Alpine Valley School Podcast
60 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 7 ratingsAlpine Valley School is a K-12 school in Wheat Ridge CO founded in 1997. We are a non-profit, independent school that follows the Sudbury Model of education. This podcast features interviews with graduates of our school, plus discussions of our unique philosophy, and ways to get involved.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Freedom to Learn Differently
February 28, 2024 18:04 - 18 minutes - 13.3 MBIn episode 59 of the Alpine Valley School podcast, we share an insightful interview with Addison Ault, a former special education teacher who has transitioned to a staff role at Alpine Valley School, a self-directed democratic school located in Denver. Addison shares her profound insights on supporting students with neurodiversity, drawing from her rich background in mainstream education. Through her interview, listeners will explore the importance of empathy, individualized support, and cre...
Parenting Self-Directed Kids
May 11, 2022 16:46 - 15 minutes - 17.9 MBIn 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 childre...
Challenges and Opportunities
March 11, 2022 18:58 - 19 minutes - 22.4 MBStaff 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 Co...
The Role of Staff
September 12, 2021 02:35 - 29 minutes - 27 MBMost 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 le...
School Wounds
April 09, 2021 20:15 - 20 minutes - 19.9 MBWhat 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 af...
Good Students & Bad Students
February 15, 2021 11:00 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBIn 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 m...
Back to School
August 13, 2020 18:31 - 6 minutes - 6.26 MBIt’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: ...
Introducing: Lockdown Learning
April 28, 2020 15:48 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBIntroducing a new podcast from Alpine Valley School - Lockdown Learning As COVID-19 swept the globe from east to west this year, so has home education. Millions of children woke up one morning to find their schools closed and their new teachers are their parents. Learning at home can be a wonderfully liberating and connecting experience for families that choose it but it can also be daunting and exhausting even at the best of times. And let’s face it – this is not the best of times. No one...
Staying Home, Together
April 10, 2020 20:55 - 15 minutes - 20.7 MBLike many schools around the world, Alpine Valley School is currently closed. Without a physical space where we can congregate, our self-directed learning community is figuring out how to come together virtually. In this episode we talk about how our school is handling the current situation and hear advice from AVS graduates on handling boredom - something they practiced with often as students. Visit our website: www.alpinevalleyschool.com
Parent Interview: The Shannon’s
March 09, 2020 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MBIn this episode, we sit down with the parents of three currently enrolled students. The Shannon family shares what brought them to Alpine Valley School, and what they’ve noticed after being involved for a few years. You might be surprised by what the parents themselves have learned along the way! Want more? Listen to more parent interviews on our panel episodes: Mom’s Panel & Dad’s Panel Read a blog post from a current parent: It Just Made Sense Hear from other current parents at our ...
Favorite Stories From Around the USA
February 24, 2020 11:00 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBEpisode 50: Favorite Stories From Around the USA To celebrate the milestone of our 50th episode, the Alpine Valley School podcast collected favorite stories from Sudbury Schools all over the USA. These stories - funny, insightful, and thought-provoking - provide an inside look at self-directed learning environments across the country. Want more? Learn more about the schools that shared stories on this episode: The Circle School - Harrisburg, PA Sego Lily School - Salt Lake City, UT ...
Unschooling
January 27, 2020 17:47 - 12 minutes - 11 MBEpisode 49: Unschooling Sudbury schools and Unschoolers have always had quite a bit of overlap in their philosophies, but how do unschooled students manage the transition to a self-directed school environment with a lot more structure, particularly in the Judicial System? In this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast, we interview Houston Sudbury School founder Cara DeBusk on her journey as an unschooling parent into the founder of a Sudbury school. Want more? Learn more abo...
Elections
January 13, 2020 11:00 - 10 minutes - 9.55 MBEpisode 48: Elections Important decisions at our school are made, not by a central authority figure, but by the democratic process of voting. All students and staff at the school cast their vote on critical issues including the election of key School Meeting officials, and the hiring of the staff members themselves. In this episode we dive deep into the elections process at school - how do elections work, why do we do them, and what do students get out of participating in this process? Fin...
