AERO-GRAMME
#23
The Magazine of the
Alternative Education Resource Organization
417 Roslyn Rd., Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 * ISSN
# 10679219
516 621-2195 FAX 516 625-3257 E mail: jmintz@igc.apc.org
Web site: HTTP://www.speakeasy.org/~aero
WINTER 1998
See Special
Changing Schools Section for new Articles and info on International Alternative
Education Conference
AERO is on NPR's Talk of the Nation
In
early February a call came in from National Public Radio, in Washington, DC.
They wanted to do a story on alternative education on Talk of the Nation,
and had found our web site. It was to be a full hour, live, call-in show. They
pointed out that this was not yet definite, and they also wanted to get somebody
on the show who would be a proponent of traditional public school education, to
get an opposing point of view.
I was
enthusiastic about the idea, but I had a couple of concerns. One was that I
didn't want to set a debate format between myself and a traditional public
school proponent. What I really wanted was to present the idea that this is a
spectrum, and that alternatives are choices which parents need to know about.
Secondly, I asked that we be able to give some contact information, so that
people looking for alternatives would be able to call AERO.
After the
weekend she called again, and the show was on! Furthermore, they said that we
would be able to give contact information for AERO, our 800 number and our web
site address. The other person on the show was to be Clara Hempill, author of
The Parents' Guide to New York City's Best Public Schools.
National
Public Radio didn't want to interview by telephone, and arranged for us to go to
their studio in New York City. On February 5th we went to Second Avenue and 42nd
Street. Ray Suarez, the host of the show, was in their Washington studio, and
interviewed us from there.
After 20
minutes of interviews, the phone lines were thrown open, and we responded to
many interesting calls. At the very end of the show I was able to give contact
numbers.
After the
show there were so many calls to AERO that even the busy signals for the 800
number were overwhelmed and gave some people the message that the number was out
of order. For the next several days the phone hardly stopped ringing. We gave
out all sorts of information, signed up a lot of new subscribers and sold many
copies of the Almanac. This was graphic illustration of the tremendous
interest that there is in educational alternatives, if only we can find the way
to tell people about them.
Of course, our weekly radio
show on the Talk America network, the Education Revolution,
continues every Sunday at 9 PM EST. If all of our readers would contact their
local talk station and ask them to carry the show, we would have even more
impact. There are about 35 stations around the country that are carrying the
show now. Here are some of them: KZNG AM, Hot Springs, AR; KUKI AM, Ukiah, CA;
WYOO FM, Springfield, FL; WIEL AM, Elizabethtown, KY; KEEL AM, Shreveport, LA;
WKMI AM, Kalamazoo, MI; KLID AM, Poplar Bluff, MO; KDRG AM, Deer Lodge, MT; KICA
AM, Clovis, NM; WIOI AM, New Boston, OH; KBNP AM, Portland, OR; WMTN AM,
Morristown, TN; WREL AM, Lexington, VA; WIGM AM, Medford, WI; WRNR AM,
Martinsburg;, WV; and KGAB AM, Orchard Valley, WY. Our sponsors now include
Antioch College, Goddard College,
Clonlara Home Based Education Program,
the Resource Center for
Redesigning Education, and the Consortium of Innovative Boarding Schools,
which AERO organized, and which includes Summerhill School, the
Meeting School, Arthur Morgan School, Stone Soup School, Maple Hill School,
Stone Mountain School, and Horizons School.
The show can
also be heard on the Internet at www.realaudio.com and www.talkamerica.com. If
you do contact a local station and they are interested, have them call the AERO
800 number for more information, 800 769-4171, or call us yourself, and we'll
follow up. Also, call us if you would like a copy of the NPR show.
AERO Seminar for Ministry of Education in Czech
Republic
In early November Albert Lamb and I traveled to
the Czech Republic to do a seminar for the Ministry of Education, sponsored by
the Soros Foundation's Open Society Fund. This was the first time that the
Ministry had expressed interest in learning about educational alternatives and
democratic education.
I first made an unscheduled stop in England to
go to Ena Neill's funeral, at Summerhill (see Albert's description in the
Changing Schools section).
When we arrived in Prague we were taken straight
to the conference center. At the seminar I described different kinds of
educational alternatives. Themembers of the Ministry of Education were
particularly interested in the charter school model. Albert introduced them to
the democratic decision-making process by actually having them participate in a
democratic meeting, Summerhill style. Albert was a Summerhill student, and later
a staff member, and his children have gone there.
After the seminar we had a great tour of the
beautiful city of Prague. On the last day we visited a school which is part of
the Soros-sponsored Step-by-Step program, through which they are trying to
encourage educational reform in the Czech Republic and other countries.
I stopped in England again on my way back and
spent a couple more great days at Summerhill. Among other things.I gave about 25
students table-tennis lessons, and visited with Stephen Sanford, the student who
visited Summerhill with us after last Summer's International Democratic
Education Conference and is now one of the first American students as Summerhill
in a long time (see the letter from his mother in the Mail section).
Traveling north to Birmingham, I was hosted by
Mike and Jan F-W, who are homeschooling their four children. We had a meeting
with a group of homeschoolers who are exploring "flexi-schooling," with students
taking some classes at St. Paul's, a local alternative school. Roland Meighan
from Education Now also participated in the meeting. In his
publication he later said that our "contribution stimulated valuable discussion
on ways of developing such partnerships in this country."
New AERO
Staff Member!
John Sauer
is now a full-time staff
member at AERO. When you call, don't be surprised if John answers the
phone. He's working hard to help AERO move to a higher level of service in
promoting educational alternatives.
John Found
us on the web. He has previously worked in Uganda, Rwanda, and for the last two
years, Russia, as a project manager for relief and development projects
connected with unaccompanied children and street children. He has recently taken
the gransmanship course at the Foundation Library, in New York City.
Longer School Year not the Answer
By Jerry Mintz
This letter
to the editor was in response to Sheryl McCarthy's article, "We Need to Make
Better Use of the School Day," in Newsday:
Dear Sheryl:
I'm sure
your heart is in the right place, but your article on year-round school and the
use of the school day is rife with assumptions which are not borne out by fact.
Assumption
#1: That the Japanese have a good school system. The reality is that the
Japanese system is so brutal to kids that there are over 180,000 "school
refusers," children who have been so traumatized by school, who are so school
phobic, that there is no way to get them there. In the face of this, dozens of
alternative schools are beginning to pop up, and people are even beginning to
talk about homeschooling. A recent feature story in the Japan Times
highlighted this new phenomenon.
Assumption
#2: That going to school longer will make students learn more. The reality is
that the basic approach being used by public schools today is as antiquated as
the summer break to harvest the crops. More of that would likely make things
worse rather than better. The current system extinguishes chrldren's innate need
to learn, making them passive non-learners.
Homeschoolers have learned that two hours a day of good learning experiences is
enough to let their kids leapfrog over students slogging in unresponsive
schools. Witness the Colfax family in California, who raised their children on a
goat farm with only two hours of schooling a day. Their three oldest all went to
Harvard, and the oldest went on to Harvard Medical School and is a practicing
doctor now. The AVERAGE homeschooler in the country now is in the 85th
percentile academically. Over a million children are currently homeschooling.
Charter
schools have grown from only five a few years ago to over 750 now. At least 29
states have passed charter legislation.
Why are
these alternatives growing so rapidly? Because the current system is
unfunctional for most children! If your kids hate school, listen to them! Kids
are natural learnings, as brain research has shown. So something must be wrong
with their school.
And please
do not think that this is a political issue. Not only are religious
right-wingers talking about alternatives, but black inner-city Democrats and
others along the whole political spectrum are pushing for alternatives such as
vouchers and other educational choices.
I know of
one democratic alternative school where the students regularly choose to abolish
the vacations and have a rule which says they can't stay after school unless
they are good! Yes, that's how to lengthen the school year and the school day,
not by dishing out more of the same failed system!
Mail and
Communications
Edited by
Carol Morley
A new program, San
Francisco Independent Scholars. is offering scholarships to San Fransico-based
high school students has begun operating. There are two types of scholarships
available: Step Scholarships for public school students in eighth grade who
would like to attend private school, and Star Scholarships for high school
students who wish to enroll in or design their own independent study program.
To find out more, contact Alison Weeks at SFIS, 755 Sansome St., Suite
450, San Francisco, CA 94111. Tel: 415-982-3435. Fax: 415-989-2411.
Last spring a conference
was held by The Four Worlds International Institute for Human and
Community Development. The conference, "The Spirit of the Rainbow Youth
Development Program," focused on educating youths on finding ways to make a
difference in their lives. Put together by young Native Americans, community
workshops to train model youth leaders were formed. The conference was reported
on in Daystar News Report, Volume 28, Spring 1997, by Cherriese Veazey,
2404 E. Nutwood #H-36, Fullerton, CA 92831.
A prospective video
documentary project on the history of the New Orleans Free School is
looking for information. The School is a medium sized public alternative school
that was started in 1971 by Robert Ferris and several others. Any one who has
had any contact at any time with Bob Ferris or any other member of The New
Orleans Free School, please contact Mika Buser-Ferris, 4865 Laurel St.,
Apt. B, New Orleans, LA 70115. Tel: 504-895-3645 (collect calls accepted).
A class taught by
Daria Brezinski, Ph.D., takes an in-depth look at the direction society must
take to create an environment that is conducive to developing the whole child.
The course is called Holographic Education for the 21st Century and looks
at the institutions of education, media, science, medicine, law, and communities
and their effects on raising children who know their life's purpose. Daria
Brezinski is President of Eartheart Foundation and To Protect Our Children,
Inc. PO Box 6201, Charlottesville, VA 22906. Tel: 804-973-2777.
I received Aero-Gramme
#22 a few days ago and was very impressed. The article that haunts me in
particular, though, is the brief description by you on page two about your
question to Secretary Riley about national standards. Like you, I fear that Big
Brother's educational variant is lurking on the horizon, ready to mold every
young person in America to suit its needs.
The thing is, I'm not at
all surprised by this development, despite the enormous potential of alternative
education. I agree with the analyses which claim that the chief function of
state-run public education is to create a docile, obedient workforce.
Centralization and homogenization are crucial for this process. Even though
compulsory education proves its obsolescence with each passing day, we should
expect the politicians and their corporate masters to solidify their grip on
America's youth.
For this reason, I'm
wondering if the alternative education movement should also become a real
social-protest movement. It is no secret that the ideals of freedom upon which
this nation was founded are being neutralized by an economic system which
subordinates human dignity to the quest for profits. I fear we have precious
little time to resist before it is too late. On the other hand, that is all the
more reason to fight hard!
Those are a few
reflections inspired by Aero-Gramme #22. Please keep up your outstanding
efforts--Regan Haulotte, Menominee, Michigan (see below).
Regan Haulotte
of Menominee, Michigan, would like to network with people who may be interested
in starting a World Citizens School somewhere in the United States. Regan
envisions it as an independent "school without walls" for young people
interested in the betterment of society and planet earth. The theme of the
school would encompass such areas as philosophy, ecology, peace, and social
justice. The school would operate on the principles of self-directed learning,
the world as classroom, and direct democracy. Regan can be reached at 818 11th
Street, Menominee, Michigan, 49858, or via e-mail at rhaulotte@hotmail.com.
The Summer 1997 issue of
the Office of Educational Research and Improvement contained information
on voluntary national tests, charter schools progress, transforming ideas for
the arts, and the results of recent research studies. The publication is put
out by the US Department of Education, Washington, DC 20208-5570.
A new promotional video
series created for Montessori schools has been produced as a means of
introducing Montessori education to new families. It consists of two volumes:
Planting the Seeds of Learning and Why
Montessori for the Kindergarten Year? They are available from the
Montessori Foundation, 901 N. Pitt St., Suite 310, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Fax: 703-299-0360.
An interview with Rita
Kramer was published in the Fall 1997 issue of the Public School
Montessorian. Rita Kramer produced a biography of Maria Montessori
(in 1976) as well as a number of other books. The two things she stresses
concerning Montessori education today are that "there is no child or adult who
cannot be taught to read by using her method" and that "children find enormous
satisfaction in accomplishment. They develop self-esteem not because someone is
telling them they are good." Excerpts from the biography are also in this
issue. Jola Publications, 2933 N. 2nd St., Minneapolis, MN 55411.
