In this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast, host Marc Gallivan talks with conscious parenting coach Angela Young about how to set clear boundaries with your children while still supporting their independence. This episode is a great listen if you’re looking for support and advice on how to approach boundary-setting with your self-directed children. You’ll also learn: How to explore your own self-directed path as an adult, the importance of setting clear expectations for your children (hint: you don’t have to be a doormat!), and how to identify your own limiting beliefs that may be get ..read more

Staff Members at self-directed democratic schools like Alpine Valley School are often asked what sorts of unique challenges students experience at places like this. While our students are free from the tests and grades that are imposed on others in mainstream education, they do encounter a totally different set of struggles.  Not only that, but parents often have to deal with their own difficulties as well. In this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast staff members Larry, Katy, and Connie talk about what makes life at our school challenging and how they’ve seen students and parents ..read more

Most people involved in self-directed education know that staff are the adult members of the school community, but what is the actual role staff members play in the day-to-day running of the school? What sorts of tasks do staff members do? And beyond that, why are staff members important to schools like Alpine Valley in the first place? Hear personal accounts from staff members at self-directed democratic schools all over the world on this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast! To learn more about Alpine Valley School (and come visit!) check out our webpage.   Want more? Read a bl ..read more

What are school wounds? How do they develop, and who do they affect? This is a topic we explore on episode 55 of the Alpine Valley School podcast, along with Akilah S. Richards, a podcaster, author, and self-directed parent.    Want more?  Learn more about the Fare of the Free Child podcast (and subscribe!)  Watch Akilah S Richard’s TED Talk Listen to an episode of our podcast all about competition and school wounding.  Read a blog post from parents who share their experiences after leaving the public school system.  Send us your questions, suggestions, and feedb ..read more

In mainstream education, parents and teachers are continually breaking down children into two separate groups: good students and bad students. In this episode, we hear from Tay Arrow and Marc Gallivan, two Sudbury School graduates who self-identified as bad and good students, respectively. Tay and Marc share their own personal journeys through the school system and how they both ultimately arrived at self-directed education, and what they found when they did. View the show notes page for more details about this episode. To learn more about Alpine Valley School (and come visit!) check out our w ..read more

It’s been a while, but Alpine Valley School is still here! In this episode Marc provides an update about what life at our school is going to look like moving forward, as well as the future of this podcast. He’ll also share some of the most popular episodes so you can catch up with all of our previous episodes, and maybe find your new favorite! To learn about Alpine Valley School’s plans for reopening, please check out this webpage. To listen to favorite episodes, check out the links here: Episode 02: The Importance of Video Games Episode 25: School Meeting Parent Panels: Moms (Ep 2 ..read more

What does it mean to place radical trust in your children, supporting their independent decisions even if they don’t always seem ideal? How do parents best support their children who enrolled in an alternative school like Alpine Valley School? We tackle these questions and more on episode 16 of the Alpine Valley School podcast. Guest Connie Cook talks about raising her three children (all AVS grads) and how she handled her own worries when they arose. She also talks about strategies for dealing with the rocky transitional period that can sometimes happen as newer students adjust to our radical ..read more

Individuals who are driven to follow their passions do extremely well in our model of education; they can spend all of their time involved in their interests with a supportive crew of adults waiting in the wings. Aubrey Suter, alumni and software developer, was one of the original AVS entrepreneurs. While enrolled, Aubrey started many businesses, founded corporations, and held nearly every official position available in our school - she even created marketing materials that are still used today! Tune in to this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast to hear how being respected from a youn ..read more

Over the last twenty years, many students have left their mark on Alpine Valley School, but none quite so visibly as graduate Ethan Welshon. Not only did he build the pergola in the school’s back yard, but Ethan also led the way on a mining project which spanned multiple months and even involved heavy equipment. Hear the story of these undertakings and more as Missa Gallivan talks projects on this week’s podcast. You may be surprised to learn about some of the wacky, entertaining, and downright awesome activities that have unfolded here at school ..read more

On the 10th episode of the AVS podcast, host Missa Gallivan interviews ten Alpine Valley School graduates from all over the world about their experiences at school. Together, these graduates answer the most frequently asked questions we receive on a regular basis. How do AVS students go on to college? What sorts of activities do students do at school all day? And how do kids deal with boredom? Find out the answers to these queries and more on this very special episode!   YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/gjUq-o0IFTM  ..read more