It’s not too late to find a great summer camp!

I know. Your über-organized friends have had their kids’ summers mapped out since February, while you’ve been focused on a jillion other things. Now school’s almost out and you’re coming up for air, wondering if you’ve waited too long to get your kids into any decent summer programs.

It’s going to be okay. Better than okay, in fact! I’m here to reassure you that there are still spots open at many of Austin’s best-run, most creative and fun-filled camps. The Alt Ed Austin summer camp directory is a hand-picked list of smaller (and often more affordable) programs run by some of the best educators and kid wranglers around. It has something for everyone: from preschoolers to older teens, from the bookish to outdoorsy, from technophiles to free-spirited artists to eco-activists.

 
 

Here’s a sampling of the activities your kids could delve into with fellow campers this summer:

• astronomy
• building, woodworking, and tinkering
• claymation
• creative writing
• creek and aquifer exploration
• farming
• fashion and sewing
• green technologies
• language immersion
• music journalism
• parkour and playground games
• permaculture
• puzzles and brainteasers
• songwriting
• visual and performing arts of all kinds
• wilderness survival skills

So head on over to our alternative camp directory and snap up some of those open spots for your kids. Then breathe. And breathe some more. It’s going to be a good summer.

Teri

Austin Mini Maker Faire 2013!

Today’s guest post comes from one of Austin’s most beloved educators: Kami Wilt, director of the Austin Tinkering School. She is currently reprising her role as producer of the Austin Mini Maker Faire, and here she shares the latest news about my favorite event of the year. Read to the end to find out how you can enter to win a family pack of tickets!

We’re super excited to be putting on our second annual Austin Mini Maker Faire on May 5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Palmer Events Center. 

Last year our first Austin Mini Maker Faire had over 2,000 attendees, more than twice as many as expected. It was a DIY extravaganza of hands-on projects, robots, electric vehicles, glassblowing, and so much more. This year we have over 100 Makers signed up, and we expect 5,000 attendees. (Not so mini, you might say!)

The Faire will feature:

• A Robot Petting Zoo
• Steampunk Village
• Mega Swap-o-rama of clothes-hacking and fabric arts
• FIRST robotics stage with robot battles and more
• Tinkering: Open Shop
• Eco makers of all sorts in our Sustainable Village
• Young Makers and Education area
• 2 stages, each with a full schedule of performers and speakers with a Maker element
• A 30' x 30' inflatable Planetarium
• Austin Bike Zoo, premiering their Interactive Carnival and Bike Wonderland
• 3-D printers, weaving, soldering workshops, homemade telescopes, and much much more!

 

In the years to come, we look forward to the cross-pollination and inspiration that will happen as our Faire grows and as schools and the community learn to utilize the event as a learning tool. Already, educators have begun to gear projects of all kinds toward the opportunities our Faire provides to “show and tell” in extraordinary ways. 

Can’t wait to see you all at the Faire!

Kami Wilt

Enter our drawing to win a family pack of tickets to the Austin Mini Maker Faire! Just leave a comment below telling us which area of the Faire most interests you or another member of your family. For another chance to win, share this post on your Facebook timeline before noon on Thursday, April 18, 2013. The winner will be randomly selected and will receive 2 adult and 2 child passes, a $34 value.

Update on 2013-04-18 17:18 by Teri

We have a winner: Lolly Walter, who shared this post on Facebook, has won four Faire passes for her family. Thanks to everyone who left comments and shared with friends. You can still save on tickets by buying them in advance through the Austin Mini Maker Faire site. Hope to see you all there!

The magic of making

In the most interesting presentation I attended yesterday at SXSWedu, Dale Dougherty made an impassioned and convincing case for informal learning, particularly in the form of “maker education.” The conference so far has been heavy on presentations promoting digital technologies and their many uses in education, and while I am all for using the latest tools when they can help meet the needs of learners, I will admit that it felt like a breath of fresh air to hear about kids in schools and other settings making real, physical things with their own hands.

Dougherty is the founding editor and publisher of MAKE Magazine and co-creator of Maker Faire, the “Greatest Show and Tell on Earth,” which began in the California Bay Area in 2006. Last spring he helped launch the Maker Education Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing “a new generation of ‘makers’ who are creative, innovative, and curious.” He is also one of the leaders of Makerspace, which helps and encourages people to establish dedicated spaces for making in their schools, libraries, and neighborhoods.

In his keynote address, “The Magic of Making: Engaging Students as Makers,” Dougherty described the future of education as “IFFY”: Informal, involving Friends and Family, and centered on You and your goals. Making is by nature IFFY, he said, and when schools devote space, time, and resources to open-ended, project-oriented making of all kinds, they transform themselves into the centers of authentic learning that our communities desperately need. Projects like these provide the most natural and effective kind of learning assessment: students have tangible products they can show and stories they can tell about the problem-solving, design, and building process. One of Dougherty’s current goals is to “scale up” the creation of Makerspaces and maker programs to give all kids, at every socioeconomic level and in every community large or small, the chance to discover that they, too, are makers.

