A study of John Dewey's view of reflection, its purpose and process, its place in learning, and its content and attitudes has been produced by Carol Richardson Rodgers. It includes examples taken from teacher educators Katherine Taylor of the Shady Hill School and Lucy Sprague Mitchell of Bank Street College. The paper was presented at the Educational Research Association's Annual Meeting in New York in April 1996. Carol Rodgers, The School for International Training, Brattleboro, VT 05363. Tel: 802-258-3310. E-mail: 2084648@ MCI mail.com

Bonnie and Noel Drew's Fast Cash for Kids has been expanded and reprinted in its second edition. It contains dozens of money-making activities kids can do year-round as well as a step-by-step business plan and true-life success stories. Bonnie Drew has also authored Money Skills - 101 Activities to Teach Your Child About Money, a guide for parents of children ages 3 to 12. Both are available from The Career Press, Inc, 180 5th Ave, PO Box 34, Hawthorne, NJ 07507. Tel: 1-800-CAREER-1.

Will Fitzhugh, editor of The Concord Review, asked us to let our readers know that it is the only journal in the world for the academic work of high school students. It has published 297 serious history essays by students from 21 countries in the past nine years. For more information including sample essays, submission guidelines, submission form, and news about their Emerson Prize, contact: PO Box 661, Concord, MA 01742. E-mail: fitzhugh@tcr.org (or) www.tcr.org

PUBLIC ALTERNATIVES

Charter Schools were the focus of three articles in May's issue of R & D Watch. Two describe papers released by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory and the third summarizes a book from The Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands. Ray Budde, originator of the charter schools idea, suggests that all schools should be chartered which would result in a restructuring of both the schools and the "systems." R & D Watch, CEDAR, 2000 L St. NW, Suite 601, Washington DC 20036.

Murray High School, Albemarle County's non-traditional high school, is trying to connect up with other alternative schools worldwide. Teacher Charlotte Wellen says that Murray High is a school of choice in which the students play an important part in decision making on all levels. Contact her at Murray High School, 1200 Forest St., Charlottesville, VA 22903. E-mail: cwellen@pen.k12.va.us

Deborah Lazarus and her group, the Mid-Hudson Advocates for Charter Schools, is looking for others interested in supporting passage of Charter legislation in New York State. According to an article called "They Want Schools Their Way" by Barbara Greff (Sunday Record, July 7, 1996), there is currently no bill in the state Senate and Sen. Charles Cook, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, is against the idea of Charter schools because public funds are used to support them. E-mail Deborah at dlazarus@int7.mhrcc.org or write: 37 E. Pond Rd., Woodridge, NY 12789.

In its May newsletter, the Center for Education Reform printed an update on the various charter schools around the country. Of particular interest is the fact that a survey of Arizona's charter school students found that 69% of them came from public schools, 16% from private schools, 6% had been homeschooled, and 9% came from other situations. This survey, a National Charter School Directory, and a Survey of Parents are all available from the Goldwater Institute. The Center for Education Reform also published an update on Charter school progress around the nation in their July 1996 Monthly Letter. For instance, the South Shore Charter School in Hull, Massachusetts, had its first three graduates in June. Each of the three was given a college scholarship. Also, in California, Gov. Pete Wilson has endorsed several proposals which would increase the number of charters there. The Monthly Letter is available from the Center at 1001 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 204, Washington, DC 20036.

The Center for School Change of the University of Minnesota publishes a periodical called fine print - a careful look at school reform. Joe Nathan edits it. Recent issues included articles titled "Helping Educators Learn to Work With Parents," "Little Falls and Nerstand Students Learn Environmental Stewardship First Hand," and "Lessons from High Schools Having Up to 25 Years Experience with Competency Based Graduation Requirements." It's available from Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave. S., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455.

The May 1996 issue of Changing Schools was devoted in part to alternative education. One of the articles, "A Personal Perspective of Alternative Education," was written by student Gary Filadelfo. In it, Gary gave his perceptions on alternative education based on his own experiences. Also, Emmanuel Pariser wrote about The International Alternative Education Conference which took place in the summer of 1995 in Bloomington, IN. Changing Schools, Colorado Options in Education, 98 N. Wadsworth Blvd. #127, Box 191, Lakewood, CO 80226.

The John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded six small innovative colleges one-time grants of $750,000 each. The colleges are: Alverno College in Milwaukee; Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio; College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine; Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts; Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N. Carolina; and Marlboro College in Marlboro, Vermont. "These colleges have hewed to the liberal arts model, but in highly original ways" says Karen W. Arenson in her article which appeared in The New York Times of June 26, 1996.

