Alpine Valley School Podcast

When students at self-directed democratic schools like Alpine Valley School find themselves free from classrooms and curricula, they are sometimes left to grapple with a new adversary: boredom. However, boredom can also be an opportunity for growth,. On this episode of the podcast, AVS graduates weigh in on the subject of getting bored - what to do about it, and why it's important.

Also available on YouTube.

Want more?

• Read a piece from the New York Times called "Let Children Get Bored Again"

• Watch a TED Talk about how boredom can lead to the most creative ideas.

• Listen to an episode of the AVS Podcast where a graduate discusses how boredom helped him find his passion.

• Watch a video about trusting children in a self-directed environment

• Read a blog post about the purpose of education

Get in touch with the show! Send us an email at: [email protected]

The people who know Kelsey Kiernan, dancer and AVS graduate, know that she is a force of nature. Kelsey will stop at nothing to reach her goals and live her dreams. On this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast we share her story and hear how she turned her passion for dance into an inspiring vision for people all around the world. She also shares how she felt isolated in traditional education and how, after coming to AVS, her life was enriched by a caring group of friends - a bond that she still cherishes to this day.

Also available on YouTube.

Want more?

• Listen to Kelsey's podcast: AMPLIFY: An Artist's Movement

• Watch a TED talk about how School's Kill Creativity

• Listen to another episode of the podcast focused on creativity

• Watch a video interview with other Alpine Valley School alumni

• Read a blog post from Sudbury Valley about their school dance

Get in touch with the show! Send us an email at: [email protected]

The current education system in the United States is failing some of our kids, mainly the ones who cannot fit into the preconceived mold. Many creative individuals are being shunted aside, left out, and forgotten. Keith Kiernan, graduate of Alpine Valley School, was one of those kids before he and his family found an alternative. On this episode of the podcast, Keith shares his personal journey and talks about how art led him to academic success and a fulfilling career.

Also available on YouTube.

Want more?

• Read an article from the Boston Globe about Unschooling

• Listen to a podcast episode: Nurturing Creativity

• Watch a video from Spring Valley School about how Sudbury Schooling can change your life

• Look at more of Keith Kiernan's art on his Instagram Page

• Watch a video from Sir Ken Robinson about How Schools Kill Creativity

• Schedule a tour of Alpine Valley School

Get in touch with the show! Send us an email at: [email protected]

How does self-directed democratic education prepare students to move on to the real world after graduation? It's a question we are asked a lot, and we are proud to share yet another example today on the Alpine Valley School podcast. On this episode, an AVS graduate talks about her experience going to court and how years of attending Alpine Valley School helped her feel confident, prepared, and ready to defend herself. Listen now and hear how she faced a scary situation with calm self-possession and how she thanks Judicial Committee for preparing her to do just that.

Want more?

• Read a blog post: Give Kids Real Jobs

• Listen to a podcast interview with two AVS "lifers": Episode 7

• Watch a video about the purpose of education

• Make a donation to Alpine Valley School on Colorado Gives Day - December 4th 2018

Get in touch with the show! Send us an email at: [email protected]

Alpine Valley School students have the ability to choose many things - how they spend their time, when and what they eat during the day, who they hang out with, and where they congregate. All of which begs the question - do they always make choices that are beneficial? Are there lessons to be learned in making decisions that are not ideal? AVS graduates weigh in on the topic of thinking for yourself on the 28th episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast.

Show notes for this episode are available at: www.alpinevalleyschool.com/podcast/ep28

What should we do with children? How do we best guide them on their life's course and provide them with the skills they will need along the journey? We believe in a radical concept: Let the children decide. On this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast we share a blog post from the Open School in Orange, California that deals with the fundamental purpose of education and how Sudbury Schools, like both of ours, approach those concepts.

Show notes for this episode are available at: alpinevalleyschool.com/podcast/ep27

Want more?

• Read the original blog post: What Should We Do With Children? Let Children Decide.

• Check out the Open School in Orange, California

• Read our blog post on the purpose of education

• Watch a video from our sister school, Hudson Valley Sudbury School in Upstate NY

• Listen to a podcast interview with two students who have only attended Alpine Valley School

Get in touch with the show! Send us an email at: [email protected]

One of the main questions we are asked during tours is whether or not Alpine Valley School students go on to college, and if so, how do they do it? After all, we're a school without grades and therefore without transcripts. How do our students get into college if they don't have the standard paperwork? Hear from Alpine Valley School graduates about how they got into college and how they handled the transition to more traditional classroom learning. Believe it or not, our graduates thrive in college! Hear their stories and more on this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast.

Show notes for this episode available at alpinevalleyschool.com/podcast/ep26

Get in touch with the show! Email us at [email protected]

Schedule a tour of our school at: alpinevalleyschool.com/tour

How do important decisions get made in a self-directed democratic school? Do students really get to vote on the budget, the hiring and firing of staff, and other essential elements of school life? Find out on this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast, where we delve into the School Meeting. Listen as three past School Meeting Chairs talk about their experiences in running the meeting, and discuss times when their job was frustrating, as well as when it was most rewarding. Join James Kashevos, Em Eliasen, and Efe Osemwengie as they talk about how School Meeting shaped their lives as young people, and how they continue to use those lessons in the adult world.

Show notes for this episode available at: www.alpinevalleyschool.com/podcast/ep25

Want to learn more?

• Watch a video from Sudbury Valley about School Meeting.
• Read our blog post: How Business Gets Done
• Check out the Alpine Valley School Family Handbook
• Read an article from The New Republic about Sudbury Schooling
• Listen to the podcast episode about Judicial Committee.
• Learn more about Robert's Rules of Order (discussed in the interview)
• Listen to James Kashevos being interviewed on another episode of the podcast

Get in touch with the show! Send us an email at: [email protected]

Judicial Committee, the justice system at school, is a cornerstone of life at Alpine Valley School. How do we know that Judicial Committee is working, even when an individual's behavior doesn't change very quickly? What do Judicial Committee Clerks do when they feel frustrated by the slow wheels of progress? AVS alumni Xander Alford, Katy Cure, and Ellie Welshon answer these questions and more, drawing from their many years serving as Judicial Clerks while enrolled. Find out all about law and order, Sudbury style, in this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast.

Show notes for this episode are available at: alpinevalleyschool.com/podcast/ep24

Want more?

• Watch a mock Judicial Committee in session
• Read our blog post - Law & Order: Alpine Valley School
• Listen to Ellie Welshon talk about her experience at school in the "Lifers" episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast
• Read a blog post from Sudbury Valley focusing on the educational aspects of participation in Judicial Committee

What is it like to parent a child while they are enrolled at an alternative school as free as Alpine Valley School? What struggles do moms experience as their child grows up in this environment, taking responsibility for their own lives? On this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast we find out firsthand from three moms whose children graduated from our school. They open up about their struggles and successes while their children were enrolled, as well as giving us a look at where they are now, and offering some words of wisdom for the next generation. Listen in as these moms share their stories on episode 23 of the Alpine Valley School podcast.

Show notes for this episode available at: alpinevalleyschool.com/podcast/ep23