Thread

1. upupupandaway · 1790265861 · focus · HN ↗

   A friend of mine put his kid into a school called Alpha [1]. It has no teachers, only guides (?), who are well paid grads but not formally teachers. Kids go in in the morning, do two hours of computer study with an AI program, and the guide only steps in if the kid has a question or doubt the system cannot answer.

   Then there's recess and afternoon is all taken up with "Life Skills" classes such as entrepreneurship and the likes.

   Kids are tested weekly and progress through grades at will. For example, his kid would officially be in 3rd grade, but she's doing 3rd reading, 5th grade math, and 4th grade writing. She can easily test 3rd grade topics now.

   I am ambiguous about this model. Love the "learn as much as you want" even if it means learning 2, 3 grades ahead, but the no-teacher rule and so much computer use seems a little strange. Also if the kid is not extremely self-motivated, they will be left by the side of the road by the school.

   [1] - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;alpha.school&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;alpha.school&#x2F;

   Edit: It&#x27;s 40k a year.

   1. sjducb · 1790329414 · focus · HN ↗

      Alpha school struggles with the kids who are a bit slow.

      If you’re the sort of kid who gets everything right first go then you join the “rocket ship” and spend 2hrs a day with AI then play for the rest of the day. You would do well in any school.

      If you don’t get it right quickly then you join the “Pirate Ship” and have to spend all day grinding and obeying AI while your friends play. It seems pretty terrible.

      <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;buildcognitiveresonance.substack.com&#x2F;p&#x2F;fourth-report-former-alpha-school" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;buildcognitiveresonance.substack.com&#x2F;p&#x2F;fourth-report...

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