Amy Jackson reaches for the stars

Starry Sky Austin’s Amy Jackson always has a lot to say about space and astronomy. What she shares in this guest post (adapted from a recent one on her own blog), however, is more personal—and highly adventurous! Read on and watch Amy’s short, sweet video to learn how you can help one of our favorite alternative educators launch her latest mission.

Why does space exploration matter? Why should we put our hard-earned money into something that seems so intangible when there are so many other issues that need our attention here on Earth?

I get this question a lot as I work at educating the public about space. To answer, it helps to remember what got me excited about space and astronomy and why I eventually decided to study physics in college. It all points back to an experience I had on a field trip to NASA when I was in the third grade. As I followed my fellow classmates around rooms filled with mock-ups of Apollo mission spacecrafts, old astronaut suits kept behind glass, and small artifacts from past missions, I stumbled across a book filled with signatures of people who wanted to be astronauts. I will never forget adding my own signature to that book.

In eighth grade I went to Space Camp. I chose to study physics and astronomy in college. Two years ago I applied to the educator astronaut program at NASA, and now I teach children and the public about space and astronomy. Today I am working hard to get as many votes as possible so I can win a trip to space and fulfill my lifelong dream.

Space is the final frontier. It holds the biggest questions that have yet to be answered. How did the universe begin? How will it end? What makes up the majority of the mass of the universe? Space represents hope and inspires us to dream. It prompts us to ask questions and inspires us to want to find the answers. What do we have left if we don’t allow ourselves to dream?

Last September, on the official first day of fall, I walked my first grader to school. As she was putting away her bicycle, I heard kids shouting. I thought someone had fallen off a bicycle or there was a car accident. Lo and behold, everyone was pointing up to the sky in excitement. It was the space shuttle on top of a NASA airplane flying over the school! Parents and kids stopped and watched in awe. The fact that the adventure of going to space inspires young and old alike is proof enough for me that looking up to the sky—and dreaming of what can be—allows for great things to take place down here on Earth.

Amy Jackson

If you’d like to help inspire future generations of space explorers, scientists, and educators, click here to vote for Austin’s own Amy Jackson to win a chance to travel into space in the AXE Apollo Space Academy Competition.

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!

Fresh

Alt Ed Austin’s theme for the year 2013 is Fresh. Inspired by the continuous flow of fresh ideas from Austin’s alternative educators, as well as the bountiful fresh food grown and enjoyed at so many of the schools, preschools, camps, and enrichment programs featured on this site, I’ve spent much of January freshening up around here, too.

See the new logo? Alt Ed Austin managed to operate for more than a year with only a name, but all along, I was mulling over potential graphic representations, unable to settle on a basic form that felt right. With the new year, I resolved to turn over a new leaf—so to speak—and get some professional help. My multitalented friend Marla Camp, a graphic artist and the publisher of Edible Austin, worked with me to create a logo that conveys, I believe, the spirit and state of transformative education in our community: fresh, organic, “green” in the best sense of the word, and full of possibility. Thank you, Marla!

When a special version of the new logo took its rightful place in the website banner, it demanded changes in the site’s color scheme, fonts, and so on. As in a home renovation, one thing led to another, and I ultimately redesigned Alt Ed Austin from top to bottom with a new template and a brighter, cleaner look. Many thanks to Sam Hollon for assistance with some of the trickier graphic aspects. I also did a bit of reorganizing for more intuitive navigation from the menu along the top. Please feel free to explore Alt Ed Austin 2.0 and contact me if you encounter any glitches or broken links. I welcome all feedback.

While you’re exploring, you may notice that our summer camp directory is back. It’s that time of year again (already!), and while some uber-on-the-ball families have begun signing up for their favorites, many camp directors are still working to finalize details. The current list is a short one, but I’ll be updating the page frequently as new and interesting camp announcements continue to roll in. If you don’t find what you’re looking for right away, check back every few days.

What else would you like to see included on the site or addressed on the blog? Are there programs that meet the Alt Ed Austin criteria but are not yet listed? Is there an educational model you’d like to read about in depth? Do you know someone who should contribute a guest post that all the world needs to read? Are you that someone? Let me know, either below in a comment or privately—and thanks for helping me keep it fresh!

Teri