Discover some gems south of the river: The Small Schools of South Austin Educational Fair


Frequent blog contributor Marie Catrett, of
Tigerlily Preschool, and her colleagues at the Small Schools of South Austin, have an invitation for you and your family:


I'm spreading the word about the upcoming Small Schools of South Austin Educational Fair happening on Saturday, April 5th, 9am–noon, at upRising Church, located at 8601 S. 1st Street, Austin Texas 78748. This is a free family event, open to all. 

Small Schools of South Austin is a group of educators, each of us independently running a small school program somewhere south of the river. Our collective is a varied group. We have differing educational inspirations and philosophies—some of us focus on outdoor learning, some are play based. Many of our members are Montessori guides, while others find inspiration in Waldorf or the Reggio approach. We have programs that view learning through the lens of exploring art or prioritize giving children space and freedom outside the city limits. Still others of us are looking to reinterpret existing labels, attempting to describe something that hasn’t existed before. Many of us are teaching and raising our own children. A common cause for creating a small school is that the program you wanted for your child didn’t exist yet. And if you’re pretty brave, determined, and maybe a little crazy, you make it happen. 

Small schools are wonderful schools. You can find reduced class sizes and beautiful, home-like environments with so much love and character. In these spaces, children are seen. In these groups, children become known. There’s a sense of freedom and choice on the part of those teaching. We are here to bring our vision, without administrative hindrances, directly into the lives of the children who need us. 

It can be hard to discover that we exist as an option for your family. We’re tucked away. We’re part of a connected but smaller immediate community. You need to hear about us from a neighbor maybe, or a friend. We’re, well, small

The Small Schools of South Austin collective formed to help more families connect with our programs. In the fall we host a multiple-schools-wide open house day, where each school opens their doors for the morning and families are able to tour several of the programs they’re most curious about. This spring marks our inaugural educational fair, where around twenty participating programs will be set up under one roof. Families are invited to come browse our tables to learn more about each of our programs and upcoming enrollment options. Schools will offer hands-on activities for children at many of the booths, host several local vendors, and feature a music performance. 

Please encourage your friends and neighbors to attend. We are community gems who want—and deserve—to be discovered. 


We hope to see you there! 

Marie Catrett, Teacher-Founder-Director and proud Small Schools member | Tigerlily Preschool

Top 5 reasons to attend the Festival of Learning


If you haven’t already planned your Saturday around the Festival of Learning, I’m here to convince you to do just that. In no particular order, here are the top five reasons to head on over to the Branch Park Pavilion at Mueller between 10am and 1pm on March 1st.

1. It’s free! Enough said.

2. You can combine your festival visit with breakfast or lunch nearby. Our event is happening at the beautiful Branch Park Pavilion at Mueller, which is surrounded by local eateries along Aldrich Street, like Kerbey Lane Cafe, Chuy’s, Honest Mary’s, sweetgreen, Rebel Cheese, Marufuku Ramen, Veracruz, Nautical Bowls, Dish Society, Bao’d Up, Colleen’s Kitchen, and more.

3. The weather is going to be fabulous. The KXAN forecast says mid-70s and partly cloudy.

4. It’s going to be a ton of fun! The schools and other organizations participating in the festival will be offering a huge array of activities for all ages: cardboard boat building, hands-on electrical math, a flood rescue challenge using spaghetti and gumdrops, haiku, blackout poetry, a nature museum, mini-journal decorating, doodle art, sensory sand experiences, pressed-flower bookmark making, logic puzzles, dice games, and a few surprises. If your kids (or you!) need to run around, there’s a public park and playground right next to the Pavilion (and see #3, above).

5. You just might find the right fit for your kid. Among the 40+ participating programs are high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, preschools, and programs that serve a combination of these levels—or all of them. You can also learn about organizations that work with young adults, parents, and caregivers. The educators you’ll meet at the festival represent a diverse array of educational philosophies and curricula, including Montessori, Waldorf, International Baccalaureate, Reggio Emilia, Sudbury, Charlotte Mason, Acton, and many eclectic approaches to teaching and learning. While most are small independent private schools, some free public charter schools will be there, too. In addition, you’ll find after-school enrichment programs, summer camps, and learning support services. See a full list of all participating programs here on the official festival webpage.

