• having an increased sense of imagination

• possessing “second sight” or psychic abilities

• heightened creative abilities

If you think you or your child might be a highly sensitive person, don’t worry! It’s not a mental illness, and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It just means that your child might need a little extra care in navigating the world. Little changes in the household can decrease sensory overload. Using fewer chemical cleaners and fragrances in the home, dimming the lights, and making time for “chilling out” in between activities can give your child’s nervous system a much-needed break.

For more tips on decreasing sensory overload, check out this blog post on Alt Ed Austin. For further information on this topic, visit therapyforsensitives.com.

 
Laura Sanders, MA, LPCA | Cosmic Heart Counseling

Choosing among roads less traveled

Shawna Pitts is a parent and current staff member at Clearview Sudbury School here in Austin, Texas. She joins us on the blog to share her thoughts on unschooling, Sudbury education, and a great podcast episode that discusses both of these and more. The podcast was produced by the Alpine Valley School in Denver, Colorado, where a group of Clearview students and staff recently spent a week.

The more I learn, the more I understand learning as a journey rather than a destination. It is wonderful to live and learn in a time and place where there are so many options for education, and so much recognition that there is not a single way that works for everyone. As a parent, I’ve traveled many paths with my children to help them find the right one. In their early years, a hybrid school led us to homeschooling, which led to my reading about homeschooling and unschooling, and then discovering the Sudbury model of education through the book Free to Learn by Peter Gray. My first entrée to the model was in 2016 through Clearview Sudbury School, right here in Austin.

I appreciate the similarities and the differences between unschooling and Sudbury education. Both paths have been a key part of our family’s journey. There was a point at which it made sense for us to move from our more family-based unschooling to community-based learning in a Sudbury school, but I don’t know that I could have articulated exactly why it felt right to me.

That is, until I heard this interview about one mother’s transition from unschooling to Sudbury schooling. Her insights resonated deeply with me, especially as my own children moved from the parent-focused phase of human development to the peer-focused phase. I found it difficult to give them freedom to follow their interests without facilitating and coordinating all of it.

I think that anyone interested in alternative education will enjoy this short episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast. It’s particularly poignant for me to share, as it features two of my treasured colleagues: Marc Gallivan of Alpine Valley School in Denver, and Cara DeBusk of the former Houston Sudbury School. Even better, the content mentions my family’s own beloved learning community, Clearview. I recommend listening to this as a great way to spend 12 minutes.

Shawna Pitts | Clearview Sudbury School

When we dress up, do we become someone else? Or do we become more ourselves?

Marie Catrett, a frequent guest contributor here, has been looking back over ten years of documentation from her work with young children, compiling these stories into a book. She generously turned some of that material into this special photo essay about supporting young children in processing their feelings and questions about Halloween (and “dressing up” in general). Marie is the founder and lead educator at Tigerlily Preschool. You can meet her at this Saturday’s 2nd Annual Small Schools of South Austin Tour.

 
March 8, 2012

Willa: Is it a ghost or is it just Emerson?
Nayeli: No, it’s Emerson.
Willa: Let’s say boo to him, then the ghost will be Emerson again.

August 28, 2012

A set of magic wands appears in the dress-up corner.

Willa: Marie, what do you want to be turned into?
Marie: Hmm . . . turn me into a butterfly.
Willa: Okay, cause I’m a flying fairy.
Willa waves her wand over me and dances off.
Marie: Now I’m going to be a butterfly?
Emerson: Now not going to be a butterfly. (Emerson waves his yellow wand over me.)
Marie: Did you turn me into something else?
Emerson: No!

I take Emerson to be saying here, “Marie, I need you to be my Marie.” He will often do this when monster play happens if someone in the play begins to refer to me as “the monster coming.” Emerson will tell them no, she’s not a monster, she’s Marie. He will ask me directly, with concern: you’re not a monster, Marie? No, Emerson, I reassure him. I am Marie.