Beginning January 1998,
Vermont College of Norwich University and The Institute for
Educational Studies is offering independent courses for graduate credit.
They are accepting applications for their 1998-1999 Internet-based Master's
program which is completed over three semesters. The program is designed for
the teaching practitioner, teacher aspirant, or education advocate. For more
information, contact TIES, PO Box 411, Brookfield, VT 05036. Tel:
1-800-386-7725. Http://www.tmn.com/ties/
The Landberg
Foundation has
facilitated a program called Education for Moral Courage at an inner-city
elementary school in Denver for the past three years. They will continue to
support the creation of innovative educational programs, but now also will try
to provide a bridge between such programs and the conventional school system.
They would like to continue to support the creation and expansion of such
programs while trying to find a way for the conventional system to learn from
their experiences. For more information, contact Arnie Landberg at 5376 South
High Rd., Evergreen, CO 80439.
Ron Miller (founder of
Holistic Education Review)
is working on a book about the history of the free school movement in the 1960s
and 70s. There has been no serious historical study of the origins of modern
alternative education, which this book will provide. Ron is looking for
collections of newsletters (such as Edcentric, New Schools Exchange,
etc.) and any press clips or articles from that period, and would like to
interview people who were involved in the movement, especially in the regional
and national conferences that took place during those years. PO Box 1069,
Williston, VT 05495. Tel: 802-865-9752.
Children in the U.S.
between 7 and 14, working in teams of two, are being invited to design a project
they can do to help their community "grow up" to be the best it can be in the
1998 US Children's Summit Competition. Five teams will represent the
U.S. at the 5th Annual Children Summit at Disneyland Paris, May 4 to 8 1998.
The theme is 'Growing Up" with sub-themes of Education, Nutrition, Sports,
Relationships, and Children's Rights. Sixty countries will be represented. The
event was established by Disney's magazine publishing group and the Just Think
Foundation of Northern California, in cooperation with UNESCO. For more
information, contact Children's Summit Competition, PO Box 6127, Burbank,
CA 91510-6127. Tel: 800-728-0430. E-mail: www.justthink.org.
A special task force has
recently been formed to make a comprehensive review of education in Maryland.
It is particularly concerned with services for "at risk" children and how
partnerships between public and private organizations could improve their
education. Montessori educator Lee Havis presented testimony before
three task force subcommittees and offered proposals to improve conditions for
Montessori education in the state. This information appeared in the November
1997 issue of The Montessori Observer, 912 Thayer Ave., Silver Spring, MD
20910.
Woodbury Reports
is a networking newsletter for educators and parents, particularly of children
with behavioral or emotional problems. It includes a section called New
Perspectives, which outlines new and/or innovative schools. Issue #89's New
Perspectives summarized Crater Lake School in Oregon, Dancing Moon Ranch in
Montana, Desert Mt. Youth Care, also in Montana, Alaska Wilderness Academy, and
Stonesoup School in Florida. The publication is available at PO Box 1107, 7119
2nd St., Bonners Ferry, ID 83805. Tel/Fax: 208-267-5550. Online: http://
www.woodbury.com
On April 23 1998,
Youth CaN '98 will be at the American Museum of Natural History in New
York. This is a youth-directed and presented project and conference on
environmental issues and environmental telecommunications project. It is for
elementary through high school students and teachers. They will be connected to
another conference in Texas as well as other sites around the world. For more
information, contact I*EARN, 475 Riverside Dr. #540, New York, NY 10115.
Tel: 212-870-2696. Fax: 212-870-2672.
Readers Speak Out!
is a free 'zine for teens who write because they love to. The magazine is
looking for submissions of 50 to 150 words about controversial and pertinent
issues. Internships by mail are also offered. For a free copy, contact
Ronald A. Richardson, 4003 50th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116.
Tranet
announced in August that they are about to stop publication of their 21-year old
newsletter. They have started Yes!, a journal of positive
futures, to promote fundamental social transition to a sustainable, humane, and
ecological future. Their address is PO Box 10818, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.
The Alliance for
Parental Involvement in Education, Inc. (AllPIE)
is looking for assistance to continue offering conferences, retreats, and
workshops. New editors are needed for their newsletter, Options in
Learning. They would also appreciate the submission of stories and
thoughts through articles, letters and resource reviews for the newsletter.
Please contact Seth Rockmuller or Katharine Houk at PO Box 59,
East Chatham, NY 12060-0059.
CyberSearch
is an information management tool that helps find, organize, and retrieve
information from the Internet. Recent benchmark tests showed that CyberSearch
performed a complex search and organizing function, including finding,
compiling, and organizing relevant Internet sites, over five times faster than
other methods. The program also works with files on personal-computer hard
drives and includes an indexing feature that provides for custom searches across
the content of Internet sites, local networks and hard drives. There are three
editions of this program: the Personal Edition; the Information Retrieval
Server; and the Enterprise Edition. All are designed for Windows 95, NT 3.51,
and 4.0 platforms and include Internet Explorer 3.02. Contact AERO for more
information.
The Merrow Report
began airing its series on education on National Public Radio in September
1997. Programs include topics such as Will Boys be Boys?, Getting By, Gifted
Children, The Schools We Need, Inside the Infant Brain, and WWW.Computers.Kids.
Cassettes are available for purchase. Video tapes are also available on several
topics. For more information, contact Learning Matters, Inc., 588
Broadway, Suite 510, New York, NY 10012. Tel: 212-941-8060.
The Holistic Education
Review makes
available a decade of issues of their newsletter, many of which are out of
print. For a list of these publications and topics covered, contact PO Box 328,
Brandon, VT 05733-0328. Tel: 1-800-639-4122.
Public/Private Ventures'
1995 study of Big Brothers, Big Sisters showed that mentoring can have tangible
and significant effects on youth. Involvement with a mentor reduced first-time
drug and alcohol use, cut school absenteeism, improved parental and peer
relationships, and enhanced confidence in doing school work, with grades even
improving somewhat. More results, articles, and programs about mentoring were
published in the National Dropout Prevention Newsletter,
Summer 1997, College of Health, Education & Human Development, Clemson
University, 205 Martin St., Clemson, SC 29634-0726. Tel: 864-656-2599. E-mail:
ndpc@clemson.edu.
Mary Leue
of Albany's Free School writes: Congratulations to Jerry, on behalf of us
all, for his radio appearance on NPR and his own show! Our new website is at
www.lowmedia.com/AltEdFreeSchool
Send us word by e-mail if
you've been able to access it: MarySKOLE@aol.com
Congratulations on the
best issue yet. I especially liked the shot of Alfred Levitt with his
goal of starting the school in New York City. Phenomenal! What an ad for the
life-giving forces involved in the right educational stuff.--John Potter, New
School of Northern Virginia, jpotter@nsnva.pvt.k12.va.usJohn
Ed. note: Alfred
Levitt, a 103
year old artist, spoke at the opening of a special exhibit through February at
Ellis Island honoring his work. The exhibit covers five rooms and includes 20 of
his paintings on load from the Metropolitan Museum. will be there through
February. He is considered to be one of the most important people to have come
through Ellis Island. Alfred is still interested in seeing a democratic school
start in the NYC area, similar to the Modern School, which he attended as
a young man.
Public
Alternatives
The Center for
Education Reform
reported in September that there are now over 750 charter schools open in 23
states serving over 150,000 students. Also, this year over 18,000 children from
poor families have been given the choice to attend private schools because of
more than 30 privately-funded scholarship programs now in existence. 1001
Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 204, Washington, DC 20036.
Bob Fizzell
has put together the most recent edition of Patterns is a
directory of public alternative education resources, including state alternative
education contacts, information about alternative education associations,
publications of interest, resources for charter schools, educational
organizations, institutes and national offices, etc. The cost is $6 plus $3
shipping and handling. Send to EduServe, 1202 NW 109th St, Vancouver, WA
98685.
The U.S. Department of
Education Community Update #51
announced that seven states, fifteen school districts, and Department of Defense
schools have agreed to participate in voluntary national tests in fourth grade
reading and eighth grade math. The tests will be overseen by the National
Assessment Governing Board and will begin in the spring of 1999. They will be
modeled on the National Assessment of Educational Progress; the math tests would
also be linked to the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. For
more information, call 1-800-USA-LEARN or http://www.ed.gov/nationaltests/.
Growing opposition to the
above-described national testing program was reported on in FairTest
Examiner, Summer 1997. The testing project is proceeding
"without congressional approval or even debate" and reactions among educators is
mixed. The Council of Chief State School Officers and the American Federation
of Teachers have approved the plan. However, the Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development has several serious concerns, as does the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the International Reading Association.
The Fall issue of
FairTest Examiner reported further that Congress has put Clinton's
national tests on hold until 2000. The issue will be back before Congress in
1998. In the meantime, the National Academy of Sciences will conduct three
studies: to determine if an equivalency scale can be created that would enable
comparisons between state exams; to evaluate test items already developed by the
Department of Education; and to recommend safeguards against discrimination.
FairTest, 342 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139-1802. Tel: 617-864-4810. Fax:
617-697-2224. www.FairTest.org.
In September,
FairTest released the findings of a state-by-state study which
concluded that most assessment systems need major changes and that states have
been just "tinkering at the edges of reform." The report evaluated the
assessment practices in all 50 states against standards derived from
Principles and Indicators for Student Assessment Systems published by the
National Forum on Assessment. Only Vermont reached the top level on a
five-point scale. Three states "did not have enough of a state system to allow
scoring." These were Delaware, Iowa and Wyoming. The five standards used were:
assessment supports student learning; assessments are fair; educators receive
adequate professional development in assessment; systems are in place for pupil
information, reporting and ensuring parents' rights; and assessment systems are
regularly reviewed and improved. For more information, contact The National
Center for Fair and Open Testing at 342 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139. Tel:
617-864-4810. Fax: 617-497-2224.
The cap on the number of
charter schools was raised from 25 to 37 in Massachusetts last July. They also
added up 13 "Horace Mann" charter schools, which are in-district but not as
autonomous as regular charters. Geographic limits were removed and the
enrollment cap was raised as well. This information was published in the
Charter School Newsletter, Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research,
85 Devonshire St., 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02109.
The commencement address
given to the high school graduation class of the Alternative Community
School by Principal Dr. Dave Lehman last spring was entitled "On
Hope." He quoted from Vaclav Havel, president of the Czech Republic, who has
said that hope in hopeless situations is "a state of mind, not a state of the
world. Either we have hope within us or we don't. Hope is not a
prognostication --it's an orientation of the spirit .... life is too precious a
thing to permit its devaluation by living pointlessly, emptily, without meaning,
without love, and finally, without hope." ACS is located on Chestnut St.,
Ithaca, NY 14850.
Lois Holzman's
new book, Schools for Growth, presents three alternative schools
which differ from conventional schools and most other alternatives in that they
are based on the psychology of Lev Vygotsky and the philosophy of Ludwig
Wittgenstein. The first one is Project Golden Key in Russia which
consists of 30 centers. Each of these centers serves between 60 and 150
children, ages 3 to 10, organized into multi-age groups. Curriculum is
activity-based. The second school examined is Sudbury Valley School in
Massachusetts with 200 students, ages 4 to 19. There are no compulsory classes
or grades there and all decisions are made democratically. Finally, The
Barbara Taylor School in Harlem is a performance school which brings
together the traditions of the African-American community schools and the free
school movement. According to the author, each of these schools succeeds
because they favor environment building -activity-based learning over the
"knowing paradigm." The book is available from the East Side Institute,
500 Greenwich St., New York, NY 10013.
The philosophies of
Rudolf Steiner, Aurobindo Ghose, and Inayat Khan are examined in The
Common Vision: Parenting and Educating for Wholeness by David Marshak.
Marshak explores the similarity of vision of these three men. Each life story
is outlined, then the philosophies are presented and compared in detail. The
author concludes the book with suggestions for applying the underlying common
vision, major lessons to be learned from this vision for parents and teachers,
and transforming schools and our culture. The book is published by Peter
Lang Pub., Inc., 275 7th Ave., New York, NY 10001. Tel: 212-647-7700.
Online: http://www.peterlang.com.