Chores
December 23, 2019 11:00 - 9 minutes - 8.89 MBEpisode 47: Chores Everyone at Alpine Valley School (students and staff alike) participate in doing cleaning chores twice a week. On this episode, we follow a Chore-Checker (the student responsible for making sure chores are done, and to the appropriate standard) on their rounds and share our rationale behind why we have chores in the first place. Believe it or not, there are a lot of developmental advantages to doing chores, beyond the obvious benefits of having a clean place to play ever...
Founding Stories: Arts & Ideas
December 09, 2019 11:00 - 10 minutes - 9.49 MBEpisode 46: Founding Stories - Arts & Ideas Sudbury School This is the third part of our special series called Founding Stories, in which we interview founders of other self-directed democratic schools around the world. On this episode, we are transported to downtown Baltimore, Maryland, to the Arts and Ideas Sudbury School. Founder Caroline Chavasse takes us through the early days of their school which includes a documentary film, a play group, and even a little sprinkle of divine interve...
Founding Stories: The Open School
November 25, 2019 11:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBEpisode 45: Founding Stories - The Open School This is the second part of our special series called Founding Stories, in which we interview founders of other self-directed democratic schools around the world. This episode takes us to sunny California to the two (yes, two) campuses of The Open School. Hear how founder Cassi Clausen’s Master’s Degree in Education led her to the self-directed democratic schooling model. You’ll also learn about the pioneering days of The Open School OC - bet y...
Founding Stories: EKSS
November 11, 2019 11:00 - 10 minutes - 9.72 MBEpisode 44: Founding Stories - East Kent Sudbury School This is the first in our series of special episodes called Founding Stories, in which we interview founders of other self-directed democratic schools around the world. On this episode, we chat with Kezia Cantwell-Wright from East Kent Sudbury School in Kent, England. Kezia shares her own family’s personal journey to alternative education, what it took to get their school off the ground, and her advice for starting an alternative schoo...
Hard Lessons
October 27, 2019 14:59 - 8 minutes - 7.78 MBEpisode 43: Hard Lessons The notion that self-directed schools, like Alpine Valley School, involve students only pursuing the subjects they find interesting is partially true, but it’s not the whole story. There are other lessons, too - harder ones. That’s the subject of episode 43 of our show. Former AVS staff member Bruce Smith (currently a staff member at Clearview School) guides listeners through the unsought learning that happens at our school, which is in many cases just as valuable ...
I Can Do What I Want
October 07, 2019 10:00 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBEpisode 42: I Can Do What I Want Students at self-directed democratic schools like Alpine Valley School and others, have significant freedom. In many ways they can “do what they want” all day long. However, that freedom must be balanced with responsibility - a concept that founder and staff member Larry Welshon discusses in this engaging talk. This speech was originally given at a sister school, Glacier Lake in Montana, as part of their recent fundraising efforts, and it covers a lot of gr...
Starting a School
September 23, 2019 12:00 - 8 minutes - 7.63 MBEpisode 41: Starting a School “How do I start a self-directed democratic school in my area?” On this episode, staff and founder Larry Welshon lends his twenty-plus years of experience to tackling this question and provides concrete guidance for individuals who are looking to begin the founding journey. Want more? Visit Alpine Valley School and begin your founding journey with our help and support. Read a blog post about the founding of a Self-Directed Democratic School from Sudbury V...
Favorite Stories
September 09, 2019 23:53 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBEpisode 40: Favorite Stories Funny, insightful, and unexpected, this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast features our graduate’s favorite stories. Hear about surprising adventures to the mall, the Asteroid Game, becoming School Meeting Chair, and much more as our alumni take a trip down memory lane. Want more? Watch a video featuring an alumni panel at Alpine Valley School: Ready for Anything Check out this documentary all about self-directed education: Self-Taught Watch ...