Elias (who finds great meaning in interpreting the world through train talk): We can’t get on this train. This train is too small. We can’t get inside; we don’t have tickets. (His bubble wand is a train.)

Willa: Emerson, what do you want to be turned into?
Emerson: I don’t want to be something.
Willa: Okay. But this is real magic. You could be anything. Even a princess!
Marie (gently): Emerson, I hear pretending. You can choose about if you want any pretending.
Emerson (ponders, then): You could turn me into a BIG princess.

Later during the day
Emerson: (Waves wand): I turn you into a princess Marie.
Marie: Now I am a princess? Are you a princess?
Emerson (spinning happily): No, I’m not a princess. I’m nothing.
Willa: Are you air?
Emerson: No.
Daphne: Are you just Emerson?
Emerson: Yes! Just Emerson!

November 2, 2012

We return to school after Halloween. The children begin telling each other about what they saw.
Marie: There could be more drawing about this, to show what you’re remembering about Halloween?
Yes, the kids say, oh yes, we’ll draw about our Halloween!

Daphne: Me and Daddy maked happy faces for our pumpkins and Mommy made a monkey face. And Mac didn’t carve any because he’s a baby. My pumpkin had fire in it.

Wyatt: I had a scary face of a pumpkin. A vampire face. My pumpkin had its eyes closed. My pumpkin had a triangle eye.

Willa: I saw a lot of shapes in the pumpkin faces on Halloween.
Elias: My pumpkin had a quiet face. I saw a witch. I will draw a witch. With black.
Daphne: I saw a witch! I will draw about a witch too.

Daphne: That’s the witch that I saw on Halloween.

Elias: With a tall black hat on its head!

Nayeli: I saw a spooky house.
Willa: Did you see a real ghost that someone didn’t dress up as?
Nayeli: No.
Willa: Did you see a spider? A monster?
Nayeli: We had to reach in a spider’s web to get candy!
Willa: Was it just a costume spider web?
Nayeli: It was just a pretend spider web with no one inside it. Look how black my picture is.
Willa: Are you making the black night?
Nayeli (adding black lines over the orange ones): It’s making dark orange.

Willa (adding the spooky person, black figure in the lower right corner, with looser black lines, “the black night” wrapping around him, very pleased with the feeling she’s captured): Look what he looks like! When I went trick or treating there was a spooky person wearing all black. Outside. On their porch. He looks like a real haunted. I looked for a dark color to make it. And there was a sunset. I’m making colors because it’s sunset. All sunsets have color. And I make the black night, see? Moon, moon, a bright glittering moon! The moon is gonna be making a yellow sky.

I am struck by how deeply this Halloween stuff matters to the children and make a note to prepare more on this for our next Halloween together.

Here’s what that looked like, one year later.

October 30, 2013

“Me in my Little Red Riding Hood costume and I’m skipping, see? With roses on the basket and candy bread inside.” —Nayeli

Nayeli: Tomorrow is Halloween day.
Daphne: And we’ve been waiting a long time.
Marie: People are thinking about wearing a costume to school tomorrow if they want to. Elias thinks he might be a station master, Nayeli will be Little Red Riding Hood.
Nayan: I will be a giraffe. A costume of a giraffe.
Elias: I will be a costume of a station master.
Marie: And tell your grownups, bring extra clothes. Because maybe you want to be in your costume a long time or maybe you will want to change after a while.
The subject of “What will you be, Marie?” comes up.
Marie: You know, I am usually saying “I will be just Marie” as your teacher, here, when children are pretending.

Dear three-year-old Emerson, you and the other children taught me the importance of this last year!