Lynn Stoddard
has written an essay, "Start Education Revolution with Diversity, Integrity,"
which is a preview of his next book. Lynn says that the call to "higher
standards is not a call to redesign education. It is merely a summons to repair
the old system and require teachers to do what they have been expected to do all
along: Mold students into a common form, but put the form at a higher level."
His 5 Pivotal Principles for Better Education, 3 Dimensions of Human Greatness,
and 6 Amazing Attitudes have been implemented in some public schools. 793 S.
200 E., Farmington, UT 84025-2239.
Tom Baker
writes: Thanks for your mailing, which I received today. I am sending my
check. I go back a long way with Changing Schools. I was Bob Barr's
graduate assistant. at Indiana University, 1973-75. I supervised interns in
his, Dan Burke, and Vern Smith's alternative schools master's
program, helped edit Changing Schools' first directory of
alternative schools, and participated in ICOPE's first International Conference
on Alternative Education in Minneapolis, October 1973. My old pal and former IU
classmate Roy Weaver edited Changing Schools for several
years, and I even published a couple of articles in it in the late '70s and
early '80s. I am interested in seeing the article on the Democratic Schools
Conference in England. I spent part of my sabbatical in England last spring,
investigating the effects of ERA. The National Curriculum and its mandated
tests, with every school's scores published nationally, is certainly an example
of heavy-handed, centrally imposed "reform!"
I see that Bob and my old
friend Bill Parrett have a new book out on how to successfully create
public alternative schools, but I haven't gotten my hands on a copy yet. Years
ago, I helped Bill collect data in Houston for his dissertation on alternative
school instruction. He built on my dissertation, but he did a far, far better
job than I! Bob Barr supervised both of us. I did get an AERA conference
presentation out of my dissertation a long, long time ago, and a S(outhwest)ERA
paper from Bill's and my collaboration a little bit later. For the last 22
years I have been primarily involved with teacher education in our five-year
program, and have only been tangentially involved with alternative schools,
primarily through occassional student field experiences in Dallas magnet and
charter schools (about 65 miles away). Still, the alternative school movement
was an important part of my early career, and I want to stay in touch with it.
I had taught in a school-within-a-school in an inner-city Louisville high school
before I went to IU for my doctorate; that may have given me an edge in being
selected as graduate-assistant to the alternative schools program. I'll be
presenting at ATE in Dallas and AACTE in New Orleans next month. Might I see
you at one of those?
I
may be reached at Austin College, Education Department, 900 N. Grand
Ave.,Sherman, TX 75090-4440, phone (903)813-2455, fax (903)813-2326, e-mailtbaker@austinc.edu
Anne Evans
writes from Sonoma, CA: I work at the Clean and Sober High School which
is the second program of its kind that we know of in the country -- the first
was Sobriety High in Marin. There is also one in Minnesota. We fall under
the blanket of "alternative ed" in the public school district -- Sonoma County
is quite venturesome with many charter schools already existing and we are full
and wait-listed and could fill over again in ten minutes.
The school is as
alternative as I can make it and still comply with grades and hours required in
"alt ed" under the public school jurisdiction. We are voluntary but students
must make a commitment to sobriety, to attend 12-step meetings, to random
urinalysis at school and to daily school attendance. We have two classrooms,
each of 22 students, and a counseling staff of four (paid out of Medicare funds)
full-time on-site counselors.
Students attend an hour
of group counseling daily and additionally have individual sessions with their
primary counselors during school time. We hold some spaces for teen drug-court
kids mandated to attend by the judge- but even they attend voluntarily they have
other options. If students are using, they are out the door. Relapses we work
with but behavior that endangers other students in recovery is not o.k.
We hold them to high
standards of honesty about their recovery and they have to actively pursue
recovery. Other than all those recovery things which I have little to do with
(that is the precintct of their primary counselors), I see amazing changes in
the students over very short periods of time as they clean up from drugs. Many
become speakers in public and private high schools after a small amount of time,
and are constantly in demand to talk about their experiences and the experience
of getting sober and maintaining it.
There are some amazing
stories. I have one student who will go to a four year college and one ,whom I
just graduated, who is also four-year college bound. Other than that, for some,
just graduating high school is achievement enough though some go on to the
junior college with the intention of transferring. These students are the
forgotten ones, the invisible ones who have been expelled from every other
school in the county, been homeless, been abused in most cases, and for many it
is the norm, these students have, many of them, been addicts since birth or at
least since 4th grade. They come from three generations, sometimes, of substance
abusers. They have pretty much all beeen in trouble with the law and many are on
probabtion.
The school really does
represent stability to them. And it is a truly warm and caring environment in
which they do fully get supported in recovering from substance abuse. It is a
really big step for some of the students to get clean and stay that way as they
have to say goodbye to their old abusing friends and make new friends who are
clean and sober.
But they are making it.
We have a high success rate. I adore the kids, admire what they are doing and
can reach these troubled and difficult ones in a deeper and more immediate way
than other populations. They are needy though, and it is a constant barrage of
attention demanders. Some just have to disrupt things to have it be normal for
them but I manage to take them on field trips, out hiking and manage too to do
carpentry and other fun classroom projects of a hands-on nature.
Home
Education News
In AERO-GRAMME 22
we mentioned that a new national group of homeschooled students had grown out of
a workshop which we did on democratic decision-making process. The students
named the new organization LOYO, for Learn On Your Own. Since the
meeting there has been a lot of e mail discussion about what to do next. One of
the students, Michael Delaney
(FoolsRun@mindless.com)
has created a web site, http://loyo.home.ml.org, which is now linked to the AERO
web site, www.speakeasy.org/~aero Anyone interested in getting involved with
LOYO is welcome to e mail us, or send e mail from the new web site.
Readers may remember
Shiloh Moates, a homeschooler who went to teach in Africa when he was 15,
and entered Radford University upon his return at age 16. He is now 18,
going into his senior year after studying anthropology in a bi-lingual program
in Bogota, Colombia.--
He writes: Only a few
days left in Colombia and back to the University for the spring semester in
Radford. The experience here has been incredible although a bit harder than I
would have liked, having to live in this huge, crazy city with frequent
problems in the stomach, etc. But it has really been unbelievable. The
experience of learning Spanish alone was worth it, not to mention living with
three different families and being that in touch with the culture. I did well
for the semester as well and passed the anthropology class I took at the best
university in the country, which makes me quite happy. Thanks a lot as always,
speaking for myself and all the kids that in one way or another you have helped
to free from the constraints of themselves and public education.
The Home Educator's
Family Times
says in an
article by Dr. Raymond Moore ("Research Shows Benefits of Homeschooling")
that despite calls for more research by educator groups and others, "homeschooling
is, today, the most widely researched educational field." However, most of the
research is ignored, such as the fact that more homeschoolers do better in math,
reading, and socialization than traditionally educated students. The newsletter
is available from the Homeschool Support Network, PO Box 708, Gray, ME
04039. Tel: 207-657-2800.
"College Admission
News," by Ken Danford, (excerpted in Growing Without Schooling #119)
reports on the limited existing data comparing college acceptance rates for
homeschoolers and public school students. The results of a survey indicate that
most colleges don't have data which clearly identifies homeschoolers or how many
were accepted into the schools. They did find, however, that "no school
categorically rejects or denies admission to those who homeschool, and it
appears that homeschoolers who make strong cases for admission through test
scores, portfolios, and other presentations, can gain admission to any college
or university in the United States, and that the decision to homeschool in
itself neither helps nor hinders this process." GWS, 2269 Massachusetts Ave.,
Cambridge, MA 02410.
An interesting article by
William Upski Wimsatt called "Who's afraid of self-education?" was
published in the premier issue of XXL. Billy states: "There's a
long tradition of Black people teaching themselves by alternative means or
questioning conventional wisdom." Yet, homeschooling "is a taboo subject for
many black parents and educators. 'Historically, we fought to get into
the schools, so the idea of fighting to get out of schools doesn't make sense to
a lot of people,' says Donna Nichols-White, publisher of The Drinking Gourd
Home-Education Magazine." Billy goes on to describe the ways that many
Black families are homeschooling their children today in America. 1115
Broadway, New York, NY 10010. Tel: 212-807-7100.
Leslie Barson
from England wrote about The Otherwise Club for Growing Without Schooling
#120. The article tells about the history of the club from its creation in
1990. TOC is a group of homeschoolers that meets once a week and makes
decisions consensually. The organizational structure is very relaxed; meetings
are held only occasionally, but workshops are given regularly. Although the
club does not "educate" the children, "it has become a part of the members' home
education, for both the children and the adults." GWS, 2269 Massachusetts Ave.,
Cambridge, MA 02410.
The third edition of
Genius Tribe is a catalog full of "tools for unschoolers & other free
people." The catalog offers materials about homeschooling, learning strategies,
curriculum help, work/volunteer options, community building, health, and much
more. PO Box 1014, Eugene, Oregon 97440-1014.
The National
Homeschool Association
responded to a federal lawsuit involving homeschoolers in October 1997. The
federal suit was introduced by a national homeschooling organization in an
attempt to guarantee that recent federal legislation aimed at keeping guns out
of schools does not prevent homeschoolers from owning guns. The NHA fears that
the suit invites regulations to define homeschooling in ways which will prohibit
homeschoolers' freedoms. For more information, contact NHA at PO Box 290,
Hartland, MI 48353-0290.
Four years ago we created
"scholarships for kids" as a fund with the New York Community Trust to be
a permanent source of scholarships for low income families with pre- and primary
school kids. We add to it each month and distribute the accumulated dividends
and interest. We would like to locate or create if necessary a fund which awards
sholarship funds to homeschoolers. can anyone refer us to such a fund or to
anyone who might like to work on creating one?--JR Miller, emscuba@mail.idt.net
Homeschooling is new to
me, but I'm active to learn more about it. It is because I have a 4.5-year old
kid and would like to find an alternative way of education. The following are a
few of my questions for now #1. If both parents work full time, is it possible
for their child to do homeschooling ? #2. I live in Washington state. Where can
I get a list of homeschool sites in my state?--Chau Nguyen, chaun@lsid.hp.com
We found out about you
through Margaret Hiatt from the Mead School in Stamford,
Connectiut. Our daughter is a student at the Mead School, and we are now
homeschooling our 15-year-old son. We are looking for contacts, ideas, support
and to benefit from the experience of others who have traveled this path,
especially as it relates to home-schooling an adolescent.-- Sameh A. Fakhouri,
sameh@us.ibm.com
Oak Heritage Press
is pleased to announce the publication of The Homeschool Yellow Pages,
a comprehensive directory of home-education suppliers. Find hundreds of
postal and e-mail addresses, telephone, fax, and toll-free numbers, websites,
catalog offers, and product information. Online homeschoolers may get their own
copy for only $5.50 from Oak Heritage Press, P.O. Box 1378, Boerne, TX 78006.
Questions? E-mail: info@oakheritagepress.com
The Pagan Homeschool
List is an e-mail list for pagan homeschool parents. By pagan we mean those
who practice earth-based religions, including but not solely limited to Witches
and Druids. Our activities mainly focus on e-mail support for one another. We
put out a newsletter, Acorns, have some web pages, and some of us have
had real-life campouts together. Several of us who live close to each other
have actually gotten together for homeschool support! This is an open topic
list and the discussions at times can be inappropriate for children. There is a
digest option. E-mail Barbooch@aol.com for subscription information.
International News and Communications
AUSTRALIA
I am a teacher of
5-to-8-year-olds in Australia where alternative methods are now mostly
mainstream: no textbooks in primary schools, contructivist approaches, authentic
assessments and multi-age classes. I am surprised that more is not on the Net.
We have a good system here even though funding is being strangled by
shortsighted governments. I am researching learning centres, anyone using them.
