Imagined into existence in November 2021 by conservative journalist Bari Weiss, the so-called “University of Austin” was predicated on the idea that colleges are broken because they aren’t open forums for discourse. The school has now held two summer seminars and hopes to admit its first undergraduate class in fall of 2024. Founders cite a 2022 report indicating that college students self-censor out of fear of being ostracized. But critics see the school as a polarizing think tank operation engaged in a culture war. Here, a look at how the effort is measuring up thus far.   Location F “Wh ..read more

The female professional leadership gap is well-documented, and some studies have shown this starts as early as middle school with many girls taking a backseat as their male peers step forward into leadership roles. The Girls’ School of Austin, an all-girls school that strives to develop confident young women who lead intellectually vibrant and fulfilling lives, is working to change that. Since GSA opened 20 years ago, its art director Nancy Hoover has been working to instill confidence in the school’s students through its dynamic art program and annual self-portrait exhibit. “I felt we needed ..read more

The post Meet the Winner of the 2023 ‘Thank a Teacher’ Contest appeared first on Austin Monthly Magazine ..read more

Liz Scala has been an English professor at UT since 1995. A medievalist who specializes in Chaucer, Scala has received prestigious fellowships from the likes of the Folger Shakespeare Institute, and is the author of three books, including 2019’s The Canterbury Tales Handbook. But on this Friday morning in April, Scala is preparing to be interviewed by a decidedly non-academic entity: NBC’s Today show. Strangely, the show wants to get Scala’s take on why Taylor Swift fans seem to care so very much about her reported breakup from six-year beau Joe Alwyn. Scala should know. After all, she offers ..read more

The post Announcing the Thank a Teacher 2023 Nominees appeared first on Austin Monthly Magazine ..read more

The post Thank a Teacher 2023 appeared first on Austin Monthly Magazine ..read more

When I started teaching high school in East Austin in January 2007, my daily commute on I-35 took me past a billboard that read: Want to be a teacher? When can you start? The nonchalance of the ad always struck me as demeaning after I’d spent five semesters in UT’s rigorous teacher training program, but it was hard to ignore its accuracy. I took over for a person who resigned halfway through the year, and education’s high turnover rates were a key issue facing schools at the time. More than a decade later, nothing has changed. At the onset of this academic year, districts in Central Texas face ..read more

Barbara Garza, a career-long public and private school educator, mother of three, at the time was an administrator at another prestigious school in Austin. Her twin sons were pursuing their passion for tennis. Each day they had 4-5 hours of study outside of school; while their tennis coaches would encourage them to stay after regular tennis practices for fitness and agility training. There simply weren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish it all! Barbara knew this schedule was not only unhealthy but ultimately unproductive. Barbara knew there must be a better way; they must get out of this ..read more

The post Announcing the winner of the ‘Thank a Teacher’ contest appeared first on Austin Monthly Magazine ..read more

The post Thank a Teacher appeared first on Austin Monthly Magazine ..read more