Convinced? Let us know you’re coming and share the event with friends on the Facebook Event page, and click over to the discussion section to scroll through all the updates on what you can expect to see, hear, touch, and do at each booth. You can also find lots of recent posts about the festival on our Instagram, including a little video featuring yours truly, created by Alt Ed Austin’s talented teen intern, Sam Coggin.

See you at the festival!
Teri

Teri Sperry, Education Consultant & Festival of Learning Organizer | Alt Ed Austin

Beyond the ABCs: Understanding progressive education

 Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

Guest contributor Geoff Harrison is the founder and head of school at The Compass School. With over three decades of experience in education, he is bringing a new school to Austin: a school where students embark on a journey of curiosity, discovery, and learning rooted in research and progressive education principles.


As a parent, you want the best for your child's education. You've likely heard the term "progressive education," but what does it actually mean? It's more than just a buzzword; it's a philosophy that puts your child at the center of learning, emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration over rote memorization. It promotes a joy for learning and helps to cultivate lifelong learners. This article will break down the core principles of progressive education to help you understand if it's the right fit for your family.


The Beginning of Progressive Education

Progressive education didn't spring from one single source but rather evolved from a confluence of ideas and movements, primarily in Europe and the United States, spanning the 17th to the 20th centuries. The term “American Progressive Education” was coined in the 20th century by John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Caroline Pratt, and Lucy Sprague, and it has been supported by recent neuroscience research, which acknowledges that a child who has autonomy—a voice in their own education—learns best.

It's important to note that progressive education has taken various forms and interpretations over time. While some approaches emphasize individual freedom and creativity, others focus on social reform and preparing students for democratic citizenship. However, the core principles of child-centered learning, active engagement, and critical thinking remain central to the philosophy.

Traditional education often focuses on memorizing facts and figures, preparing students for standardized tests. Progressive education takes a different approach. It believes that true learning comes from active engagement, exploration, and discovery. Instead of passively receiving information, children in progressive classrooms are encouraged to ask questions, investigate, and construct their own understanding. Students pursue their curiosity, develop compassion, cultivate courage, and enjoy a level of autonomy.


It’s All About the Learner, the Whole Child

Child-centered learning is at the heart of progressive education. The curriculum is designed to meet the individual needs and interests of each child. Teachers act as facilitators, guiding students’ learning journeys and providing support where needed. Learning is personalized and relevant to the child’s world. Progressive education also emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning. Students learn by doing, through projects, experiments, and real-world applications. This active approach fosters deeper understanding and makes learning more engaging.

Developing critical thinking skills is a priority in progressive schools. Students are encouraged to analyze information, evaluate different perspectives, and solve problems creatively. They learn to think for themselves, rather than simply accepting what they are told. Collaboration is another key component. Students work together on projects, learning to communicate effectively, share ideas, and respect diverse viewpoints. This fosters social skills and prepares them for collaborative work environments in the future.

Progressive education recognizes that children are more than just their academic abilities. It emphasizes the development of the whole child, including their emotional, social, and physical well-being. Schools often incorporate arts, music, and physical activity into the curriculum. Progressive classrooms often operate on democratic principles, where students have a voice in their learning and classroom management. This fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility. While assessments are still important, progressive schools tend to use a variety of methods to evaluate student learning, including portfolios, projects, exhibitions, and self-assessments. The focus is on understanding a child's growth and progress, rather than just assigning a grade.

Photo by Maxence Pira on Unsplash

The principles of progressive education have no limitations to where a child can grow and develop. It meets the needs of every child on their journey and promotes opportunities for advancement based on the individual child and not just standards. Learn more about it on the Progressive Education Network.