I am collecting all descriptions and forms. Love to hear from you--Julie
Bradby, bradbyqonline.com.au
AUSTRIA
We are fifteen to twenty
people from the Schlerschule in Vienna, Austria. Maybe you remember us from the
third or the fourth Hadera conference. We are planning an American trip for our
new Inter-College which is an internationally networked high school for
age fourteen to twenty. We would like to come in May `98 to visit New York, some
democratic schools, and then fly to the West Coast. We would also like some
contacts from democratic schools there. Our aim would be to stay with families
from a school in order to improve our English and get to know America. Naima ,
Domenic , Ben , Krisi , Katharina , Rene , Louis , Paul , Sophie , Janina, Sarah
, Susi , Jerry , etc. Ben Wunsch- Grafton : 0044-148-99346, School Tel/Fax:
0044-140-82039. E-mail: LOUIS_GERHARD_EXE@compuserve.com
BRAZIL
A new book by Helena
Singer has just been published called Republica de Criancas: Sobre
Experiencias Escolares de Resistencia (Republic of Children: On Schooling
Experiences of Resistance). Its theme is the free schools
which Helena describes, including Summerhill and Sudbury Valley School. It's
available from Helena Singer at Av. Angelica, 546 ap. 95 01228-000 Sau Paolo
(SP) Brazil.
CHINA
Dear Jerry, I just wanted
to drop you a quick e-mail to thank you for referring my 'call for help' to Ms.
Pat Montgomery at the Clonlara School Home Based-Education Program.
I'm sure you must be very busy and I really appreciate your taking the time out
to lend me some assistance. Although we have already celebrated the New Year
here in China, they are preparing for their celebrations for Jan. 28, 29 & 30th.
With this in mind, please, may I extend to you a "Xin Nian Kwai Le!" (shin
nien kwaee luh) Happy New Year!!! With kind regards,--Laura Busche-Ong,
wuhch@public.wh.hb.cn
ENGLAND
Emiko Shinozawa
has been accepted at a school in London and will be taking a one-year course in
sound recording and production. Congratulations and good luck, Emiko!
Education Otherwise
is a membership organization in England which provides support and information
for families of homeschoolers and others interested in alternative education.
Their newsletter #117 includes articles on home education, chess for young
beginners, contacts, international links, child jails, and more. The
publication is looking for volunteer editors. Contact EO at PO box 7420,
London, N9 9SG.
Since 1978 Diana Grace
has been implementing "whole child" approaches in education and child care. She
conducts workshops for adults and for children in schools. These workshops
provide opportunities to develop children's creativity, social awareness and
higher values, self-worth, and concentration and listening skills. For more
information, contact Diana Grace at 'Alianca,' 3, Glendale Drive, Chippenham,
Wiltshire, SN15 3BQ.
Another book, this one by
Roland Meighan, is called Flexi-schooling. It describes
the way that some families today are educating their children using whatever
works best for the students at the particular time in their lives.
Flexi-schooling is a "part-time arrangement whereby school and family share
responsibility in an agreed contract and partnership." It is available from
Education Now Books, PO Box 186, Ticknall, Derbyshire DE7 1WF.
The following is a
message sent to Zoe Readhead of Summerhill, by Liz Rantz, whose son
visited Summerhill on an AERO trip last summer and is now a
Summerhill student:
Appreciated your letter
to parents today about the persecution of the school by the authorities. I am
very pleased by all the changes I have seen in Stephen in his one term
there, and he is excited about being there and planning on staying a long time.
It is hard for me to relate to why they care about a handful of students so
much, especially when so many of them are not British kids. Certainly parents
know their kids and their needs and should be able to judge what is in their
best interest. But we have some horror stories in the States about
homeschooling families being harassed and even arrested, so I guess government
abuse shouldn't surprise me. I'd be glad to write the powers that be, though I
doubt my little American voice would matter. You are doing a great work there
keeping the place going, and I don't want you to let the bastards get you down!
Fondly,--Liz Rantz.
FRANCE
October 25 to 26, in
Vichy, France, the Annual Meeting of Les Enfants d'abord, the French
homeschool organization, will be held. Brigitte Guimbol, 474
Chemin de Font Cuberte, 06560 Valborne, France. Tel: 04 93 12 93.49. E-mail:
bguimbal@aol.com.
Theleme,
a boarding alternative school in Vernet, France, in the Pyranees, had to vacate
its main building because of financial problems, but continues with a small
number of students and staff under the leadership of Michel Ferre.
Contact AERO for more information.
INDIA
Excited! yet to explore
more, just thought will sign the guest book for now!--Kudlu Chithprabha,
chith@manashi.cc.iitb.ernet.in
HUNGARY
The Rogers School
educates elementary-school children using a person-centered approach based on
Carl Rogers' observations. Each class creates its own standards and
guidelines. The school is operated by the Carl Rogers Foundation with a great
deal of parental participation. Contact them at H-1121 Budapest, Fulemile U. 5
- 7. Hungary. Tel: 361-156-6894.
JAPAN
Note from Jerry Mintz:
Mike Corliss, a reporter from the Japan Times , e-mailed me that
he wanted to do a story on homeschooling in Japan. I gave him Kyoko Aizawa's
e-mail, and he did a major story on the problem of school refusers and truancy
in Japan, interviewing Kyoko and others. "The law says we have the right to
education, but we don't have the right to choose the form of education," Kyoko
said in the story. Corliss said that 180,000 Japanese students are refusers and
miss significant amounts of school. Tokyo Shure was also mentioned in the
story. Kyoko subsequently e-mailed:
Hello Jerry, The article
of the Japan Times appeared 4th January. The reporter wrote to me that he
wants to write more! And he said he will contact me again. I hope to make the
problem clear and make them re-think the system and forms of education in Japan.
Thank you for your help as always! With love,--Kyoko, Otherwise Japan,
owj@tkb.att.ne.jp
The day I left for the
Czech Republic, Japan Television came to my house in New York to
interview me for a feature they were doing about public and private alternatives
and homeschooling in the US. They sent me the tape, which, of course, was
translated into Japanese and left me straining to hear the words underneath. But
it does seem that the winds of educational change have been reaching Japan.
NETHERLANDS
I was looking for the
address and more useful information about Summerhill and incidently found out
that there's also the Sands school in Devon. Nice surprise! I myself work as a
history teacher at Eigenwijs (means hardheaded) in Nijmegen, the only
free school left in the Netherlands. We teach 14-to-20-year-olds at our school.
Our anarchistic approach sort of developed itself out of the left scene in this
town. It started out 15 years ago as an "extension" in squatting. Many of our
pupils are people that live in squats or are part of the left scene. I enjoy it
a lot and love to learn more about how things are over there today! We don't
have a home-page (not online yet),but we are happy to answer questions about our
school.--Jon. wilberts@antenna.nl
ROMANIA
The SocRaTeE
Foundation is
a non-profit organization dedicated to audio-visual and information technology
alternative education.
Our goal is
to propagate through audio-visual and computer networks means new ideas about
education. We encourage projects for new forms of school and schooling. We
collect and share new educational ideas and experiences from all over the world.
We produce radio and TV programs on alternative education and offer them freely
to local Romanian radio and TV broadcasters. We would be very happy if you
could send us some videos (documentary, artistic, essay, interviews, etc.)
reporting on any items related to alternative education. Depending on
dimensions, we intend to use such material "as-it-is" (titled/dubbed
translation) or mixed with other similar issues. Technically, the BetaCam
professional standard would be best suited to our goals--but any other video
standard (Pal, Secam, NTSC) could be used, at the expense of a certain loss of
image quality.--Paul Silvestru, journalist, The SocRaTeE Foundation
Tel: +40-(0)1-311.09.60. Fax: +40-(0)1-312.44.15. Intr. Victor Eftimiu 2-4,
cam. 603/605, Bucuresti 1, Romania. E-mail: socrate@infotin.sfos.ro. Online:
http://infotin.sfos.ro/socrate
SCOTLAND
We now have 11 pupils (up
from 9 at the start on 29/9/97). We are moving to school site on a 3-year lease
next month and seeking to produce our first literature which is causing much
debate amongst us as we try and reach consensus over curriculum policy and other
matters. There is much happening. We have 4 full-time boarders, three of whom
are from Japan and one from London. The rest are local day kids. Boarding has
been a complicated issue for us (and our local authority) because we did not
find a suitable property to house the residential school. So we arranged for
"home hospitality" with families for those four kids that needed it. The Social
Services have got themselves in great confusions trying to find a legal
precedent for this hospitality scheme. They can't decide whether it is private
fostering or whether we are running children's homes. In any case, they want us
to go through a ridiculous process for new kids' applications for hospitality.
Between these people at social services, building control and planning
departments, school inspectors, and various other statutory authorities, it
makes one wonder how any new community project can get off the ground without
relying on help (with strings attached) from government or capitalist investors.
Recruitment is our priority now. Paul Godden, The Galloway Small School,
Foley Field, Barnbarroch, Kippford DG5 4QS, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Tel/Fax: +44 1556 620696, E-mail: gss@godd.demon.co.uk
SPAIN
Dear
Jerry: I am Alberto Alegre. I talked to you on the phone a couple of
months ago. I am Spanish (I live in Barcelona), and I told you that I want to
open a free school in my city. A school inspired in the ideas of Summerhill,
and people like Neill, or John Holt. I am a Pedagogue and an
economist. When I worked as a teacher I often tried to use the techniques of
Freinet. I have been working in an insurance company and a car dealer
company for the last 13 years or more. I have been thinking and I realize that
I have been apart from education too many years. So I decided that before
opening a school, it could be good to work in a progressive school for one or
two years. Since there are not schools like Summerhill in Spain, I would like
to find a place in an American school that works with this kind of idea.
I found more or less 70
in your Almanac of Education Choices that follow the ideas of freedom
for children and non-compulsory class attendance, and I wrote to them asking
for a job, or just a place to live with my wife and my two children, that allow
me to participate in the school life. I am waiting for their answer.
I have been convinced of
the idea of freedom in the school since I was 17 (now I am 39 years old). But I
have always been the only one among the people and the pedagogues and teachers
that I know. That's why, after three years of working in a school, I lost my
hope in the possibility of opening a free school in Barcelona. I left education
and started working in an insurance company.
Now is the time to come
back. Since you are an expert and know so many free schools in USA, maybe you
can help me to find one. I could teach Spanish, or economy, or math. When I was
a teacher I worked with little children, four and five years old. After so many
years working with adults, I think I can work with children of any age. It could
be one of the nicest things in my life if I could work in a free school and
later open my own school in Barcelona.
Thank you for everything.
If you want to answer me, my address is: Alberto Alegre, August Font 33, 1,
Barcelona 08035. Tel: 2124215 Fax: 2023563. E-mail: mersal@abaforum.es
Editor's note: After
making some suggestions and contacts for Alberto, he recently sent us the
following e mail--JM:
These last two weeks have
been incredible! I have at this moment four different schools that have offered
me a place, and many lovely answers from people all around the USA (even Hawaii)
that can't offer me a job but invited me to visit their school. I wish I could
accept all the offers, but it is not possible.....I will visit these schools
next March, and I will see in which one can I be more useful and learn more. In
any case, thank you very much for your help. Without your web page, and your
book, I would be still alone in my idea to start a free school in Barcelona.--Alberto
TAIWAN
There are about four
alternative schools in Taiwan. The most famous one is Forest School. Some
students whom you met in Summerhill graduated from it. Our school is
called Seedling School, established in 1994 by some parents who feel
disappointed about the education in Taiwan. It's a very young
school.
Some of our ideas indeed
come from Summerhill, but we believe parents should and need to participate
children's education. One of our former deans even visited Sudbury Valley School
and she translated "Sudbury Valley School" into Chinese. In fact, we all
hope one day our school can be the same as Sudbury Valley
School.
There are 52 students
from age 7-12 and seven teachers in our school. Our school is located in a Tayal
village, one of the aborigines in Taiwan, surrounded by beautiful mountains and
streams. We have a schedule but students can choose freely their favorite
courses except Chinese and Math. They can do whatever they like during their
free time.
Since the school was
established, arguments, compromise always happen every semester, because
everyone has their own idea about education. Some thought that students should
be treated reasonably but they still hope students learn under the good
structure and well constructed. Now our goals and ideas are more and more clear.
We want a free-learning school. Some things I cannot explain become the
tradition. But we all know that arguments still will happen because we emphasize
the cooperation between parents and school.
We plan to extend our
school to high school. It is more difficult because the government in Taiwan has
more restrictions. We need to know the experience of other alternative schools.