Nayan: Just wear a little hat.
Daphne: Like with a headband. A headband, and how about different shoes?
Marie: Will you still know that I am me?
Daphne: Wear the same clothes. Your usual clothes.
Marie: If someone is wearing different clothes, are they still the same person?
Daphne: I’ll know everyone because I have really good hearing and really good eyesight.
Nayan: We’ll know you by your talk. Or if you took off your shoes or your hat or your headband.
Nayeli: Marie could be a Marie for Halloween!
Daphne: You just need to put on the same things. If we could go upstairs and see them, we could pick them out for you.
Elias: You have a double-decker house. At night you go upstairs.

Marie: What if I wore a shirt that kids had not seen before, would that feel okay?
Kids: Yes! One we haven’t ever seen before?
Marie (ah ha, I do have an idea now!): Yes. See, I have a new shirt that I just got but you haven’t seen it yet.
Daphne: Like your piano shirt? (There’s a photo of me in some documentation on the wall wearing a concert shirt the children admire.)
Marie: Ah, a little bit like that, yes. But not a piano . . .

Later
Marie: So, we were talking about a costume for me, and people said I should wear shoes, maybe a hat. Here are some different hats of mine.

Nayeli (recognizing my garden hat): This one we know already!
Marie: Yes, you know that one. See the straw hat with the polka dots? This is a hat I like to wear when I go to Barton Springs. It gives me a lot of shade. Now, here’s just regular me, right? And here’s me (putting it on my head) wearing my Barton Springs hat. Am I the same me when I put on the Barton Springs hat?
Daphne: Yeah!
Nayan: ’Cause I see some of your hair.
Daphne: And I see your shoes. Those shoes that I know.
Marie: Ah, ’cause my shoes didn’t change. But you’ve never seen my Barton Springs hat.
Nayan: But I do still know your shoes and your hair.
Nayeli: I would know you even if those shoes were pink.
Nayan: I would still know it was you if your hat was green!
Daphne: I would know you if you were a giant! Because you’re pretty giant.
Marie: What do you think, Elias, is it still me if I put on this hat?
Elias: Yes! It just has this polka dots around your hat.
Nayeli: Your face stays the same. But your face is bigger than ours. Parts of your face is bigger than ours.
Nayan: And my face is smaller than yours.
Daphne: And your hands are bigger than us. Because you’re older.
Marie: Am I the same Marie in my garden hat, in the hat you know?
Kids: Yes! ’Cause of your face and your shoes and the garden hat that we know.
Marie: Okay, and if I take my hat off, here’s just me again. And now here’s the third hat. This is my running hat.
Daphne: Oh, now you look different!
Nayeli: Much different.
Marie: I’m different when I put on the running hat?
Nayeli: But you are the same Marie, though.
Marie: I am the same Marie, but I look different in my running hat.
Nayeli: You look so different in the running hat because there’s no hair coming down.
Kids want to try on my hats.
Daphne: Right now, I can’t see the underneath of the garden hat because I’m wearing it.
Nayan (the Barton Springs hat hangs down over his eyes): Right now, I can’t even see where I am going!
Daphne: And I can’t even see where I am going!
Nayan (laughing): Where am I? This hat kind of looks like a cowboy hat.

Marie: So, tomorrow on Halloween you’re going to see people you know but they might be wearing something different. I’ve never seen Nayeli in a Little Red Riding Hood costume.
Daphne: Have you ever seen me in a butterfly costume?
Marie: I have never seen you in a butterfly costume.
Nayan: Have you ever seen me in a giraffe costume?
Marie: I have never seen you in a giraffe costume.
Daphne: Or in any costume!
Marie: Elias, I have never seen you in a station master costume.
Elias: No . . .
Marie: That is going to be different! Here’s a song I like to teach (holding the Barton Springs hat up over my face).

Who is underneath that hat, hat, hat?
Who is underneath that hat, hat, hat?
All together: Whooooo is it? Marie!
(Marie taking hat away):
I see Marie underneath that hat!
Marie is underneath that hat, hat, hat!

Nayeli: I know that song, I know that song!

We sing many verses, with all our hats, together.