Geoff Harrison
| The Compass School

Answering the “Should I?” and “Can I?” questions

Ken Hawthorn founded and runs “a school in a makerspace”: Austin School for the Driven. For this guest post I invited Ken to share his decision-making process when students propose projects that could be dangerous or controversial. In his candid response below, he invites readers to help him think through two specific (and real) dilemmas, either by emailing him directly or by leaving a comment here on the blog. —Teri


Our school bifurcates the teaching of skills and ethics. The answer to almost any “Can I?” question at our school is “Yes, and here is how.” The answer to “Should I?” needs to be explored in parallel with the “Can I?” question. As a school founder, I take great pride in how far we are willing to take that bifurcation at Austin School for the Driven.

Recently I have been navigating a few topics where I find myself hesitating to live up to giving students all the knowledge so they have the power to take a responsible approach to decision making in our school. With so many unique schools keeping Austin weird, I hope sharing my own challenges and discomforts around some student questions may be helpful or thought-provoking to others. 


Student Question #1: Can we spray-paint under the bridge and make a mural? 

I have been navigating this question for a year now. Spray-painting in the hands of children is nothing new at Austin School for the Driven. We have used spray paint on our RC car bodies and water-dipping projects. It makes me smile every time our school takes a field trip to Home Depot and we get the stink eye from security as our kids fill a small cart with spray paint cans. What is new is the student request to spray-paint in a public place.

RC car bodies spray-painted by students at Austin School for the Driven

There is existing spray paint on the walls of the tunnel they are targeting. If I said yes to this question, I would be a teacher leading students on an urban beautification project. On the other hand, saying yes to this question could be seen as an adult leading minors to commit a crime. For me this is a difficult question.

The students are absolutely serious about the quality of the proposed mural. To date, the students have scanned the tunnel with Lidar and created a 3D digital model that we can deploy at full-size scale as augmented reality inside of our classroom. We have found a spray paint simulator and are learning about the variety of nozzles that can be used to get very narrow or wide paint patterns.

What is the right decision here? What side should the “Should I?” land on this question?

Lidar scan used by Driven students to create a 3D model of a local tunnel showing preexisting graffiti

Student Question #2: How does vaping work?

This is a “Can I?” question. I am totally fine having students do research and then discussing the “Should I?” part. What is less comfortable for me is providing knowledge involved with the “Can I?” question. It is sad that this question came up on one of our hikes along Shoal Creek Trail because there were so many of the disposable vaping devices littered along the trail.

No, we are not bringing a vaping device to campus, but building a functional model to vaporize propylene glycol or glycerol could be really educational. A vaping device actually is a reasonably technical machine. You have the battery, the heating coil, the baffle mesh, and a computer to regulate voltage, measure resistance, and target a certain wattage. There is a charging circuit and another circuit that acts as a fail-safe if the temperature goes up or there is too much battery discharge. There are also thousands of other machines we could build in the lab. Would building a model in some way still glamorize vaping?


I ask this question, and the question about spray-painting the bridge, because I don’t yet have an answer; I do not know what the right answer is. Austin School for the Driven exists as an experiment to see what happens when we hold standards and at the same time maximize student agency within a framework of “Yes,” “No,” and “Maybe” answers to questions of “Can I” and “Should I,” which then define the learning boundaries of the school.


Kenneth Hawthorn
| Austin School for the Driven

On being small

Laura Delgado, who founded and directs The Nest at The Montessori Tree, joins us on the blog today to share a bit of her vast wisdom about children, parents, education, and “smallness.” She also invites you to a lovely annual event for children and their parents in South Austin this weekend.


One of my daughter’s favorite books ever was You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang. In the book, two creatures struggle to agree about which of them is big and which is small. Eventually, they come to realize that size is relative, of course.

I loved this book because it inspired so many conversations with my daughter about her size and how she felt about being small in a world full of big people. Frankly, she continues to have mixed feelings about it. 

Just the other day, my husband commented on how big she was getting and she said, “Don’t say that. I want to be small still. I want to be teeny tiny.”

I imagine many children feel this way. While they certainly appear frustrated, at times, about not being able to do everything they want to do on account of their size, I also think many relish their “smallness.” It’s as if they know how fleeting childhood really is . . . says the mom who can’t fathom that her daughter will soon be entering the tween years!

On the other hand, we, as adults, often find ourselves amazed at how quickly our children are growing. And, many times, we feel compelled to comment, “Look how big you are!”

