Skeptic: What is Abrome? Me: Abrome is a Self-Directed Education community in Austin, TX, that serves young people and their families. Abrome provides Learners with a psychologically safe space that is anti-oppressive and consensus based, where young people have the autonomy to…
read moreOne of the most confusing things about the debate over how to reopen schools is that so few people are advocating that students spend their schooldays outdoors, and that so few schools (if any) are choosing to leave the schoolhouse behind. We…
read moreWith government and business interests pushing for a reopening of schools with insufficient safety precautions in the middle of an uncontrolled pandemic, many teachers are left wondering if teaching is worth risking their lives over. One poll suggests that 20% of teachers…
read moreYesterday was primary runoff election day in Texas and that got me thinking about politics. One often repeated argument for schooling is that it teaches students to become “active participants in democratic life.” If so, given the state of our democracy, could…
read moreWhen we are at the Abrome facility we have a fairly nice-sized, fenced-in back yard. Learners are free to spend as much time as they wish out back, and may flow in between the back yard and the facility as they wish….
read moreThe Abrome community is closely following the international uprising in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May of this year. We recognize that this horrific event both stands alone and joins a long trend of Black Americans…
read moreThis week we rolled out a contingency planning document to help Learners and their families envision what Emancipated Learning will look like as we navigate through the challenges of Covid-19. The planning document details practices and protocols that Abrome is implementing that…
read moreWhat is it exactly that Abrome Facilitators do? Do you teach them anything? These questions are often as accusatory as they are inquisitive. It is difficult to understand what Abrome Facilitators do if you are focused on what they do not do….
read more“You’re indoctrinating us,” a Learner started in on me. I was taken aback; shocked to hear those words come out of his mouth. My mind began to race. Time slowed down. Advocates of Self-Directed Education are long on negative critiques of conventional…
read more“Resource Giveaway Day 3/26 CANCELLED” I was expecting this email from the Sustainable Food Center but it still hurt to see. Twice a year, the organization provides free seeds, transplants, and compost to gardens all around the Austin area. I found out…
read moreWhen Abrome decided to launch an Austin chapter of Flying Squads, we hoped to be joining a fun, liberatory, and supportive community of Flying Squads from across the country (and someday the world!). What we didn’t expect was how seriously they took…
read moreIn the City of Austin, families were originally told that schools would be closed on March 13th. Then they were told that school would be cancelled until April 3rd. Then April 13th. And on Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott ordered that all schools…
read moreYesterday a young Learner and I decided that we would spend the first half of the day at the Thinkery, a children’s museum in Austin, TX. We had a wonderful time crawling through the museum and interacting with every possible exhibit, and…
read moreAbrome is a Self-Directed Education (SDE) community in Austin, TX, that is now in its fourth year. As Facilitators (adult staff members), we regularly critique our approach to interacting with Learners and building community, as well as how the culture of Abrome is…
read moreAt Abrome, we trust children. At Abrome we believe that young people should be able to be in the world, and be able to navigate the world without interference from meddling adults. We believe that young people benefit from being able to…
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