Later, Dougherty joined the local maker community for an interactive evening cohosted by the Austin Hardware Startup Meetup and Austin Mini Maker Faire at Capital Factory, a tech startup incubator, accelerator, and coworking space in downtown Austin. To a standing-room-only crowd filled with representatives of ATX Hackerspace, Round Rock’s TechShop, San Antonio’s Geekdom, and other Central Texas maker organizations and individuals, Dougherty spoke of Maker Faire’s success in bringing together people who do very different things (e.g., embroiderers, robot builders, kombucha brewers) who don’t necessarily know each other or believe they have anything in common. It also “flushes people out of their basements and garages,” where they have been pursuing their passions in isolation, and helps them share their skills and joy in making with other makers and the world.

Following Dougherty’s informal talk, he engaged audience members in a lively conversation about ways to strengthen, expand, and diversify the Austin maker community. Suggestions included developing networks of mentors and designing maker spaces to be friendlier to women and others not traditionally comfortable in these kinds of places. Dougherty emphasized summer camps as opportunities to practice maker education in less restrictive conditions than most schools can provide and encouraged camp directors to network with each other to establish as many maker experiences as possible for kids in Austin and beyond.

In wrapping up, Dougherty encouraged everyone to get involved in and help spread the word about this year’s Austin Mini Maker Faire, which takes place May 5 at the Palmer Events Center. Faire producer Kami Wilt announced that the Call for Makers is open through March 15 and that earlybird tickets are already on sale. Sponsorships are available at various levels. Alt Ed Austin is a proud sponsor of this all-ages, homegrown event, and I invite you to join us there to experience the magic of making.

Crazy in the name of education

We, as a modern adult society, are quite literally “driving our children crazy in the name of education,” according to author and Boston College research professor Peter Gray. Speaking yesterday at the SXSWedu conference, where I’ll be reporting for Alt Ed Austin throughout the week, Gray cited numerous studies showing a marked increase since the mid-1950s in childhood psychopathology. This change is closely correlated, he said, with the expansion of in-school and homework hours and the attendant decline in children’s free play time over the same half-century. Careful to note that he could not definitively prove a causal relationship, he said that after more than thirty years of professional research and personal observation, he considers the “continual usurpation of children’s free time” to be the most likely reason for the rise in anxiety disorders, depression, and suicide among children and teenagers.

Gray, author of a widely used introductory psychology text now in its sixth edition, explained that the higher numbers are not, as some might suggest, the results of today’s better diagnostic tools or broader recognition of these disorders; rather, they reflect data from standardized assessment tools that have not changed over the decades as they have been used to measure anxiety levels and depression in normalized samples of children and adolescents. Interestingly, the psychopathology numbers do not correspond at all with economically difficult periods or wartime, Gray said; children seem to have weathered the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War—all shown to have been seriously stressful times for adults—with no significant increase in mental or emotional distress. What is stressful for children, Gray posited, is the lack of freedom to play and a shortage of friends to play with.

Play by definition is self-directed, Gray said. “It is nature’s means of teaching children to take control of their own lives.” We are naturally selected, he explained, to practice solving problems on our own from a very young age. Independent play, especially the kind that pushes safety boundaries—like young chimpanzees swinging just a bit too high or far—is necessary for healthy development. Animal behavior researchers believe this is about learning to regulate fear and other emotions, he said. Unlike our hunter-gatherer ancestors (and members of the few such societies that survive today), children in the United States and most other developed economies largely miss out on these crucial developmental experiences.

According to Gray, the closest modern students can come to the kind of freedom young humans experienced in the egalitarian hunter-gatherer societies that were the norm from 1.8 million years ago until only ten thousand years ago (the latter characterized as “an evolutionarily insignificant amount of time”) is in schools that follow the Sudbury model of democratic education. As a longtime observer of and sometime systematic researcher at the original Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Massachusetts, Gray has concluded that it closely resembles the hunter-gatherer mode of education, although its founders did not set out with this goal in mind. These schools, Gray said, share the following conditions that make them work:

• unlimited freedom to play and explore—“because that's how children educate themselves”
• free age mixing
• access to a variety of knowledgeable and caring adults
• access to the culture’s tools and freedom to use them, especially the cutting-edge ones that help them prepare for the future
• immersion in a stable, moral, democratic community (in contrast to what Gray characterizes as the “tyranny” of traditional schools, where kids have virtually no legal rights)

Gray’s new book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life, was officially released today. It documents the evidence for his theories in detail, drawing on research in anthropology, behavioral and evolutionary psychology, and historical sources. You can also find more of Gray’s writings on play and education at his Psychology Today blog, Freedom to Learn. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on his provocative work; please feel free to share them in the comments below.