Years ago, I asked a young friend, “Are you ready to use the potty? You’re big now.” Of course, I falsely assumed that he wanted to be big and that my question would somehow motivate him to use the potty.

And, of course, it backfired. He was quick to respond, “But, I don’t want to be big.”

I felt that deeply! And, it taught me a valuable lesson about the assumptions and biases we bring into our classroom and how important it is to continually challenge those assumptions in our work with children.

Speaking of size, a huge assumption I’ve witnessed in and out of the classroom is the idea that “bigger is better.” Perhaps, even in Texas, where everything is bigger, that notion is being increasingly challenged, as it should be. Because, in truth, we know that there is value in all sizes, right? 

Perhaps I’m a little more sensitive to that line of thinking because I was always the smallest kid in the class. I also grew up in a time and place where children’s voices weren’t always valued, and, admittedly, I began to believe that my voice didn’t matter because I was small.

Fast forward a few years, I find myself advocating for all things “small.” Besides working with toddlers in spaces filled with small furniture and materials, I am passionate about supporting small schools and small school owners. 

Since starting my own small program, almost six years ago, and having witnessed and experienced the value that small schools have brought to our family’s life and to our broader community, especially through the pandemic, I feel strongly that small schools should be acknowledged and celebrated more. And, now that I know that my voice does indeed matter, even if I’m “small,” I want to use it more!

This year, I’m thrilled to do my part by collaborating with thirteen other small schools in hosting our 3rd Annual Small Schools of South Austin Tour on Saturday, October 19th from 9am to Noon. It’s a celebration, of sorts, of the diverse program offerings available to families in South Austin. And, also, an easy way for families to explore some unique options they may not have previously considered (as we are not always the first to show up on a Google search.)

Parents, I cannot emphasize enough what a unique opportunity this is for you! Whether you are currently looking for a school or looking ahead to the future, this Saturday you will have a chance to visit as many schools as you can in one morning. Plus, children are welcome, so there's no need to arrange childcare! Did I also mention it’s FREE?

If there’s one thing I know about small school owners, it’s that they have BIG hearts and I know that each of our participating school owners is ready to open their doors to you to showcase their passion and dedication to providing children with meaningful and engaging alternative learning experiences. If you’re even a little bit curious, I invite you to come check us out!

For more information and a full listing of schools, you can follow me @themontessoritree or find the event on Facebook. We look forward to seeing you soon!


Laura Delgado
| The Nest at The Montessori Tree

What is critical thinking?


Guest contributor Stephanie Simoes is the founder of
Critikid.com, a website dedicated to teaching critical thinking to kids and teens through interactive courses, worksheets, and lesson plans.


“Critical thinking” is a trendy term these days, especially in the education world. Alternative schools in Austin commonly advertise that they encourage kids to think critically. Conversations about critical thinking are often accompanied by some version of the Margaret Mead quote, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” But such discussions often neglect a crucial question: “What does it mean to teach children how to think?” Critical thinking is an abstract term. Are we all on the same page when talking about it?

As the founder of a critical thinking site for kids, this question is important to my work. We all get what “thinking” is, so the real question is—what makes it “critical”? I like to use a simple definition: critical thinking is careful thinking. It requires slowing down and questioning our assumptions.


Fast and Slow Thinking

Our brains are hardwired to respond to stimuli quickly, a crucial advantage in emergencies. When faced with a potential threat, immediate reaction is essential—there’s no time for deliberation. While this quick thinking might make us mistakenly perceive a harmless situation as dangerous, it’s a safer bet to err on the side of caution in high-stakes moments. It’s a matter of survival: better to assume danger where there is none than to overlook a real threat.

While fast thinking[1] is a valuable skill, it is prone to errors.

Here’s an example. Try to answer this question in less than 5 seconds:

If 1 widget machine can produce a total of 1 widget in 1 minute, how many minutes would it take 100 widget machines to produce 100 widgets?

After you’ve given your quick, intuitive answer, take as much time as you need to think about it.

Many people’s initial, intuitive response is 100 minutes. However, with more careful thought, we see that the correct answer is 1 minute. (The production rate per machine is 1 widget per minute. The rate doesn’t change with the number of machines.)