That's why I'm interested about this organization. I'm really surprised to see
your mail.-- Kathleen. snipe@top2.ficnet.net.tw
From the
AERO Web Site
E mail addresses are:
jmintz@acl.nyit.edu
jmintz@igc.apc.org
JerryAERO@AOL.com
Web site is: http://www.speakeasy.org/~aero
John A. Thompson,
jthompson@nhc.noaa.gov
This site is a pleasant
surprise! To think, I stumbled across the address in a thread on a boating mail
list....My wife and I have been musing with the idea of creating an alternative
education at-sea program when she finishes her masters in oceanography. The idea
would be to offer courses in oceanography, marine biology, Caribbean history,
literature of the sea, etc., aboard a large sailing ship homeported either out
of South Florida or the US Virgin Islands. We would conduct charity work during
our port visits to the different islands, and could use the ship to convey
medical supplies, clothing, and building materials to those in need. Students
would not only study, they would be engaged in charity and in the sailing of the
ship. Besides her study of physics and oceanography, our qualifications include
my degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (MIT) and soon a degree
in Applied Marine Physics. We are both sailors, living aboard our sailing ketch
Tethys, and I was previously an officer of the US Navy. We help run our
church's youth program, working with both middle and high school children. I
have done some substitute teaching, and am currently looking for teaching
opportunities in Florida to expand my experience in the field .We've been
looking for resources and organizations which might help us to realize our
goal. Anyone out there share our interest?
Carl Beekman, Ph.D.,
Wolfcarl@aol.com
I am very impressed! I
have had quite a bit of experience in the "Alternative" schooling. If you ever
need any help in your endeavors, please let me know. We have just finished a
3-phased workshop on Creative Teaching & Learning styles for an Alternative
School on the Navajo Reservation. I would love for those children to have a
chance to participate in some of your programs. Beekman-Fraser Consulting, Inc.
Carl Beekman, Ph.D.Vice President 2239 "B" Simpson Ridge Circle, Kissimmee, FL
34744 Tel: (407) 518-9552 Fax: (407) 518-9652.
Elizabeth Reid,
Lizreid103@aol.com
I am interested in
hearing from any old students from Playmountain Place in Los Angeles or from
Kirkdale School in London. If anyone knows about any old freeschoolers living
in Orange County, CA, I would be very keen to get in touch with them.
H. Clouse,
clouse@fnet.friendlynet.com
Am in OH. Working on
funding Alt. Schl. that is horse-based. Looking for any help & guidance on the
funding maze.... Thanks.
Martha Catherine
Alter,
marthaaltr@aol.com
I would be extremely
interested in any information about alternative education that you could send
me. I am especially interested in free schools. I am in my third year of
undergraduate studies and want to eventually open my own school. I want
ideas!!!!
Dave Douglas,
Londonderry, NH, mail@self-ed.com
SELF-ED is a concept of
alternative K-12 education that goes beyond education reform. Those interested
are welcome to check us out at www.self-ed.com.
Chieko Yamazaki-Heineman,
thomas@hatelecom.or.jp
Any guests who have
surfed on this site from Japan and are interested in alternative education,
please contact me.
Padmini Angel Jones
I love Neil. I wish I
could have met him, I only discovered that Summerhill existed some time
ago when a dear friend Mark gave me "The Problem Family", and "Summerhill." I
want to visit Summerhill. Is this possible? I have been driven to understand
my childhood and others for so long. My instincts have never fit with the
practices of others and many times I regret to say I have resisted even my own
instincts due to my own selfishness. But I get better every day and the more
freedom I give myself the more it appears when I am with the children. I love
them, they are my teachers and I wish to somehow protect them from hate as Neil
and his wife spent years doing. Please help me know everything I can about
Summerhill. 325 Lincoln Avenue, Highland Park, New Jersey, 08904.
John Coakley,
JimCoakley@prodigy.net
Wonderful site, I am sure
it will be an immense help.
For anyone out there: I
am a senior at a public high school in NH. I am doing a senior project looking
at the evolution of free schools, and look to design a small program at my
school based on my research. Please, if you have any information whatsoever on
free schools, their development, their philosophy, and where they are now, by
all means contact me. Anyone else who has thoughts/ideas/resources on
educational philosophy in general, feel free to write as well.
S. Kegley,
mordrum@aol.com
I am a former Spanish
(high school/alternative) teacher working to put together homeschooling help in
foreign languages. Currently, I meet individually with students approx. 1
hour/wk. Any suggestions or existing info would be appreciated. Thanks for the
great resource!
Meaghan Nelson,
mnelson02@gw.hamline.edu
I am a recent graduate of
an alternative high school (adult based education) in Lakeville, MN and have
gone on to a selective university. I am very happy to see your page with the
many different types of alternative learning. I want people to see the value of
an alternative education and the success that can come of it. I am also doing a
research on alternative schools and your page has been a big help. thanks!
Francis D. Whitaker,
fdw@mail.coos.or.us
I am the what they call
"Site Coordinator" of a private, non-profit alternative school in Coos Bay, OR.
I constantly look for better ways to serve our students and will return to your
site to look for information. I'm glad I found you. Don't know why it has taken
so long.
Russell Ericson,
Fritz812@AOL.com
I am currently enrolled
as a junior at Skyview Public High School in Billings, MT. I am strongly
interested in trying to find some way of opening doors that would carve a path
to my school to practice alternative means of education within the school
itself. I agree very much so that grades, along with the unavailability of a
way each student could study materials that they are interested in. I know
that public schools are required to meet a base core of essential materials that
they must teach, but I think it is possible to fit these educating styles
somewhere into our curriculum. I know as a student myself, that I perform much
better when I study something that interests me. I would like to hear any
thoughts or suggestions someone might have in helping to accomplish this. Thank
you very much
Ramonde Plumb,
rmplumb@pacbell.net
I am a homeschooling mom
of a 4 year old and a 6 year old. We have schooled both kids since they where 1
1/2 years old. We have tried public schools and that was a choice. As my oldest
now hates public schools and teachers. I hope my family can hook up with others
that homeschool. Looking forward to getting some e-mail
Laura Corkern,
laura-corkern@fwsd.wednet.edu
I am interested in small,
in-home schools. Beyond homeschooling to include others' children. Anyone
doing this?
El Ivens,
bsnevi@jdv.net.com
I am looking for
information on alternative schools and programs for Middle School students that
are at-risk
Energeia Publishing,
Inc.,
Energ123@aol.com
Now online at:
WWW.ENERGEIA.COM is Energeia Publishing's new catalog of career, education and
self-help booklets. Energeia booklets help people reach their full potential.
Thank you for visiting
Energeia online.
Troy Judd,
Website: Manual High School
Art Teacher, Emmerich
Manual high School, 4701 Crestview Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46205
(317-255-8265)-Interested in any future correspondence
Anne Richert Hotz,
avmallrat@ aol.com
I am interested in
starting my own school in southern California. I have attended "free schools,"
homeschooled my own boys, and am now working at a small private school catering
to the iep needs of "hurt" children. The synapses started snapping at your web
sight. thank you.
Jim Woods,
jimwoods@edutechnet.com
You may find our website
to be very beneficial; www.edutechnet.comis the product of career technologists
and educators collaborating together to enhance education through technology.
Our site includes best practices, editorial opinions, software reviews,
recommendations, and a good collection of links to lessons plans, standards, and
other resources.
Hal L. Studholme,
studhol2@TCNJ.EDU
I am creating a web page
that will have educational links as a resource for teachers and students. I will
only have about 3 links and would like "AERO" to be one of them. Is this OK with
you ?
PS I have written to you
in the past when I was a graduate student at Teachers College, Columbia.
Thanks.-Hal. HStudholme@aol.com
Mahendren Chinniah,
kaniv@tm.net.my
I like to homeschool my
kid age 4 and 5. Can you help me
Mahendren Chinniah Hse
No:183,Lorong Seroja 3, Taman Fortuna, Bt 2.5 Jalan Penampang, 88200 Kota
Kinabalu.Sabah
Charlotte Miller,
charlie@gisco.net
I am and English major at
St. Lawrence University. I am writing a representative piece on alternative
education for a feature writing class. Any info would be appreciated. Please
send it to the above E-Mail. I am a non-traditional student who has a strong
interest in alternative ed. I volunteer as a mentor for Thousand Islands
Community School.
Susan Langdon,
Suezq73507@aol.com
I would just like to
thank you for this site. It has given me great info on how to help my son.
Keep up the good work and good luck to you all.
Dan Fuchs,
Dan_Fuchs@cce.org
I'm currently working at
Satellite Academy High School, one of the oldest alternative public schools in
New York City, and am particularly interested in Advisory Group (sometimes
called Family Group). If anyone out there has any good readings on the topic,
or on facilitation of groups in high schools, please e-mail them to me.
Mindy Faber,
mfaber@artic.edu
Just exploring options
because even though I totally believe in public education and I am doing
everything in my power to make it better, I am still overwhelmingly frustrated
with its mediocrity. My six year old is bright and creative and they don't
have anything for him. but I think all children deserve something better.
Beth
btepper1@erols.com
I was doing a lot of
research on homeschooling options and came across DK publishings books, videos &
cd-rom. I was so impressed with the educational value once I started a home
learning center that I became a distributor. We have materials for children of
all ages and ability levels. Drop me a line for more info!
T Brown,
tbrown@dhs.nesc.ar.us
Hello Mr. Mintz, I am a
High School resource teacher working on my masters in special education. I am
writing a position paper on the appropriateness of ALEs for students with
disabilities. Any information would be helpful.
Michael Hartner,
kcs11@mhv.net
Website: J. Watson Bailey
Middle School
Hi Jerry, I thought I'd
check out your web page. I'm looking forward to hearing from you. There is a
great deal of potential for alternative education programs in this (The Kingston
City Schools) district. We'd appreciate any help you could give us.
Emilie,
gardnfev@nwi.net
Heard of this site from a
fellow homeschooler who is now looking into other alternative educational
options. I finally surfed through this site and am very impressed with the
information. Since I edit both a local hsing newsletter as well as a state hsers
email newsletter, I will certainly forward this web site location.
I am looking for a post
secondary school with the Summerhill philosophy. I love to learn but not be
forced to. Also I find the pressure of having to get good grades and
competition within Universities takes away from the learning. I want to have
fun and like learning. Peter Hargis
Janin Paine,
vanzetta@only.com
Website: Play Mountain
Place ASD#128709
Just looking for
alternative school information on the www. I guess I found it! I am parent at
Play Mountain Place, one of the oldest alternative preschool-elementary schools
in the country. Play Mountain was founded in 1949 by Phyllis Fleishman
and based partially on England's famed Summerhill School and on the work
of psychologist Carl Rogers. We have a home/school partnership program where
some elementary children attend three days a week. We also have a teacher
training/intern program. If you are in Los Angeles come visit us. Call first
310-870-4381. Or write at 6063 Hargis St., L.A. CA 90034.
Evelyn DeJesus,
eavie@ix.netcom.com
I am interested in
hearing from individuals who are currently working on safe schools programs. In
Illinois, the state board has approved funding for the creation of alternative
education programs which serve students who have been either "excluded" or
expelled for "gross misconduct". It is the belief of the state, that as a
community we are responsible for educating those individuals who are out in the
streets because our current system is not able to meet their needs. These
students are individuals who have committed a "crime" in their school and are
seen to be a danger to the school community at large. Hope to hear from all you
avante garde educators out there!
Debbie Yerby,
pyerby@erols.com
Dear Mr. Mintz, I am
interested in a brochure about your organization. I was a special education
teacher for over 15 yrs. for ED children .It was my response to public
education. I chose a field that I knew I could be relatively autonomous in the
classroom. I tried many alternative methods to reach my students. I became
increasingly disgruntled with public schools; especially since my own children
now are attending them. I have chosen to homeschool my 12 yr. old daughter. She
really hated middle school ! I am interested in locating people that are
homeschooling their middle schoolers specifically girls. A friend and I are
considering opening an alternative school in our community and need some valid
suggestions on what we need to do. I was a director of a preschool for the last
6 yrs. I began with 12 kids and one staff member and went to 7 staff members and
41 children from 2 - 5 yrs old. Hope this gives you some idea of that sorts of
things I need from AERO.