 
Marie Catrett | Tigerlily Preschool

Searching for the “right” school

Alt Ed Austin welcomes Laura Delgado to the blog today to share with our readers some of her wisdom about choosing schools, preschools, and early childhood programs—and to invite you all to the 2nd Annual Small Schools of South Austin Tour!

Laura is a certified Montessori guide with more than 20 years of experience working with children and families. She owns The Montessori Tree, which provides support and education for both parents and children, guided by the Montessori philosophy of respect. She also runs a beautiful home-based, largely outdoor toddler program called The Nest.

Nine years ago, I sat in a circle of expectant mothers. My belly had grown along with my awareness of the uncertainties that lay ahead, but I was certain of one thing at least.

I wanted my little one to start school early, and I already had a school picked out. Silly, right? After all, there are so many other things to think about when you’re expecting, and school? Well, it’s not usually at the top of the list of considerations for first-time parents.

Still, I found myself encouraging the other mothers to start looking at schools. I know it seems far away, I implored, but think about getting a feel for your options, time is going to fly by!

Little did I know how quickly it would fly by! It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was sitting in that circle and, yet, just the other day, my partner and I were talking about middle school options for our daughter! How is that even possible?!

All that being said, I know how overwhelming the school search process can be for first-time parents. Where to begin? When to begin? The only reason I spoke up that day was because I was working in admissions in a large school at the time, and I spoke with so many families who confessed, I wish someone had explained this process to us when we were expecting!

If you’re reading this, and you’re just getting started on your search, regardless of your child’s age, take heart. There are an increasing number of early childhood options available to families in Austin, especially since the onset of the pandemic, which fueled the opening of a great number of “micro-schools.” In addition, there are great resources, like Alt Ed Austin, who will support you in finding the “right” school for your child and your family.

On that note, I’ve had many families ask, Where should we go? What’s the “right” choice? Ultimately, I think that answer is different for every family, every child even. What works for some families may not work for others, what works for one child in your family, may not work for another.

While the school search can truly be a soul-searching process, I always encourage families to begin by considering logistics. How far are we willing to drive? What’s in our budget? Are we needing full or part-time care? Do we need year-round care or can we get by with less?

Once you narrow down your options, you can start considering other factors. Are we looking for a specific philosophy or open to exploring something new? Is class size important to us? Are we looking for specific elements, such as extracurricular offerings? How involved do we want to be?

Ultimately, I encourage parents to visit the school and “get a feel” for the space. The reason is that I’ve had families tell me time and again, We finally found a school, and we knew it was the right one because it just ‘felt right.’ 

I truly believe this is the number-one indicator of "goodness-of-fit." After visiting a school, I encourage you to ask . . . How did I feel when I walked into the space? Was I able to imagine my child learning and growing there? 

In exploring the questions above, you will get closer to finding the right program for your child, or better yet, a handful that feel promising! Following is simply a process of educating yourself about the admissions process at your schools of choice. 

Still, I know that finding time to do all of the above can feel a little intimidating. For this reason, I nurtured a seed of inspiration that sought to answer the question, How can we, as educators and school owners, make this process a little easier for families? 

The answer came in the form of a “tour,” inspired, funnily enough, by the East Austin Studio Tour. Wouldn’t it be great, I thought, if families could spend one morning visiting a handful of schools without having to take time out of their work week? Instead of touring studios, they could tour schools!

This year, I’m thrilled to be collaborating with thirteen other schools to host our 2nd Annual Small Schools of South Austin Tour on Saturday, October 21st from 9am to noon. It’s a celebration, of sorts, of the diverse program offerings available to families in south Austin!

Parents, if you’re just starting your search or still looking for the right fit, I highly encourage you to take advantage of this FREE event. Children are welcome, and there’s no need to RSVP. 

For more information and a full listing of schools, you can follow @themontessoritree or find the event on Facebook. We look forward to seeing you there!

 
Laura Delgado | The Nest at The Montessori Tree