Give Kids Real Jobs
August 26, 2019 10:00 - 7 minutes - 7.26 MBJust like the grown ups who love them, children are hungry for meaningful work. They want to take on jobs that have real meaning and make a significant contribution. Learn how self-directed democratic education, like we practice at Alpine Valley School in Colorado, allows all students to try on elected positions with actual responsibility. Hear how one graduate went from banging erasers together to running the most important meeting in the school - and more - on this episode of the Alpine Va...
Learning Math
July 29, 2019 19:29 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBEpisode 38: Learning Math In this final episode of our Core Learning podcast series, our guest Bruce Smith talks about how students at self-directed democratic schools learn math. Bruce has decades of experience as a staff member in self-directed education, and has worked at several different schools around the US. While at Alpine Valley School, he was the resident math teacher and he outlines how the language of numbers shows up in student’s daily lives and how classes, when they happen, ...
Going To Work
July 16, 2019 17:53 - 8 minutes - 8.42 MBWhat sorts of careers do the students of self-directed democratic education have? How do they stand out in a competitive job market without grades or transcripts? These are the questions we tackle on episode 37 of the Alpine Valley School podcast. With the help of a panel of Alpine Valley School graduates, host Marc Gallivan explores the career options available to Sudbury school students as well as the outstanding contributions our graduates make once they enter the workforce. Also availa...
Learning to Write
June 29, 2019 18:31 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBWe’re continuing our “core skills” series (which we started with Learning to Read) by discussing how students at a self-directed democratic school learn the essential skill of writing. We’re joined on this episode by AVS graduates Jesse and Vanessa who talk about how the extensive communication they engaged in at school translated into their adult lives as interesting communication careers. We all know written communication is foundational, and you can find out how our students engage with, ...
Learning to Read
May 02, 2019 17:15 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBEpisode 35: Learning to Read Many find it hard to believe, but children at self-directed democratic schools do learn how to read, largely without any adult intervention. On this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast we hear from two graduates who learned this essential skill - from video games. Listen now and hear how these articulate adults address the all-important subject of learning to read! Also available on YouTube. Want more? Read a blog post from Dr. Peter Gray: Children...
If Our Daughter Died Tomorrow, Would We Be Happy With How She Had Lived?
March 11, 2019 21:04 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBAt a recent event at our sister school (Hudson Valley Sudbury School in New York), Wendi Piper told her story about how self-directed democratic education has changed her family’s life. She started by asking the bold question, “If our daughter died tomorrow, would we be happy with how she had lived?” We share her answer, along with the full story of her family’s journey, on this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast. Also available on YouTube. Want more? Watch the original video t...
Parent Panel - The Dads
March 01, 2019 15:00 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBWhat is it like to parent a child while they are enrolled at an alternative school as free as Alpine Valley School? What struggles do dads 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 dads whose children were enrolled at our school. They open up about their journey to Alpine Valley School as well as the struggles and triumphs they have experienced along t...
The Invitation of Boredom
February 15, 2019 17:37 - 7 minutes - 7.02 MBWhen 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 ...
Amplify Your Passion
January 28, 2019 17:16 - 10 minutes - 10.2 MBThe 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 tha...
Make Your Mark
December 14, 2018 16:57 - 8 minutes - 7.63 MBEpisode 30: Make Your Mark 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 ...
JC in the Real World
December 03, 2018 16:26 - 6 minutes - 6.26 MBEpisode 29: JC in the Real World 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 sca...
Making Your Own Choices
October 22, 2018 15:53 - 11 minutes - 16.1 MBAlpine 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 a...
Let Children Decide
September 24, 2018 16:32 - 7 minutes - 5.42 MBWhat 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:...
Going to College
August 28, 2018 23:16 - 8 minutes - 8.15 MBOne 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 ...
School Meeting
May 09, 2018 00:49 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBHow 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 K...
Judicial Committee
April 11, 2018 00:49 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBJudicial 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 an...
Parent Panel - The Moms
March 28, 2018 23:56 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MBWhat 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...
