‘Ask the Expert’ Q&A with Tomis Parker
A Webinar for Start-Up Schools and Learning Communities
Tuesday 10 November
7.30-9.30pm GMT
A webinar for all those starting or running their own full-time school or part-time learning community.
Come and meet Tomis Parker who has worked in the global microschools movement for over fifteen years, championing innovative learning environments where children are trusted to follow their curiosity and adults are trusted to witness it. Tomis co-founded the Agile Learning Centers network and helped to start the Alliance for Self-Directed Education. He is also the creator of Prism, a portfolio platform to capture self-directed learning. He says:
"Authentic Assessment is a well known practice taught in progressive teacher colleges around the world. Instead of grades and rubrics, you observe learning and reflect it back in writing in order to preserve all of its nuance, context, and depth.
This practice has never been able to scale or be effectively deployed in practice, because of the incredible amount of manual labor required to get hundreds of narrative notes to add up to something coherent a parent or educator could behold. That's no longer a problem with modern tools.
This session explores both the practice of documentation in learner-centered environments and Prism, a tool designed to streamline this process through ongoing observation and reflection. Beyond the practical, we'll discuss how better documentation can strengthen individual confidence in choosing self-directed paths and build broader understanding of its efficacy."
Please join us on 10th November to learn more about ALCs and authentic assessment.
More About Our Guest
Tomis Parker
After co-founding the international Agile Learning Centers (ALC) network in 2013, Tomis has spent the last decade at ALC Mosaic in Charlotte (North Carolina in the US) watching kids build lives full of 'real learning':
"I started Prism because every learner deserves to be seen and the full spectrum of their learning made visible. Institutions have convinced the world that grades and tests are the evidence of learning. They aren't. They never were. Real evidence is what those closest to the learner witness, and what the learner can articulate themselves.
Prism is where families and educators document the daily moments of a learner's life. Photos, observations, reflections. In a generation, the question won't be "what grade are you in?". It will be "what are you working on?". Every learner will walk into adulthood with a living record of who they are and who they are becoming, built moment by moment by the people who know them best."
Event Format, Recording and Ticket Price
This event takes place online via Zoom at 7.30-9.30pm GMT on Tuesday 10th November. You will have the chance to hear a presentation from Tomis, and then you are invited to ask any questions you might have. Everyone who registers will be sent the recording after the event.
If you have questions but can't make the date, you are still welcome to register for the event. Simply send your questions through to us at [email protected] and they will get asked in the session on your behalf.
This webinar is £20 for non-members, and FREE for members.
Become a Member for Further Support
Join Us!
Would you like to join the Education Start-Ups membership community to access further support? Our membership offers:
Monthly expert webinars (like this one);
Monthly group coaching for peer support and collaborative problem solving;
Online platform for sharing resources/ideas and supporting each other between sessions.
Some extra bonuses too!
You can find out more at EducationStartUps.org/community.
Note to Members
If you are a member, you do not need to register for this event. You will automatically receive the Zoom link in your online community portal.
About Us
This webinar series is brought to you by Jo Symes at Progressive Education and Alex O’Neill from Limitless. We are education activists who have a shared passion for raising awareness of alternatives to mainstream school.
For the past few years Alex and Jo have been creating events and resources for start-ups, in response to the growing number of children and young people leaving mainstream education, and the urgency that parents/carers/educators feel to build new learning environments where young people can thrive.
Introducing Alex O’Neill
Alex is the driving force behind Limitless, an organisation dedicated to igniting social change with a special emphasis on revolutionising the education sector.
Through the Limitless podcast, she shares expert insights and neuroscience tips to empower changemakers to tackle the world's most pressing issues.
Alex is committed to uniting individuals who are driven to advance education and supporting them in overcoming obstacles that stand in their way.
Introducing Jo Symes
Jo is the founder of the social enterprise, Progressive Education, which raises awareness of alternatives to conventional schooling and campaigns for change within mainstream education. She is building a global directory of jobs, events and progressive schools and learning communities.
It began with the launch of the Progressive Education Group on Facebook in 2019, which is an international community of over 11k members including parents/carers, educators, academics, researchers, psychologists, education innovators and changemakers.