HOME EDUCATION NEWS

In its Summer 1996 issue, Education Now reports in Update: Home-based Education USA that it is estimated that 3% of school-age students are now participating in home-based education. Based on homeschooling's present growth rate, it is likely that by the end of the century 10% of all students will be home educated, far surpassing "expert" predictions in the 1980's of 1%. The author, Roland Meighan, asks "What can we learn from the efficiency and effectiveness of home-based education to construct a new and better learning system" since studies now show that homeschoolers fare better than public schoolers? 113 Arundel Drive, Bramcote Hills, Nottingham NG9 3FQ.

The Second Edition of The Home School Source Book by Donn Reed is now available from Brook Farm Books. It has been updated, revised and expanded to include resources, materials and product reviews for students and their parents. Also available is a pamphlet of summer specials; include a stamp with your request for it. PO Box 246, Bridgewater, ME 04735. Tel: 506-375-4680.

The St. Petersburg Times of June 15, 1996, included an article about the growing numbers of homeschoolers in Florida. Steven Hegarty cites The National Home Education Research Institute which puts its estimate at between 21,000 to 43,000. That makes Florida the fourth largest homeschooling state behind Texas, California and Ohio.

Many universities grant college credits for experiential learning and some make it possible for students to continue their college education outside of a campus setting. The Campus-Free College Degree by Marcie Kisner Thorson, MA, is a complete, detailed guide to earning Associate, Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degrees through off-campus study. It has just been released in its 7th edition. Thorson Guides, PO Box 470886, Tulsa, OK 74147. Tel/Fax: 918-622-2811.

Another book geared to college-bound homeschoolers is How to Research Scholarships and Financial Aid by Mary Topness. It contains information on scholarships available from the private sector, the government, colleges and universities. It also includes sections on contests, how to do a scholarship search, and sample letters. Available from H & H Publishing, PO Box 11154, Spokane, WA 99211-1154.

The 96-97 school year will mark the beginning of the merger of Pinewood School with Clonlara School. Founded in 1976 as a campus school, Clonlara began its home based education program in 1979. Pinewood will become Clonlara's Colorado-based office at 112 Road D, Pine, CO 80470.

F.U.N. News is the quarterly newsletter of the Family Unschoolers Network which also publishes a catalog of resources available from them. For a free sample issue contact F.U.N. at 1688 Belhaven Woods Ct., Pasadena, MD 21122-3727. E-mail: 210-8942@MCImail.com

The California Homeschool Network's New Homeschooler Information Packet has been updated, expanded and renamed the California Homeschool Information Packet (CHIP). It details five legal ways to form a homeschool under California law. It also covers state provisions for children's work permits, driver's education, the high school equivalency exam, and other state concerns. CHN, PO Box 44, Vineburg, CA 95487-0044. Tel: 1-800-327-5339.

Bo Nilmad, newsletter of the Family Learning Exchange, recently reprinted Jerry's story about his visit to Israel in April for the Hadera Conference. Aero readers will recall the story appeared in Aero-Gramme #18. The editors are looking for a family to take over the newsletter. For information, contact Janie Levine at PO Box 5629, Olympia, WA 98509-5629 (see update below)

The Jewish Homeschoolers' Newsletter and Bo Nilmad have been merged and renamed the Jewish Home Educator's Network. It is edited by Marilyn Lowe and Lynne Kamerman. JHEN c/o M. Lowe, 1295 Marshall Dr. SE, Salem, OR 97302.

Homeschooling news in Washington and the Northwest is reported in The Current, published by the Family Learning Organization. For more information on the publication or the organization, their address is FLO, PO Box 7247, Spokane, WA 99207-0247.

A list of resources, curricula, and organizations available to Catholic homeschooling families is updated each year by Catholic Homeschool Newsletter. To receive a copy, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to them at 688 Eleventh Ave NW, New Brighton, MN 55112. Tel: 612-636-5761.

A magazine written by and for homeschoolers, Kids at Home provides a forum for children ages 4 to 13 for sharing their writing and art with other kids. It is seeking submissions of short stories, poems, essays, and descriptions of personal experiences. Write to: PO Box 9148, Bend, OR 97708.

Alexandra Swann relates her experiences in homeschooling in her book, No Regrets. She graduated from Brigham Young University at 15 and earned her Master's Degree at 16. She has 9 brothers and sisters, all of them homeschoolers who attained similar achievements. Alexandra and sister Francesca Swann have also written Writing for Success, a reference guide for 7th grade through adult. It covers basic grammar, punctuation, word exercises, and imaginative assignments. Cygnet Press, Inc., HC 12, Box 7A, 116 Hwy 28, Anthony, NM 88021. Tel: 505-874-3306.

