Austin Scholar #90: Takeaways from my Twitter Space
& answering some questions
Hey, y'all!
This week from Austin Scholar...
Austin’s Anecdote: Answering some questions
Takeaways from my Twitter Space
Scholar’s Sources: What I’ve been up to…
I got accepted into another college!!
I officially received an offer from King’s College London, a top 50 global university. I’m so happy!! As stressful of a time as this is, it’s interspersed with moments of relief, just like this one.
I’m super excited to continue sharing my college admissions journey with y’all and am grateful for all of your support :)
Austin’s Anecdote: Answering some questions
A few weeks ago, I did a Twitter Space on the future of education, where I talked to some of the biggest names in education. Later in this newsletter, I’m going to share two of the interviews from the event (Toan Truong and Ana Lorena Fabrega), but first I want to share an overview of my own 30-minute Q&A I did during the Space.
Here are some of the answers I gave to the questions: I started off by differentiating between learning and studying by emphasizing that learning becomes enjoyable when it is driven by curiosity and tied to personal goals and interests. I detailed how finding the 'why' behind what one is learning can make the process much more meaningful.
Next, I shared my perspective on the role of socialization in education. I talked about my online schooling experience at Alpha, where we learn independently but in a shared space, facilitating a sense of community and mutual support. I emphasized the importance of forming relationships in a learning environment, which the guides at Alpha successfully do by providing emotional and motivational support.
I also touched on my college application process, particularly my application to Oxford University. I noted the contrast between the merit-based admissions process at Oxford and the more holistic admissions approach at American colleges.
Additionally, I addressed popular questions from my Twitter and newsletter followers. I elaborated on the 'two-hour learning' concept at Alpha, which allows students to cover their academics in just two hours a day using AI-powered adaptive educational apps. This approach opens up time for students to learn life skills and work on their 'masterpiece' projects, aimed at achieving something as impressive as being an Olympian by the time they graduate from high school.
In response to a question about technology's role in addressing post-COVID learning loss, I emphasized the importance of adaptive educational apps, which can cater to different knowledge levels within a classroom, aiding learning at an individual pace.
Lastly, when asked about the number one life skill parents should teach their kids, I explained the importance of understanding how to give and receive feedback. I shared how this skill has allowed me to grow and improve throughout my life, particularly in the context of public speaking and interaction. Another life skill I highlighted was grit, which is the ability to persevere through difficulties and failures, a quality that I had to cultivate during my projects at Alpha.
Takeaways from my Twitter Space
I had the honor of interviewing some great people in my Twitter space, but there were a couple of interviews I found particularly interesting that I want to share with you.
Lessons from Toan Truong
Toan's journey began when his city was locked down due to COVID, forcing him to experience online schooling. This gave him the opportunity to learn at his own pace. Once he went back to traditional school after the pandemic, he felt like he was just following along with the class. He wanted out, so he presented a case to his parents for why he should be homeschooled.
He found an alternative education program, which consisted of pre-recorded lectures and assignments that students complete for credits, which lead to graduation. Toan talked about how this self-taught approach allowed him to graduate high school at 16 (what?!) and complete his bachelor's degree at 18 (... I don’t even know how to react to this). But he, of course, believes his biggest achievement was the life lessons he learned through the failures and mistakes during this time, including failed side hustles and wasted money on online courses.
Reflecting on the traditional education system in Vietnam, Toan described a system centered around rote memorization and a rigid grading scale. He criticized this approach, asserting that the emphasis on memorization and grades distorts the true purpose of education, which should be learning. He contrasted this with his homeschooling experience, where he had the freedom to learn at his own pace and apply what he learned in a practical way.
Toan ended by advising parents to expose their children to different ideas and perspectives, emphasizing the importance of nurturing their natural curiosity. He stressed the significance of teaching children how to learn effectively and encouraging their questions and adventures, fostering a lifelong curiosity-driven learning approach.
Biggest takeaway: online learning can take kids to new, unimaginable heights.
Lessons from Ana Lorena Fabrega
In her interview, Ana Lorena Fabrega (also known as Ms. Fab) discussed her new book "The Learning Game," which challenges the traditional education system and proposes an alternative learning approach. Ana’s central thesis is that traditional education methods are not adequately preparing children for real-world challenges and that a new system is required that encourages children to think independently and embrace learning.
Ana believes that the key role of parents in this new paradigm is to support and nurture their children's passions and interests, even if they are not academically focused. Ana posits that every child is talented in something and obsessed with something. However, this potential is often neglected in schools, leading many children to believe that they lack skills or have nothing to offer. Ana argues that when children invest time in an activity they love, they are more likely to excel in it.
Ana identifies the lack of autonomy, choice, and understanding of the relevance of learned material as major issues in traditional schooling. Ana argues that children will love learning if they are engaged in activities that are driven by their curiosity and a desire to explore.
When asked about how Ana plans to bring up her own child, she mentioned a number of techniques and methods. This includes enrolling the child in team sports and collaborative problem-solving programs to expose them to real-world problem-solving experiences, teaching resilience and when to persevere or quit, encouraging questions and critical thinking skills, and allowing the child to engage in their own projects.
When asked about the use of AI in assessments, Ana shared how Synthesis, an organization she is part of, is developing digital tutors that provide feedback and generate questions that help students reflect on their misconceptions. The AI system does not give direct answers; instead, it guides students to find the answer on their own.
Biggest takeaway: help your kid foster their passion. (I’ve written about this, too.)
These were just two of the nine incredible interviews I held during the Twitter Space. I’m already planning on doing an entire newsletter on David Perell’s interview (there was too much good stuff to fit into this one), but if there were any other interviews you enjoyed or want to read about, please let me know.
Scholar’s Sources: What I’ve been up to…
Here are a few things that have made my life a little brighter in these last few weeks:
I’m totally late to the game on this, but I just recently started reading the Morning Brew newsletter every day, and it’s been so much fun. I always feel really smart after reading the Morning Brew – and I feel caught up on world events.
If you want your kid to get out of their bubble and learn about what’s going on in the world (everything from stocks, to movies, to random facts), definitely sign them up for the Morning Brew newsletter.
The Nertz card game
My friends and I are obsessed with this game – we recently found out about it on TikTok and have already played for hours. It’s the right amount of competitive and chill – and the perfect mix between challenging and easy. You can talk while playing it, or get super focused and into the dramatic moments.
Highly recommend playing this game as a family – or at least showing it to your kid so they can play with their friends.
My speakers
These incredible speakers from my Twitter Space have written some amazing things, so here are a few of my favorites:
Toan Truong
I love this Twitter thread on how to learn – it definitely gave me a new, unique perspective on how my brain works.
David Perell
As a whole, David’s How I Write podcast is one of my favorite things to learn from in the world – but this interview with Cultural Tutor will always have my heart.
Ana Lorena Fabrega
Ana has written a ton of great content, but my favorite is, of course, her book, The Learning Game. We talked a bit about it during her interview, but it’s definitely worth a read.
Thanks for reading. Go crush the week! See y'all on Sunday.