Graduate Panel on Open Campus
March 15, 2018 17:09 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBOne of the most unique aspects of life at Alpine Valley School is our open campus for students 9 years and older. In this episode we outline the Open Campus policy, talk about how it actually works, and hear stories from a panel of graduates about their experiences leaving school in the middle of the day. Hear firsthand what these former students learned by experiencing a free range childhood! Show notes: Free Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy: Book | Blog Lenore Skenazy on Free Range ...
Feeling Safe at School
March 01, 2018 02:48 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBWhen students are free to pursue their interests and choose how they spend their day, there is often a feeling of empowerment. However, beyond that there can also be a feeling of comfort and control that is out of reach for many students in traditional school settings. In this episode we explore the idea of safety at school with Alpine Valley School graduate Jaime McNear. She shares stories of her transition to AVS from a school for the gifted (where she experienced bullying), and learning t...
The Circle School
February 15, 2018 03:34 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBOn the 20th episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast, we depart from life on our own campus and explore how things are done at the Circle School, a fellow democratic school in Harrisburg, PA. Guest Jim Rietmulder is both a founder and a staff member at the Circle School and he talks extensively about the philosophical tenets of the school. In addition, he shares how their graduates go on to successful college careers and tells a story about the day where the Circle School had no rules at ...
Jack of All Trades
February 01, 2018 11:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBHow do students at an alternative school with no classes get exposed to new information? How do they find out what they’re truly interested in with no adults in the role of teacher? Find out on this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast! Guest Andreas Suter talks about his experience trying on many different activities at school and adjusting to a social environment after being unschooled at home for many years. We also answer a listener question regarding classes themselves. We’re all...
The Power of Storytelling
January 18, 2018 11:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBStorytelling is a powerful tool we use often in our adult lives. Students at Alpine Valley School tell stories through games, role-playing, and creative works on a daily basis and it has a strong impact on their lives. AVS Graduate, Bronwen Abbatista, shares how her love for art and passion for storytelling helped start her on a path to design work. She talks about how the wide variety of activities she undertook as a student helped her find fulfillment and connection with others during her ...
Ask For What You Want
January 04, 2018 10:00 - 41 minutes - 57 MBDetermined, passionate, self-directed - these are all terms that have been used to describe Alpine Valley School students and graduates. But how are these traits realized during a student’s time at school? And how do they benefit the student even after they’ve moved on to other pursuits? Guest Hannah Williamson, one of the first AVS students, shares her answers to these questions and much more on episode 17 of the AVS Podcast. In particular, Hannah addresses one often-asked question about ho...
Trustful Parenting
December 14, 2017 11:00 - 31 minutes - 29.9 MBWhat 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 deal...
Happy Kids
November 30, 2017 11:00 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBFive current AVS students of varying ages share their perspectives on life at school - the good, the bad, and the Taco Bell. Hear directly from kids that attend Alpine Valley School about their lives before enrolling and what activities they get up to every day in this alternative environment. Also, giggling. So much giggling. Show notes for this episode available at: www.alpinevalleyschool.com/podcast/ep15
Raising Entrepreneurs
November 16, 2017 11:00 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBIndividuals 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 to...
Proving Yourself
November 02, 2017 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBOften, students and parents at places like Alpine Valley School are concerned that kids will not know how to function in the “real world” without participating in classroom learning. AVS graduate and salesman Brandon Murphy was one of those students, and so he took a year off from AVS and transferred to a traditional public high school. He wanted to prove to himself that he could come up to speed with mainstream students and successfully complete the required coursework. As he shares with ho...
Passion Projects
October 19, 2017 10:00 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBOver 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 downri...
Behind the Scenes
October 05, 2017 10:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBWhat is it that has kept Alpine Valley School going strong for so many years? How do the mountains of day-to-day tasks get done? The answer is simple: Staff members. On this episode we go behind the scenes with former AVS staff member and Sudbury schooling expert Bruce Smith to find out what it’s really like to work at a school like AVS. Hear how Bruce’s journey in teaching at a traditional high school led him to discover Sudbury schooling - a passion that has led him across the country to d...