What Parents Asked — and What You Can Do at Home
Reflections from our November Parent Roundtable
By Tyler Thigpen
This week’s Parent Roundtable was energizing—curious questions, honest reflections, and a shared commitment to helping our heroes grow as self-directed learners. Below are the top questions families asked and the concrete “at home” moves that build ownership, confidence, and follow-through.
1) “How much should I be checking my hero’s Badge Plan?”
Early and frequent beats late and frantic—especially in your first year or after any reset. Think of check-ins as lightweight guardrails that build ownership: your learner sets goals, you ask for evidence, and together you course-correct. As habits solidify, you taper the frequency. Praise the planning, the starting, the asking-for-help—not just the finished product.
As I said on the roundtable, there’s a spectrum to avoid on both ends: trust without accountability (believing everything you hear and never verifying, which sets up painful surprises) and micromanaging (driving the learning for them, which erodes ownership). The work is a dance in the middle—trust with accountability.
Things parents can do at home
Monday: “What are your goals? Show me where they live (Journey Tracker/Khan/IXL).”
Friday: “Show me what moved—artifact, rubric, or platform history.”
Post a one-page fridge snapshot (goals, due dates, one blocker, one ask—filled out by your learner).
Tighten cadence (every 2–3 days) if silence or missing evidence appears; relax (weekly/biweekly) once habits stick.
2) “What does it mean to be ‘ahead’—and then what?”
“Ahead” should never mean idle. We channel momentum in one of three lanes. Deep means doubling down on a passion with an authentic audience or credentials. Broad means adding a new domain—finance, a language, design, debate. Fast means moving into next-Studio work (when appropriate) or pre-working future badges. If a learner is motivated by “it counts,” then we co-design where the work lands (badge credit, servant-leader hours, certification, competition). As always, reach out to our head of learning (Amber) for help if needed!
Things parents can do at home
Ask: “Deep, broad, or fast—and why?”
Email Amber to align a plan that counts (credit, hours, credential, or audience).
3) “How do I keep up with all the communication channels?”
Treat Monday and Friday emails as your single source of truth. The Google Calendar backs that up with dates and alerts. Studio blogs tell stories; Remind texts offer nudges. A 5-minute skim together each week prevents last-minute scrambles and helps your learner internalize the planning muscle.
Things parents can do at home
On Sunday, skim the two emails with your learner and add items to your family calendar.
If you’re hunting for info, search your inbox first—98% of essentials live in Monday/Friday.
If you have a learning question, email or text Amber. If you have a logistics question, email or text Johnny.
4) “What’s actually expected on Virtual Learning Days?”
Unless we clearly mark an item “required for badge approval,” virtual days are for reinforcement and readiness—not stress. Use them to practice self-management: choose a goal, work in a defined block, and bring back evidence. When an item is required, we’ll say so and tell you exactly how it counts.
Things parents can do at home
Set a 90-minute window; your learner chooses 1–2 items (core skills work, Quest/Civ prep, transcript polish, movement/service).
Ask for a specific proof at the end.
5) “What about travel, exchanges, and global learning?”
Two pathways stood out. The Guatemala immersion (High School only; 11 days; homestays; daily Spanish; approx. $2,100; flight deadline Jan 15) builds independence and cultural fluency. Acton exchanges (short-to-long stays) can be explored and offer like-minded environments in new places. Both require clarity of purpose, a learning plan, and an audience for the work upon return.
Things parents can do at home
Name the purpose (language, service, research, independence) and draft a simple pre/during/post learning plan.
Brainstorm funding (small sponsors, service-for-donation, micro-ventures) and list deliverables (Exhibition talk, bilingual portfolio spread).
Email Amber to explore the Guatemala trip or Tyler to explore exchanges; we’ll align logistics, credit, and safety.
6) “What if I don’t know how to verify progress on the platforms?”
Verification is a learned skill. Our team can teach you. Confidence comes from three proofs: (1) platform history showing movement, (2) a visible artifact you can read for quality, and (3) a reflection that shows thinking changed. Practice clicking into the actual places evidence lives until it feels routine.
Things parents can do at home
Have your hero give you a “tour” of their platforms so you understand them
Watch mini-tutorials (Journey Tracker, Khan/IXL) from our YouTube library, then practice live with your learner.
Book a 10-minute “show me” with Amber; arrive with your laptop and one real question.
Escalate if evidence is missing or the story and data don’t match: send Amber a text or email—what you see and a request for a quick huddle or call.
The long game
We’re aiming for young people who can say, “My learning fits me. I know my goals. I can plan, begin before I feel ready, ask early for help, and finish strong.” At home, you make that possible by choosing curiosity over control, pairing trust with accountability, normalizing struggle, and celebrating progress.
Onward!