The key takeaway of this puzzle is that careful, deliberate thinking is often more accurate than quick thinking.

Applying slow, careful thinking to every daily decision would be impractical. Imagine how long you would spend at the grocery store if you conducted a deep analysis of every single choice! In many cases, our intuitive, fast thinking serves us well. However, problems can arise when we cling to the conclusions drawn by our fast thinking—especially in situations where accuracy matters.

In the widget machine problem, it’s relatively straightforward to recognize and correct our intuitive response with a bit of careful thought. However, letting go of our intuitive conclusions is not always this easy.


Humility and Critical Thinking

We might cling to our intuitive answers, even when faced with clear evidence or reasoning that challenges them, for several reasons.

First, it can be hard to change our minds when the intuitive answer feels very obvious or the correct answer is very counterintuitive. A famous example is the Monty Hall Problem. The correct answer to this puzzle is so counterintuitive that when Marilyn Vos Savant published the solution in Parade Magazine in 1990, the magazine received around 10,000 letters (many from highly educated people) saying she was incorrect!

It can also be challenging to let go of wrong answers when we have invested in them, such as by spending time and energy defending them. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of not wanting to admit we were wrong.

Critical thinking requires more than just slow, deliberate thought. It also demands an open mind, humility, and an awareness of our minds’ flaws and limitations.


Building Blocks of Critical Thinking

Paired with slow, deliberate thought and humility, the following tools help us to be better critical thinkers so we can communicate more clearly—even when communicating with ourselves:

  1. An understanding of cognitive biases: These are systematic errors in our thinking that can lead us astray. There are many online resources that explore these biases in detail.

  2. An understanding of logical fallacies: These are flawed arguments. Logical fallacies can be used deliberately to “win” a debate, but they’re often made accidentally. Recognizing logical fallacies helps us to keep conversations on track. You can learn about some common logical fallacies in my Logical Fallacy Handbook or teach your kids about them with my online course, Fallacy Detectors.

  3. Science literacy: We were taught many facts in science class, but many of us never really learned what science is and how it works. This is the foundation of science literacy. For an introduction to this, I recommend biology professor Melanie Trecek-King’s outstanding article “Science: what it is, how it works, and why it matters.” Another important part of science literacy is knowing How to Spot Pseudoscience.

  4. Data literacy: Data literacy is the ability to properly interpret data to draw meaningful conclusions from it (and to know when drawing certain conclusions is premature). It means understanding how data is collected, identifying potential biases in data sets, and understanding statistics. Data literacy helps us make sense of the vast amount of information we encounter daily. You can introduce your teens to some common errors in data collection and analysis in Critikid’s course A Statistical Odyssey—a course that adults have enjoyed and learned from, too!


Preparing Kids for the Misinformation Age

A quick scroll through social media reveals a minefield of bad arguments and misinformation. You have probably come across logical fallacies like these:

“You either support A or B.” (False dilemma)
“Buy our product—it’s all natural!” (Appeal to nature)

The lack of science literacy among influential voices is also concerning. I can’t count how many times I have seen or heard the phrase,

“Evolution is just a theory.”

This phrase confounds the scientific and colloquial definitions of theory. If unintentional, it demonstrates a lack of science literacy; if intentional, this is a logical fallacy known as “equivocation,” in which a word is used in an ambiguous way to confuse or mislead the listener.

The need for data literacy is also apparent. You may have heard arguments like:

“Illness X has increased since Y was introduced, so Y must be the cause.” (Mistaking correlation for causation)
“There are fewer cases of food poisoning among people who drink raw milk than those who drink pasteurized milk.” (Base rate neglect)

We have an incredible amount of data at our fingertips, but without data literacy, we don’t have the proper tools to make sense of it all.


Critical thinking shouldn’t be taught as an afterthought; it needs dedicated, explicit instruction. Children face a battlefield of misinformation and faulty logic every time they go online. Critical thinking is their armor. Let’s help them forge it.


Stephanie Simoes | Critikid.com



[1] Nobel-prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls fast thinking “system 1 thinking” in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow. I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds the content of this blog post interesting.