Peter Gray will give a talk and Q&A tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Clearview Sudbury School. It is free and open to the public. More details about the event are on Clearview’s blog and Facebook event page.

Open houses and open doors

On the heels of last weekend’s wildly successful Education Transformation School Fair, many participating schools and other alt ed programs are following up with open houses, tours, and special events for this week. In fact, the entire month of March is positively bursting with opportunities to get to know the people and places of Austin’s alt ed community—and find the right fit for your kid. Check our calendar for all the details. Here’s a preview:

On Saturday, March 2, visit The Natural Child Learning Community, a Montessori-inspired, nature-oriented preschool in the heart of Georgetown. The program provides a part-time, holistic learning environment for children between the ages of 2-1/2 and 5.

The next day, Sunday, March 3, head over to the 9th Street Schoolhouse in near East Austin to meet Caitlin and Laura, who place radical faith in children and, following the Free School model, offer guidance and experiences to develop lifelong learners. They have one immediate opening for a girl and are enrolling boys and girls age 5–12 for the fall.

Monday, March 4, is a great day to check out two South Austin alternative schools. The Whole Life Learning Center, part of the Self-Design network, is a two-acre school where kids age 5 and up work with mentors to develop holistic, individualized learning plans, honoring each learner’s physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development. The Austin EcoSchool is offering a family tour of its "Edible Campus," where you’ll see students’ work, meet the staff, and learn about the school’s unique programs, including Game of Village. It is currently enrolling for ages 5–14.

On the evening of Tuesday, March 5, the Clearview Sudbury School will host a free talk and Q&A with scholar and author Peter Gray (who is also speaking in town this week at the SXSWedu conference). Dr. Gray, a research professor at Boston College who blogs regularly at Psychology Today, is a leading authority on the role of free play in children’s development; his new book, Free to Learn, will be officially released the same day. Clearview staff, students, and parents will be on hand to answer questions about this democratic K–12 school in Central Austin.

Friday, March 8, is your next chance to visit the Inside Outside School. Let them know to expect you, and you'll get the full tour of this community-based, intentionally small learning community situated on more than seven wooded acres in Pflugerville. “Teaching for Human Greatness” is their creed, and they’re now enrolling kindergarten through 5th grade.

And now for something completely different: On Wednesday, March 13, the Growin' Together Hands-on Afterschool Program will host a SXSW Youth Showcase, featuring some of the hottest bands in the 18-and-below universe. It’s free for all ages (donations accepted) and will rock the Austin EcoSchool campus.

After spring break, on Wednesday, March 20, join the parent tour of AHB Community School, a creative and collaborative educational alternative that seeks to cultivate authentic, balanced critical thinkers who are prepared for a life of learning and community engagement. AHB serves ages 5–12 in Central Austin. Be sure to give them a heads-up that you’re coming so they can prepare the best tour possible for you. Can’t make it that day? You’ll have another chance on March 27 and on other Wednesdays in April and May.

To stay up-to-date on alt ed events, make a habit of visiting our calendar and clicking on any listing for details. Much more is coming up this spring, with many doors opening to you and your children.

A school fair like no other

What's so special about the free Education Transformation School Fair coming up on February 24? Let me count the ways:

It’s about helping you find the right fit for your kid. Unlike many of the larger, generic fairs where schools compete for your attention, this one is a collaborative effort by alternative educators who know there’s not one right way to reach all learners. Ten schools, a preschool, and an after-school enrichment program have come together to let you know about their diverse array of educational approaches, all with your whole, individual child’s well-being as their focus. At each booth, your kids can join in a fun, hands-on activity while you talk with educators about their program’s unique approach and pick up information to take home. Here’s a preview of the participating programs:

It’s going to be a ton of fun! In addition to the children’s activities at each school’s booth, there will be  entertainment for the whole family. The multi-award-winning Singing Zoologist, Lucas Miller, will perform some of his most popular original songs beginning at 2pm. Hennakim will be on hand throughout the afternoon for hooping and henna fun. There may be a few surprises as well!

It’s in a beautiful place you’ll enjoy visiting. In contrast to the noisy, overstimulating environment of a typical school fair, this one may cause you to arrive home feeling less stressed than when you left. Soma Vida, a work/life balance and wellness center in central-east Austin, is a peaceful and welcoming place to spend a Sunday afternoon. If your kid’s energy (or yours) takes a dip, help yourselves to free nourishing snacks and beverages, including organic fair-trade coffee courtesy of our friends at Cherrywood Coffeehouse.

Did I mention that it’s FREE? Yep. And if you’d like to print out some free flyers with all the details to pass along to friends, you can do so here. Special thanks to Megan Zvezda of Om Girl Marketing for the lovely design. You can also help spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook.

It’s sponsored by Alt Ed Austin. I’ll be there to chat and help find answers to all your questions about schools and transformative education in our community. I look forward to meeting you!