Beverly L. Adams-Gordon's Home School, High School and Beyond is now in its 3rd edition. Illustrated by 1995 homeschool graduate Angelina J. Sylvester, it is a 9-week course designed to help students take an active part in their educational planning. Sections range from Establishing Goals to Paying for College. Castlemoyle Books, 15436 42nd Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98188-2215. Tel: 206-439-0248.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS AND COMMUNICATIONS

NETHERLANDS

When our camp group returned from the Pyrenees, we stayed overnight at Holland. Kent Keaton, who had found AERO's web page in the internet, arranged a place for us to stay. Kent has a web page which he maintains for the Alternative Learning Exchange. ALE supports the development of educational alternatives in Holland. Their web page is http://mes.nl/ale-3.html. There is a related publication called Educare, which is edited by Marijke Shijter. Kanaalstraat 55-57, 7311 MN Apeldoort, NETHERLANDS. 55-521 4660 Marijke arranged for our group to stay with a co-worker, Maria Kooijman. After our group went on the canal boats and ate Dutch pancakes, we took the bus to Maria's house. When she met us at the bus stop, Maria and I realized that we had met before, at Hartsbend, an international children's camp, in Vermont! She knew all about our travels. And she does some very important work with the UNOY Foundation, which brings children together from conflict areas of the world, such as Chechnia and Bosnia, and teaches them techniques of conflict resolution. She gave us information on a recent conference at Yalta, in May. Venedien 25, 1441 AK PURMEREND, The Netherlands PH: 31 299-436093

GREECE

Christos Voulis discovered us on the web, and ordered an Almanac of Education Choices. "I'm a teacher in a public primary school, and together with other teachers we are publishing a magazine which is informing Greek teachers about Alternative Education and schools that are existing all over the world. On May 14th we organized a meeting/discussion called "Alternative Schools--Summerhill, Bonaventure." This was a first in Greece and was a big success. They would like to hear from alternative schools and homeschoolers. Gavriilidov 6, 11141 Athens, Greece. Ph: 30-1-2287880

UKRAINE

A seminar hosted by the Stork Family School on April 29 was attended by 50 principals of city public schools, the city educational administrative board, and Montessori teachers. Alternative education, Montessori methods, and Democratic schools were some of the topics covered. Oleg Belen, Stork Family School, UI, Stakhurskogo 62 Kv, 40, Vinnitsa, Ukraine.

DENMARK

The May issue of Celo Education Notes from the Arthur Morgan School ran a report from Joyce Johnson, who spent four months visiting Denmark. She said that 25% of all students in Denmark go to efterskoles (alternative boarding high schools) rather than public schools. The Arthur Morgan School is a living, learning community for grades 7, 8 & 9 which has just celebrated its 35th reunion. It is located at 1901 Hannah Branch Road, Burnsville, NC 28714.

RUSSIA

E-mail from Joanne Esser told us about her recent trip to Moscow at the invitation of the Ministry of Education. She visited an experimental school there and gave a speech in support of its pilot programs. The school was undergoing an accreditation visit at the time by government and Ministry of Education officials. This procedure is conducted every five years. Joanne asks if there are any sources of money to sponsor teachers going to international conferences. She has been invited to an early childhood conference in South Africa, but the cost is prohibitive. Anyone with ideas can e-mail Joanne at JoEsser@aol.com

THAILAND

Pibhop and Rajani Dhongchai sent us a series of articles about the school they run for orphans and underprivileged children in Thailand. Moo Ban Dek, or Children's Village School, was greatly influenced by A.S. Neill's teaching methods at Summerhill. As he states, "Freedom is truly good for children." Foundation for Children, 666 Chareon Nakorn Klongsarn, Bangkok 10600 Thailand.

ENGLAND

After a two-year teacher boycott, England and Wales have again introduced national exams in the public schools to measure performance at several points during a student's school life. The exams were simplified from the original 1991 models and were administered last year without any opposition to speak of. "Even though the new exams were even more likely to damage curriculum and instruction, the boycott ended." This was reported in the Spring 1996 Fair Test Examiner, 342 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139-1802. Tel: 617-864-4810.

