Not at all! While students spend 2 hours on apps in the morning, the rest of their day is spent in engaging with their peers and getting direction from the guides via an array of lively activities. In fact, because they don’t have to spend 6 hours looking in the same direction at a chalkboard, Alpha students get more socialization than the average school student.
Alpha is a K-12 school in Austin, with our oldest students in 11th grade. We will graduate our first class in one year. New campuses serve K-8 students. However, Alpha works in levels that are based on specific capabilities as opposed to traditional grade models. Age is not the deciding factor of acumen, and we put that into practice.
Alpha’s motivational models are both individualized and collective. Guides are responsible for understanding and knowing what motivates each individual student and designing collective rewards when students meet their goals. The guides also ensure that students understand the logic behind the motivation model, ultimately making children self-driven. Students can earn time outside, or in the Alpha “ThinkTank” room, or earn “Alphas”, our school currency that they can use to purchase prizes or larger rewards such as a laser tag party.
There is no ceiling for academic progression so students are able to progress at their own pace. Alpha champions unrestricted academic progression. Students aren’t confined by traditional grade levels; a 2nd grader ready for 5th-grade math will engage with that level, ensuring a truly personalized learning journey and harnessing of potential.
Alpha believes that students need enrichment and exposure to a variety of spheres, and we have thus hosted workshops of several types. We continue to design and host content that students love. Workshops have included topics such as Alpha Mad Scientists (life skill: learn to learn), Alpha Animation Studios (public speaking and storytelling), Lyrical Genius (brand building), Consultants (be an expert), How to Buy Stuff (personal finance), Now You See Me (public speaking and storytelling), among many others.
Absolutely not – please know that the 2hr model is only part of Alpha’s process. The tuition is inclusive of ALL student activities (like a trip to Formula 1 or Poland); Alpha will never EVER ask parents for additional fundraising. With this in mind, Alpha tuition remains on par with the nation’s best private schools. Moreover, we have financial aid available if required.
We take deep pride in hiring at Alpha. Guides are selected based on: 1) their ability to motivate and know students, 2) their ability to plan engaging life skills workshops. And 3) their affinity to understanding what the student requires in terms of support. We select Guides from top universities across the country with competitive backgrounds in fields like tech and start-ups. Alpha Guides are not just supervisors or teachers – they are much more than that!
