From Teacher to Revolutionary - One Journey in Self-Directed Education
Alpine Valley School Podcast
In this episode of the Alpine Valley School podcast, we continue our Visionaries & Voices series with a powerful speech by Cassi Clausen, founder of The Open School in California. Cassi's journey from a conventional educator to a pioneer in self-directed learning is both inspiring and thought-provoking, offering valuable insights for parents, educators, and anyone interested in reimagining education. This is the second episode in our Visionaries & Voices series, from speeches recorded at the Global Self-Directed Democratic School Conference that happened at Alpine Valley School in July...
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How Trust Transforms Learning
Alpine Valley School Podcast
Join us as we dive into the transformative world of self-directed democratic education with Larry Welshon, founder of Alpine Valley School. With 28 years of experience and a background in public education, Larry shares powerful insights on how trust and vulnerability shape a truly nurturing learning environment. In this eye-opening episode, you'll discover: How Alpine Valley School creates a safe space for children to experience and process big emotions The importance of institutional trust and how it empowers students to push their limits safely Real-life examples of students shaping school...
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Freedom to Learn Differently
Alpine Valley School Podcast
In 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 creating inclusive environments that celebrate every student's unique journey. Addison's experiences and...
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Parenting Self-Directed Kids
Alpine Valley School Podcast
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...
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Challenges and Opportunities
Alpine Valley School Podcast
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...
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The Role of Staff
Alpine Valley School Podcast
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 . Want more? from Cara...
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School Wounds
Alpine Valley School Podcast
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? about the Fare of the Free Child podcast (and subscribe!) Akilah S Richard’s TED Talk of our podcast all about competition and school wounding. from parents who share their experiences after leaving the public school system. Send us your questions, suggestions, and feedback at
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Good Students & Bad Students
Alpine Valley School Podcast
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 for more details about this episode. To learn more about Alpine Valley School (and come visit!) check out our . Want more? ...
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Back to School
Alpine Valley School Podcast
It’s been a while, but 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 To listen to favorite episodes, check out the links here: Parent Panels: You can get in touch with the show at:
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Introducing: Lockdown Learning
Alpine Valley School Podcast
Introducing 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 planned for this. And whereas Home Education is usually done more out of the home than in it as...
info_outlineEpisode 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?
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Visit Alpine Valley School and begin your founding journey with our help and support.
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Read a blog post about the founding of a Self-Directed Democratic School from Sudbury Valley School
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Look over the Planning Kit from Sudbury Valley School (used by many founding groups)
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Check out this blog post from Alternatives To School: Options for Families Without Democratic Schools
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Watch a video from Circle School staff member & founder Jim Rietmulder
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Help the diverse Alpine Valley School community continue to thrive by making a pledge to our annual fundraising campaign!
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Send us your questions, suggestions, and feedback at [email protected]
This episode is also available in video format on YouTube.
Read a transcript of the episode and find out more on the Show Notes page.