SOUTH AFRICA

Andrew e-mailed us letting us know that homeschooling is now legal in his country. In fact, he says, since it is now a legal requirement that all kids be provided an education, not just whites, and since therefore there is a great shortage of schools, home education is being encouraged by the government. daswove@iafrica.com

TEACHERS JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS

The Open Program in the Salt Lake City School District is seeking a teacher for the fall 1996. This is an optional program for grades K through 6. The address is 420 North 200 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84103.

Horizon School, 1900 deKalb Ave, Atlanta, GA 30307, is looking for a houseparent for their boarding program, and a possible teaching position. Contact Loraine or Les at 404 378-2219.

Michael Chamberlin is a certified K6 teacher with seven years of teaching experience who is looking for a full-time teaching position for the upcoming school year. "I'm interested in an alternative school, preferably in a small town. I'll consider world-wide locations." He is moving soon, but call him or leave a message at(303) 979-6753.

A teacher in an alternative school in France is looking for a job in the United States or abroad next year. Sylvie Demolin can be reached at 9 Rue Delaprevote, 3300 Bordeaux, France.

Mount Bachelor Academy in Oregon is an "emotional growth" private high school in the Ochoco Mountains. It is attended by 120 students; some of them have been in some serious trouble. It also has academic and wilderness programs which operate within the emotional growth program. It is looking for math, science and English teachers. Call Kathy Carter at 1-800-462-3404 for details.

Teacher Carole Jackson is looking for a position teaching in an alternative high school. She teaches English, drama, and math and has extensive experience in business and in the alternative community. She is also interested in hearing from other alternative educators in Central or Eastern Oregon. Her address is 3980 S.E. Umatilla Loop, Prineville, OR 97754. Tel: 541-416-0280.

Blue Mountain School has an opening for a teacher of 5th and 6th grades. Write to them at PO Box 81, Floyd, VA 24091.

A teacher of all social sciences who is experienced in dealing with troubled teen boys in grades 7 to 12 is looking for a position in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. William Hall is certified in Pennsylvania and has been updated in New Mexico and Virginia. E-mail him at JPXA83A@prodigy.com

Gary Raheb is a music teacher in a private special education junior/senior high school and is completing his master's in music education at NYC's Queens College. He is experienced with the mainstream student population and is interested in working in alternative education in the New York City area. Write to him at 394 8th St., Apt. 4R, Brooklyn, NY 11215.

CONFERENCES

September 16-17, Education Reform, A National Happening, Education Leaders Council, The Park 57 Hotel, Boston, MA, featuring reform leaders from around the country, 1001 Conn Ave NW, Suite 204, Wash. DC 20036, Ph: 202 822 9000

September 27-8, The Modern School Reunion, Rutgers University, Paul Avrich will speak. Jon Scott, 200 Sumac Ridge La, Altamont, NY 12009 Ph: 518 861-5544 (see AERO story under Alumni news)

September 19-13, Forty-Ninth World University Conference, Royal College of Agriculture, Cirencester, England, Desert Sanctuary Campus, PO Box 2470, Benson, AZ 85602 Phone 520 586-2985

Oct 17-20, National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools, Northeastern Regional Conference, The Meeting School, Rindge, NH 03461 Dawn Ashbacher, 603 899-3366

October 23-26, National Society for Experiential Education, 25th Anniversary Conference, Snowbird, Utah Experiential Education, Transforming Teaching and Learning in Schools, Colleges, Workplaces, and Communities, 3509 Haworth Dr, Suite 207, Raleigh NC 27609 Ph: 919 787-3263 nsee@interpath.com

October 26, Global Multicultural education Conference, Learning Alliance, 324 Lafayette St, 7th Fl, NY, NY 10012, 212-226-7171

November 1-3, Livingston Manor, NY, "Awakening the knower through Consciousness-Based Education," a conference for women sponsored by the Ideal Girls' School Planning Committee, Po Box 370, Livingston Manor, NY 12758. Ph: 1 800 863-2602

November 14-16, Coalition of Essential Schools, Albuquerque, NM, CES, Brown University, Box 1969, Providence, RI 02912

April 30-May 4th, Magnet Schools of America, Alexis Park Resort Hotel, Las Vegas, NV. Preceding the conference, Arril 38-9, will be a session to help districts which have magnets not federally funded and need funding, or who wish to start magnets. Donald Waldrip, 2111 Holly Hall, Suite 704, Houston, TX 77054 Ph: 713 796-9356

May 12-14, 1997, Democratic Discipline, Democratic Lives: Educating citizens for a changing world, at International Co-operative College, Stanford Hall, Loughborough, England, sponsored by Education Now, 113 Arundel Dr, Brancote Hills, Nottingham, England NG9 3FQ, Ph: 0115 925 7261