Pauline Hixson,
PFHKAHNAH@worldnet.att.net
Actively searching for
acceptable education for my children who are advanced in school. Seeking
magnet/alternative/proceed at your own pace education. Located near Charlotte,
NC. Anyone else out there in the same boat?
Mary Ann Buck,
janitor@interaccess.con
I am a mother of a 17
year old son. He is currently in the 11 grade. He has learning disabilities and
is diagnosed ADD. He has had a very difficult time in school. He hates every day
of it, but is determined to get a high school diploma. If there is any
information you can send to me from this web page I would appreciate it. I need
your help!!!!!
Special
Section:
CHANGING
SCHOOLS
Since 1973: The Journal of Alternative Education
For more information and
direct notification, write to Susan Condrey, International Alternative Education
Conference Information, 16490 Harbor Blvd., Suite B, Fountain Valley, CA 92708.
E-mail: susan_condrey@ocde.k12.ca.us. Tel: 714-418-0303
TRANSITIONING SCHOOLING TO LEARNING
-Beyond
1998-
by Don
Glines
Potential societal
futures vividly indicate that communities must make the transition from
"schooling" -- the existing conventional structures -- to "learning" -- totally
new systems for the emerging century. The issue is clear. If the United States
has the intelligence and technology to send a manned capsule to Mars in the next
two decades, educators have little defense for maintaining the M-W-F college
courses, and more importantly, the worst invention ever -- the "7th grade." The
research at this level validates how out of sync K-12 schools and universities
have been and are for most learners. Current charter -school efforts are of
no major consequence.
Sadly, educational
"reform" has been clarioned throughout the 20th Century. The work-study-play
concept begun in Gary, Indiana, in 1907; the famous Eight-Year Study of the
1930s; the Lloyd Trump model schools of the 60s/70s; the three great university
laboratory programs of the past 100 years -- Chicago, Ohio State, Mankato State;
and the non-school design for the Minnesota Experimental City illustrate many
multiple beginnings. Though there have been some cosmetic alterations, and even
short-range successful histories, the conventional blueprints for schooling --
except in selected alternative programs -- have generally continued. There has
been no truly significant, lasting, positive innovation nationwide in ten
decades.
Traditional K-12 change
leaders today preach that more rigorous requirements, a longer school year,
tougher discipline and uniforms, national standards and assessment, algebra and
geometry for everyone, Latin again for the gifted, inclusion education for all,
mandatory parent involvement, and, of course, installation of and instruction in
computer technology, will resolve the great dilemmas facing individuals and the
global society. Most educational futurists, however, state that such
reincarnations will not reflect a significant difference; in the long term they
only foreshadow negative influences. Creating a golden age of optimism requires
replacing the already-obsolescent patterns of schooling. "Tougher courses" will
not eliminate the D-and F-student syndrome.
Recent "old innovations"
such as the misunderstood and erroneously implemented 90-minute block schedule
only compound the priority dilemma of the existing structure: group-paced,
required of all, self-contained, graded classrooms. Politics still control
learning. There are too many books listing the academic approach to planning
for change, which though helpful, seldom lead to more than discussion, not
actual implementation. There are continuing claims that changing a school takes
more money and staff, despite many experiences to the contrary; The Gary, IN
district and Mankato, MN Wilson Campus School had traditional budgets and high
achievement in "radical" programs enrolling a cross-section of youth by
reallocating resources and overhauling the philosophy, mechanics, and factors of
student responsibility.
Needed now are voluntary
programs that go beyond any that currently exist. Improving the educational 747
is still important for those who choose to fly, but for those educators who
accept the challenge, the Atlantis should be in orbit now, while the X-22 is
assembled for the next generation. Communities forced to immediately
jump from the 747 to the spaceship will revolt, but when given the choice, a
critical mass will volunteer to explore. A five -to ten -year period for
planning to eliminate the 7th grade is not necessary. The American forces
at Midway had a quick, makeshift strategy with minimal support. The Japanese
had a ten-year plan with overwhelming superiority. Midway proved that good
planning is often a matter of "dumb luck," for there are always possible
discontinuities. Boldness is an essential requirement for the 1999 AD plus
leaders.
The Minnesota
Experimental City (MXC) was designed in the early seventies with a geodesic
dome, waterless toilets, no automobiles, people movers, and all the latest
electronic capabilities. The exciting phase for education was that learning
would occur without schools, universities, and Bluebird buses. Everyone was a
teacher; everyone was a learner. The city was the living learning laboratory.
When desired, individuals of ALL ages could participate in the Stimulus Centers,
Beginning Life Centers, Learner Banks, Project Centers, Gaming Centers, Family
Life Centers, and existing facilities (businesses, laboratories, parks). Much
learning was to occur at home. The computer-driven LORIN system (Learning
Objectives Resources Information Network) was organized to immediately access
contacts for one-to-one and small-group interaction, assistance, material, and
evaluation.
The transfer model toward
these plans for existing programs was being developed at the Wilson Campus
School of Mankato State University, where pre-birth through senior citizen
offerings were functioning under one roof. All ages were mixed in a non-graded
manner. There were no ABC report cards, course requirements, homework
assignments, mandated texts, final exams, textbooks, master schedules, or
attendance regulations. The facilities were open year-round with no semesters
or quarters. Learners selected their own facilitators and advisors. Pre-schoolers
and high schoolers functioned with university-level students who could earn B.S.
and M.S. degrees in experiential education. All students could take "college
classes." Change occurred utilizing the existing budget and staff. This design
began in 1968, not 1998, and was borrowed from the 20s and 30s.
The Wilsonites were in
the communities much of the time, assisting and studying at the state
mental-health hospital; helping in the old folks home; mountain climbing in
Colorado; learning Spanish in Puebla, Mexico; and dozens of similar activities.
Volunteering and responsibility were keys; antiquated "algebra
syndromes" were eliminated. The affective and psychomotor domains were more
important than the cognitive. Person-center approaches assisted youth on
court-granted probation. Gifted and special education set-asides were not
needed, as learning for all was personalized, individualized, and self-paced.
Curriculum was interdependent; faculty worked as teams. Participants knew that
another language could not be learned fifty minutes a day, five days a week, for
nine months, for two years; 50x5x9x2 is the university-admissions-invoked
formula for illiteracy. Staff realized that such designs and requirements made
no sense and could not be defended. Therefore, they launched this Mankato
Wilson Campus School, like the three-day decisions at Midway, with only two
months preparation.
New directions are essential for all levels. Buckminister Fuller stated the
need clearly in Critical Path: "We must change our values, lifestyles,
priorities ... and our institutions ..." Ironically, the majority of the
dilemmas facing society have been perpetrated by the best traditional college
graduates: environmental pollution; political ethics; have/have-not gap;
underemployment -- the sixty-four microproblems which equal one macroproblem!
It really is the affective domain, not more algebra, that will determine
the future.
Large industries spend
ten percent on research and development; new and better products are created,
yet relatively unsafe automobiles are still sold to families, as evidenced by
the crash test results. However, education spends only one-fourth of one
percent on R and D. It is no wonder that change is difficult. Even what is
known is seldom used (ungraded teams). Courses in common sense may be
required. Engineers pass their college math tests, but they avoid those labeled
"common sense." An analysis of the freeway patterns and on/off ramps in most
cities would support this reflection. Why has society been able to dock the
Mir, but unable to improve the educational conditions related to poverty,
parent neglect, low achievement, and quitting school?
At many colleges of
education, the name of the Department of Educational Administration has been
"reformed" to Educational Leadership or Human Resources, but the former course,
"Administration of Secondary Schools," continues as old wine in a new wineskin.
Proof abounds, for regardless of cosmetics, the same foundation remains. Most
high schools have period 1-2-3 schedules; ABC report cards; required English,
history, math, and science at specific "grade levels;" hall passes and bells;
homework; suspensions; honor rolls; and cheerleaders. In some, Computer Club
has replaced Chess Club. Nothing really significant has occurred toward
creating new images. Thirty percent of the students still receive ABs; forty
percent earn Cs; and thirty percent are awarded DFs. Seventy percent are at
best satisfactory, mediocre, unsatisfactory, failure. Of the thirty percent
doing well (AB), half are bored. This is not the way to command a ship; as
usual, the Titanic comes to mind.
In the early 60s, it was
realized that the junior high (grades 7-8-9), and the intermediate (7-8), were
far out of sync with this age group. Those called "7th graders" ranged on
traditional "standardized assessments" academically from grade 3 to grade 13;
physiologically, they ranged six years -- some were 5th, some were 9th
"graders." Therefore, in the mid-60s inventors created the middle school,
designed for youth chronologically from generally 10-14 (grades 5-8), but
individually still much broader. The programs were to be individualized and
non-graded; flexibly scheduled with integrated curriculum; no report cards; and
facilities in pods. It was a time to dream. Instead, the enrollment drop in
the high schools led to moving the 9th to a 9-12 configuration based on space.
Then the 5-8 or 6-8 was argued, with the latter usually winning; the name over
the door was changed from junior to middle. Little of significance related to
learning happened; the structure remained the old junior high in practice -- or
often worse, for electives were eliminated. There were few exceptions.
The elementary years were
to have nongraded, team oriented, individualized, self-paced interdependent
curriculum patterns. There were to be no self-contained classrooms, but
instead, space to wander, multiple selections of teacher personalities, special
facilities as in science laboratories and industrial technology, and a read
at the teachable moment philosophy. Again, no change, as the self-contained
boxes of 20-35 remained in 95% of the buildings. It is good that schools did
not teach walking and talking, along with reading; the increase in remedial
classes would have been overwhelming.
Year-round continuous
learning opportunities were to be available. It made no sense for all schools
to close for June, July, August -- even from a traditional space, cost,
test-score perspective. More importantly, students would have the choice of
attending school and vacationing throughout the twelve months to accommodate
individual and family learning and lifestyle preferences. Once more, 95% of the
schools clung to the outmoded notion of three summer months off -- even though
experiences beginning in 1904 documented that this was not the best pattern for
ALL. Fortunately, a few districts have "proven" YRE by continuing it for
the past 25 years.
Universities and
teacher-education schools have refused to change too. Though there are a few
small innovative colleges, some programs in Europe, and scattered experimental
options, over 90% remain with MWF one-hour lectures, weekly three-hour "Tuesday
night" classes, administration courses reinforcing uniformity and tradition, and
graduation "credits" based on the clock.
Further, typical
educators and physicians have refused to recognize the relationship of
environmental illness with learning. How schools often contribute to poor
health is well documented in Is This Your Child's World? by Doris Rapp.
Many low-achieving children are affected by the environment. Even if not, they
need assistance which begins with their strengths and successes, not their
weaknesses and failures. Better approaches are required in programs for these
youth, and for school maintenance practices and facilities.
It is a shame that more
explorers have not joined that spacewalk potential in education -- the real
breakthroughs possible via brain-mind research, technology, and a humane
philosophy. New programs are so easy to start through college and
school-within-a-school plans, magnets, and alternatives for everyone. Multiple
choices and community-learning concepts are feasible most everywhere. Such
efforts are supported by research, cost no more, improve learning potential, and
are essential for the present.
Educators andcommunities
will not change the century-old traditions until they are dissatisfied enough to
realize that the existing is not the answer. People should ask, "Is this the
best instructional structure that can be invented?" Innovators must challenge
convention; they need to ask what research (not opinion or comfort) is there to
support the current school organizational patterns. There is none -- other than
decades of repetition. The successes do not validate a system that could be
better for most learners.
It is time for
IMAGINEERING -- to imagine, invent, implement. Figments of imagination are
essential. Educational astronauts in school districts and universities
throughout America are needed to volunteer to begin perhaps small but
critical-mass exciting spacewalk examples in education. Brush fires at the
majority of institutions could truly lead to a national bonfire and the
destruction of the barriers to change, as Midway eventually led to the defeat of
Japan.
Though many will argue
that conventional American education has achieved much with self-contained first
grades, required 7th-grade math, high-school advanced placement, and college
degrees, it has lost the maximum potential for the majority of youth. When (if)
Americans land on Mars in two decades, history should record that during the
coming years, the education versions of the Kittyhawk, Spirit of St.
Louis, P-38 -- and the early jets -- became museum pieces. 20/20 visions
must begin the transition in 2000 toward entirely new systems for the future.
