ASDE News

The lack of self-direction in conventional schools conditions people to wait for instructions rather than forging ahead on their own initiative. Even people who believe in Self-Directed Education can fall into the trap of waiting for someone else to take the lead when it comes to advancing the SDE movement.

We (ASDE’s organizing team) often invite you to participate in projects and initiatives that we are working on, but we want you to know this: If you have ideas for ways to advance the movement, you don’t have to wait for us to take action. In fact, some of our current projects began with someone bringing their idea to us, unsolicited. That’s how Tipping Points got started, for example.

As the new year approaches, we hope you’ll pay attention to those ideas that come to you in the form of “someone should advocate SDE by doing _____.” Maybe that someone is you! If so, don’t hesitate to reach out to ASDE and inquire about working with us on your idea.

If you’re a member of ASDE, you can also announce your SDE-related projects in our News & Announcements forum.

Next week, stay tuned for a special newsletter recapping our accomplishments in 2017 and highlighting opportunities to continue making a difference through 2018!

Current topics in the Member Forums:

• Evidence of Learning — “I am struggling with letting go of traditional evidence of learning. I want my children to practice making tangible products to demonstrate what they know. I believe they are brilliant learners and that they know amazing things. I want to convince others (why? I don’t know. My own confidence, I suppose.) that SDE is the way to go.”
• Addressing Dyslexia within SDE — “I’m creating an SDE school (starting fall 2018) and a potential future parent has asked me “How is dyslexia addressed within the SDE framework?” I’m curious, how do members of the Alliance support learners with dyslexia? What sort of info can I share with this parent?”
• Mental Health Studies — “I’m wondering if there are any mental health studies regarding self-directed learners, or students/graduates of democratic and other self-directed schools.”

	Our Road Trip: Visiting SDE Communities By Joei Villarama
	Personalized Learning for Two-Legged Walking Computers By Patrick Farenga