It is time to witness the benefits of Transitioning Schooling to Learning.
FROM A TALK IN SUPPORT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
CHARTER SCHOOLS IN MAINE
By Emanuel Pariser
Co-Director, Community
School
(Member, Committee on
Dropout, Truant, and Alternative Education;
Chair, Maine Substance
Abuse Services Commission;
Steering Committee,
Maine Alternative Education Association)
emanuel@cschool.acadia.net
The Community School is
sponsoring a day-long workshop on Tuesday, May 5th, in Augusta, on Charter
Schools-- how to start one, what good charter school legislation looks like,
etc. presented by Joe Nathan. Joe is a national expert and leader in this area.
He works out of the Hubert Humphrey Institute for Policy Studies in Minnesota,
and has been one of the prime movers behind the Charter Schools Movement. We
hope it will be in Jewett Hall again, 8 - 2:30. For more information on this
contact me at emanuel@cschool.acadia.net. Last year we sponsored Arnold Langberg
to talk about the Walkabout model of education. I invite any of you who are
interested to come. Here are the elements which Joe Nathan suggests are
critical to creating effective legislation for a strong and effective
charter-school bill:
Essential Elements of
Effective Charter-School Legislation
1. The school is
public. It is nonsectarian. It may not charge tuition. It may not have
admissions tests of any kind. It must follow health and safety
regulations.
2. The state authorizes
more than one organization to start and operate a public school in the
community. The local board is eligible to be a sponsor (and to convert some or
all of its existing schools to charter status, if a majority of teachers in the
school vote to do this). But the sponsor of a charter school may also be a
college or university, state board of education, state chartering agency or
other nonprofit, nonsectarian group.
3. Accountability is
based on a performance contract. The authorizing agency and educators who work
in the school agree on student outcomes to be achieved. The continued existence
of the school depends on whether these outcomes are
achieved.
4. There is an up-front
waiver from rules about curriculum, management, and teaching. States may specify
student outcomes. But determining how the school operates should be up to the
people who establish and operate it. The charter school concept trades
bureaucracy for accountability, regulation for results.
5. The charter school is
a school of choice. It is actively chosen by faculty, students and families.
No one is assigned to be there.
6. The school becomes a
discrete entity: The law may let the founders choose any organization available
under general state law or may specify an organization, such as nonprofit. As a
legal entity, the school will have its board. There is real site-management.
Teachers, if employees, have full rights to organize and bargain collectively.
However, their bargaining unit is separate from any district bargaining
unit.
7. The full per-pupil
allocation moves with the student. This amount should be roughly the average
state allocation per pupil, or the average in the district from which the
student comes. If the state provides extra funds for students from low-income
families or with disabilities, these funds also should follow the students.
8. Participating
teachers should be protected and given new opportunities. Teachers may take a
leave from public school systems, and while on leave will retain their
seniority. They may continue to participate in the local or state retirement
programs. New teachers may join state retirement programs. They may choose
to be employees, or to organize a professional group under which they
collectively own and operate the school.
A Few Facts on Charter
Schools in the United States
This list was developed
by Minnesota State Senator Ember Reichgott Junge, Ted Kolderie, and Joe Nathan.
For further information, contact the Center for School Change, Humphrey
Institute, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455,
(612) 626-1834. For more information, see Charter Schools, by Joe
Nathan, published by Jossey Bass (800) 956-7739.
1. Since 1991, 29 states
have adopted some version of the charter idea.
2. About 780 charters
have been created:
a. 1992 - 1
school,
b. 1993 - 35
schools,
c. 1994 - 59
schools,
d. 1995 171
schools,
e. 1996 480
schools,
f. 1997 780
schools.
3. About 300 new
charters are scheduled to open as of fall, 1997. A 1995 study by the Education
Commission of the States found that in the six states with the "strongest"
laws, there were 226 charters. In the six states with the weakest laws, there
were 16 charter schools.
The central differences
between "strong" and weak laws are that:
a. strong laws permit
local school boards AND some other public organization(s), such as state boards
of education, public universities, city governments, etc., to sponsor and
authorize charter public schools,
b. strong laws permit
creation of schools which receive money directly from the state,
c. strong laws permit
conversion of existing public schools, as well as creation of new
ones,
d. strong laws permit
charter schools to create their own working conditions, rather than be forced to
ask a local school-board or union for
waivers,
e. strong laws permit
unlimitedor large numbers of charter schools.
4. Charters have been
renewed in California, Colorado, and Minnesota, based on improved
achievement.
5. Six charters have
been closed because of financial mismanagement or lack of progress in student
achievement.
6. A variety of positive
"ripple effects" have been noted, especially in states which permit local and
statewide sponsorship of charters. These ripple effects are helping improve the
existing public education
system.
7. Bipartisan support
has developed, including many people who do not support vouchers.
8. Several studies found
that students attending charter schools in many states tend to be more racially
diverse, low income, and likely to speak a language other than English in their
home than other public-school students in the
state.
9. In states which
permit only school boards to sponsor schools, both fewer and a much narrower
range of schools is developing. Local boards appear to be most willing to
sponsor schools for students with whom they have been
unsuccessful.
10. In mid-October1997,
President Clinton recommended that every US public school be either a charter
school, or have charter-like responsibilities to improve, achieve, or be closed.
One of the biggest
questions raised by opponents to charter legislation is that local school
districts will lose money as it follows students to the charter school. Several
points are important to remember here. In the case of students who have dropped
out, are habitually truant, have transferred to private schools, or started
homeschooling, the district has already lost the state allocation. Finding a
way for them to return deprives no particular district of money. Money raised
both locally and statewide for education is designated for educating students,
not for any one particular system to do so. As another form of public school,
charter schools are an appropriate venue for investing tax dollars. What school
districts can do in response to these competitive pressures is become innovative
themselves, as has happened in Boston and in Colorado, where the number of
public alternatives has increased dramatically in response to charter
legislation!
I have been working with
teenagers who didn't fit the conventional system all my life. I have seen
firsthand the suffering and self loathing they experience when they fail to
succeed. From my work with substance abuse prevention, with other alternative
educators, and with guidance counselors and superintendents across the state, I
know that my students and their families are not the only ones who have suffered
this fate.
Through my work at the
Community School I have also seen how a school that fits these students' needs
can create a renaissance in their sense of self, make them feel that a future is
possible and worthwhile, put them back into the drivers' seat of their lives.
Simply put, students and families need more learning options. They need to find
a niche where they fit and are valued for their capabilities. A system of
charter schools will help to create some of these niches, both through the
charters themselves, and through the innovation in the conventional system which
they will stimulate. Competition in this framework, on a level playing field,
between conventional schools and charters can only be helpful to families and
students.
Wilderness Education for Alternative Schools
By Chris Balch
(Editors note: I've
known Chris Balch for over 25 years. For ten years he was a staff member at
Shaker Mountain School and developed an outdoor education program for us. Since
then he has done the same at several public and private schools, and where he
now teaches at Souhegan High School, in NH. His independent wilderness program,
Wild Quest!, is growing explosively. He sent me the following note: "Just
received the Fall '97 Aero-Gramme. I was amazed at just how far it has
come! I spent over an hour reading it. Jerry, you've done an amazing job
bringing that along. It was slick, polished, and professional-looking--not to
mention the fact that it was very interesting. I'm impressed." I asked him to
write an article about his work, and he sent this story.)
Her mom and dad had
divorced, and mom had subsequently remarried. Kim did not readily accept her
stepfather in the household. During younger years she had been a stellar student
in the public school system, but around her 15th year she decided that was over.
She became sullen, withdrawn, let her physical appearance deteriorate. She began
to dabble with drugs. She “dropped out” of her family, spending all of her time
out with friends or sleeping. She was the perfect picture of a kid with low
self-esteem, motivation, and self confidence... who also had no sense of
self-direction.
Brian was always a good
student at school. He was from a solid, loving family. He had no significant
drug or alcohol involvement. He was a happy, smiling individual who participated
enthusiastically in life. Altogether, another kind of perfect picture.
These kids represent a
small cross-section of our youth. My name is Chris Balch. Over the last 25 years
as a teacher in alternative, private, and public schools. I have seen thousands
of such “troubled” and “normal” kids.
During the summer of
1996 both Kim and Brian joined Wild Quest!, an outdoor education program, for 19
days on a Rocky Mountain wilderness expedition in the Absaroka Range in Wyoming.
And there, the magic happened for both of them.
During their 19 days
they faced the sweaty drudgery of climbing many a mountain encumbered with a
heavy pack to finally attain the summit; discovering there a spectacular view,
and a deeply personal sense of self-accomplishment. They experienced the simple
awe of sharing a sunset with fellow group members. They stood frozen as a moose
ambled past, only a few feet away. Kim and Brian experienced the freedom of
rising with the sun to live each day with a zeal not to be found in their
civilized schedules dictated by clocks and school.
The heart of their
experience, and perhaps of all outdoor education, was the fear-courage-triumph
cycle that is central to wilderness life: fear at the recognition of a new
challenge that seems overwhelming; courage as, with leader guidance and mutual
group support, the challenge is engaged; and triumph when the challenge is
accomplished by drawing on resources that were previously unknown. These simple
victories fill all who experience them with a wonderful sense of
self-satisfaction, pride, and achievement.
Kim and Brian are
success stories. They clearly attribute to their experiences in the outdoors an
increase in motivation, and in their developing a sense of direction. Kim is now
a ski instruct in Vermont, and after completing high school in the spring of
1998, is attending Lyndon State College in Vermont where she will major in
outdoor education. Her relationship with her family has improved as, much to
her surprise, they have supported her plans for the future.
Brian became deeply
interested in the human impact on the wilderness environment. In 1997 he
designed and conducted an impact study to redesign minimum impact wilderness use
criteria, for which he sought and received college credit. His cutting-edge work
will shortly be published on the Internet by Colorado College. He is now
enrolled there, studying biology and wildlife ecology. Brian has pursued his
interest in the outdoors as well, becoming an emergency medical technician and
attaining certification as a wilderness leader.
These results, while
impressive, are not unusual. Research published by the Association of
Experiential Education reveals some important facts about experiential education
and, in particular, outdoor education:
“Experiential programs,
programs designed to actively engage the student in the educational process, do
have a significant, positive impact on the psychological, social, and
intellectual development of the student.”
“The most significant
pre-test, post-test gains in self-esteem were registered by students in outdoor
programs, both in comparison to other experiential programs and to their gains
in the social and intellectual dimensions of growth examined in this study. This
suggests that intensive outdoor experience may have a particularly strong effect
on self-esteem.”
“Students in
experiential programs tend to show large, consistent changes toward more
positive attitudes toward adults, while students in comparison groups showed an
overall decline.”
Of all of the schools I
have worked for, alternative schools are most able to create and implement these
types of opportunities for young people. Alternative schools are not bound by
stifling schedules. They offer creativity and personalization unheard of in the
“corporate school structure."
Personally, I’ve
experienced several examples of successful outdoor programs in schools. However,
my favorite remains the first alternative school I initiated an outdoor program
with, Shaker Mountain School, with facilities in Burlington and Starksboro,
Vermont.
The program had a simple
beginning: I took a group of kids on an autumn overnight camping-trip in
Starksboro during the 1976-77 school year. Gathered around the fire for a medley
of jokes and ghost stories, the kids eventually became interested in and
questioned me about my past outdoor training and experiences. As I described the
Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, they became positively wistful, wanting to have the
opportunity to experience them firsthand.
We explored the ideas of
forming a group which would undergo some intensive training over the course of
the year, and culminate their training in an expedition to the Rockies.
Interestingly, almost all of these kids came from homes that were not terribly
prosperous, and had never considered that such an opportunity might be within
their reach. Over the next week, we worked out a plan for the course that
involved some classroom instruction, some time outdoors, several shorter
expeditions in the Green Mountains, and our final expedition in the Rockies.
Together, and with the advice of other staff members, we formulated a
fund-raising plan that included raising cash through a raffle, and getting
equipment donated from major suppliers.
May of 1977 saw our
group, now christened the “Shaker Mountain Mountaineers,” driving west to
Wyoming. We had a wonderful experience.
Why did this work so
well? What were the gains? These were the greatest contributing factors:
We had the support of
the school’s administration. Though not familiar with outdoor education to any
great extent, these administrators trusted the staff and supported them in every
educational endeavor.
The entire program was
driven by the interest and enthusiasm of students. Many had never even been
outside of Vermont, so an expedition to a mountain range that was almost a fable
to them was hugely exciting.
On return, every single
kid who’d been part of the training and expedition felt a huge sense of
accomplishment and success. They had all successfully accomplished the actual
training. They’d accomplished the challenge of pulling the expedition together.
And they’d successfully accomplished a myriad of outdoor challenges while on the
expedition. This gave them a sense of empowerment they carried with them as a
lasting effect of the program.
Outdoor Education
programs can be designed and implemented in alternative schools with an approach
that reaches deeply, and does it year after year.
If you already have a
strong outdoor component to your school’s program, none of the above is news to
you. If you would like help in learning how to incorporate this experience into
your school, contact me at WildQuest! Call 1-888-217-8226, e-mail me at
wildquest@earthlink.net, or visit our website at http://home.earthlink.net/~wildquest/
The challenges, beauty,
and authentic learning opportunities offered by our natural environment remain
among the educator’s most effective tools to excite and engage young people
today.
Albert's Archive
Editor's note: Albert
Lamb will be doing a regular section in AERO-GRAMME. He is the editor of
Summerhill, a New View of Childhood. He was a student, staff member, and
parent of children at Summerhill, and still lives in England. When Ena Neill,
wife of Summerhill founder A.S. Neill, died recently, he was asked to officiate
at her funeral.
The day of the funeral
turned out to be a beautiful one, the rain held off until the late afternoon.
Well over a hundred people gathered, mostly old Summerhillians, with
representatives from every generation of the last fifty years, but also many
Leiston friends, to give Ena a sendoff in the big barn of the Leiston Abbey.
Then, after the trip to the cemetery, we had something to eat in an adjacent
building. The whole setup around the abbey is used as a sort of conference
centre. The service was entirely non-religious if you don't count the singing of
one of Ena's favourite psalms at the start, "The Lord is my
Shepherd."
The local Suffolk
funeral director ran the show in a very down-home manner. Zoe (Readhead, Ena's
daughter and current Summerhill director) spoke a bit about death, mostly with
quotes including a good one from Bertrand Russell. Ena's granddaughter Amy, who
was married in the same barn a year ago, read a poem. I gave the tribute. A few
hymns were sung, including "Jerusalem" and "Morning Has Broken" and the service
ended with a CD of Louis Armstrong singing "What a Wonderful World."
The most touching moment
of the whole event for me came later when Ena's casket was lowered into the
ground in the churchyard where Neill and Peter Wood (Ena's son from a previous
marriage) are buried. Most of the people at the Abbey had driven over to pay
last respects, and as everyone stood around watching the casket being lowered a
cat wandered amongst us and walked up and peered down into the hole where Ena's
body had just been deposited. Ena loved cats and had a cat-like spirit, and it
was spooky and wonderful to see her getting a feline send off.
Albert Lamb's Eulogy of
Ena Neill
We are gathered here
together to honor and to remember Ena Neill. For all of us from Summerhill
School she is part of the glue that holds us together. Anyone who has attended
Summerhill as staff or pupil during the last fifty years will have undoubtedly
forgotten many people. But no one is likely to have forgotten Ena. She was an
exceptional, extraordinary human being who brought great physical power and
strength and enormous moral force to her complete focus on Summerhill and its
children. Our Ena was one in a million.
Tenacity was one of Ena's
strongest characteristics, so much so that I can now hardly believe she has
finally let go her tenacious hold on life. More than that, it is hard to believe
she has let go her hold on us. For we are her children and she was our mother
hen. Surely even people her own age have felt her motherly quality, and for us
relative youngsters, whether she was seen as a good mother or a bad mother, she
was the mother we could not
avoid.
I should confess right at
the start that I personally didn't have the easiest relationship with Ena, at
least not recently. For several years I have stayed with her over in the
Cottage when I have come to stay at the school. She very kindly let me have my
own bedroom. I was a frequent visitor and I always looked forward to my time
with her, but there were some occasions when I hadn't even poked my head around
her kitchen door before she started yelling at me about something or other.
It sometimes seemed to me
that the price of real intimacy with Ena was a certain amount of this emotional
wear and tear. I only know of one man who always seemed to stay on her good side
and he had to do a lot of fancy footwork to manage the trick. However, she did
have a few old friends to whom she was uniformly kind. And my relationship with
her was actually a very loving one.
If Ena was quick to
express annoyance, her deep heart was always strong and steady. In this she was
very much a Summerhillian. Relationships here are played out against a
background of complete acceptance. At the end of the day Ena accepted us all and
really wished the best for us. She just didn't pretend to be liking us when she
wasn't in the mood.
Having breakfast with Ena
was like negotiating a minefield. If I was five minutes late or five minutes
early I could get in trouble. She kept an eagle eye on how much water went into
the teapot. The bread had to be cut just so. There were always cats all over the
table eating bits of rabbit and leaving their tails in the butter dish. On one
terrifying occasion Ena surprised me with outraged indignation and her icy glare
when she caught me sniffing some old milk in her fridge to see if it had gone
off.
Even as a boy I thought
Ena's eyes were extraordinarily expressive. When you came to get your food from
the hatch you never knew if they were going to pierce or twinkle. Sometimes they
even seemed half-lidded, like an owls. Then you didn't know what she was
thinking. One time as a kid I snuck out in the middle of the night in complete
secrecy but when I came to the breakfast hatch in the morning she shot a glance
at me which told me that she knew all about it. How did she always know all
those things?
When I was first a pupil
at Summerhill, in 1961, I thought Ena was one of the hardest working women I had
ever seen. Neill was the Headmaster but Ena ran the school and she did it mostly
by working hard herself. Not that she seemed flustered or rushed. She was just a
very capable and willing worker who made sure that the whole place stayed
shipshape. It was an example of sacrifice and control that meant a lot to me
years later when I had my own small
children.
Her beloved son Peter
would explain to kids what a difficult time Ena had had before she came to
Summerhill. He would tell the story about how one time Ena came back to her
rooms in London and found that her house was on fire. Rather than lose her wages
which were hidden away up in her bedroom she climbed up through a smoke-filled
window to retrieve them.
Ena's first husband, Bill
Wood, had grown up near her in Kent. They were childhood sweethearts. While Bill
studied at art school to be an illustrator, Ena studied nursing. Bill became
quite successful as an illustrator and he married Ena in 1933. The next year
they had their son Peter. When Peter was three Bill and Ena, who had read
That Dreadful School, decided to put him on the waiting list at Summerhill
and send him there the next year. Within a few more months Bill Wood had left
Ena for his sister's best friend. Ena was left to fend for herself and for
Peter. Bill Wood never took any further interest in Peter.
Ena went to work in a
photographic reproduction studio in London and the next year she sent Peter to
Summerhill. When the war started her reproduction studio was bombed out and her
company kept moving around until the owner gave up on it. Ena was offered a job
taking a friends children to America to live out the war and she wrote Neill to
tell him that she was taking Peter out of the school. He wrote back that the
school was moving to Wales and he said, "We need a cook. Can you cook?" The
rest, as they say, is
history.
Cooking, as it happens,
and everything to do with food, was one of the great loves in Ena's life. Other
great loves were her family, her school, and her animals. Ena not only had good
taste in food but in many other things as well. She drew well and her paintings
had a strong sense of colour. She loved fine furniture and all her rooms were
well decorated. She knew how to make a garden attractive and she loved flowers.
If she had ever had the time for it she could have been a very good writer, as
she was the master of the pithy
phrase.
Ena also showed her
nurturing spirit with her pets. In later years Ena's cats had the run of the
house. Previously she had had dogs. But she had a sure touch with all animals.
One time Ena and Peter raised a jackdaw from a very young bird until it was a
tame part of the household. Ena would come over in the morning to make breakfast
for the school with Jackie perched on her
shoulder.
In recent years I always
landed at Summerhill with bags laden down with one thing or another. Ena
thought the luggage that I brought with me was more than was necessary for the
length of my stay. In fact, she seemed to think there was something
self-aggrandizing about carrying that much stuff around with me. When I arrived
at the cottage, even if she didn't say anything, she would stare in horror as I
crossed her kitchen weighed down by all my
luggage.
With Ena gone we have all
lost a link to our past. Right to the end Ena had vivid memories of hundreds of
her former pupils and staff. She kept her faith with us by never forgetting us.
Without her will and her energy Summerhill would not be here today. She
literally kept it alive. I, for one, will remember the tremendous moral force
she had in her prime, and her fine, strong voice shouting, "For crying out
loud," at a room full of kids. And I will miss the Ena of her old age. There
will be no one in my life now to care how heavy the bags are that I always seem
to end up carrying around with me.
Interview with Mary Leue on
the "Education Revolution" Radio Show
Jerry Mintz:
Mary is the founder of the Free School in Albany and is also involved in several
other projects. Mary, how long ago did you start the Free School?
Mary Leue:
27 years ago; we're going into our 28th year.
JM:
You're also involved with the publication called The Journal of Family Life.
What do you do with them?
ML:We
hope to help families to empower themselves to take back some of the control
over the lives of their children and the effects of various agencies-- including
medical, educational and financial-- have over their lives. Even though life
was tougher in the past, people did have more to say about their children and
about their own lives.
JM:It
must be kind of related to homeschooling, too.
ML:Absolutely.
Caller:
(talks about homeschooling her own kids and about difficulties in Sweden in
regard to homeschooling and the government's control over education).
JM:Why
don't you tell us what The Journal of Family Life is about?
ML:Okay,
The Journal of Family Life is a quarterly that we've been putting out in
connection with the Free School Community for the purpose of empowering families
to take back the kind of power that government wants to take away from you. We
also do another quarterly which is focused entirely on children and their
education called SKOLE--The Journal of Alternative Education.
Caller::
OK. Is there any way I can get in touch with them for my friend in Sweden who
helped us on the court case?
ML:Certainly.
It's Down to Earth Books, at 72 Phillips St., Albany, NY 12202.
Caller::Great,
this man that helped us with our case is a physicist there and he is the head or
the president of the Free School Association of Sweden.
ML:Oh
that's wonderful. Do you know about the Danish Folk School? It's a
long-standing tradition that goes way back historically and is much more alive
in Denmark, but there are also some in Sweden. It's also coming into this
country.
JM:
Yes, there is a folk school organization. Mary, what is your title with The
Journal of Family Life?
ML:I'm
the publisher of Down to Earth Books and I'm one of the editors of The
Journal of Family Life.
JM:And
I guess you've got other people from the Free School who are involved in putting
it together.
ML:Eight
of us altogether. We get together three mornings a week and none of us is
paid. We all have our own regular jobs in addition to that.
JM:Right.
I want to talk about the Free School. Why did you start this school 27 years
ago?
ML:We'd
been in England for a year; my husband was on sabbatical. We had a wonderful
year and when we came back to Albany, my son Mark was going into fifth grade in
public school. All five of my children had been in public school, but he had
some extraordinarily bad experiences. Kindergarten, first grade, terribly
harassed, over-aged teachers ready to retire and fundamentally disgusted with
children, I think. Anyway, so he had a hard time. He got a teacher who should
have retired some time ago. She was really up against it; she had over thirty
kids. She was determined she was going to teach them long division, which Mark
hated. He had this long division every night and had to do it all over again
the next morning because none of the kids ever did it. This was nuts, so I
homeschooled for a year. Another family with 3 kids who were in the same school
Mark had been in in kindergarten and first grade came and joined mine and so we
had this little school.
JM:Now,
all those many years ago, what gave you the idea that you could do this?
ML:I
had been teaching in a little private school down in Texas and I'd done my
education courses, but I don't think that's the core of being able to teach. I
think the homeschooling movement makes that pretty clear. People who care
deeply about their children, the quality of their lives, and want them to
understand about the world are all going to do well, I think.
JM:Well,
when you first started, did you know you were going to start a school? I guess
it just sort of happened.
ML:Well,
yes and no. When I was a little kid, one of the things that happened to me was
that I read Little Women and then Little Men and then Jo's Boys
by Louisa May Alcott. At that time I said to myself, "I'm going to start a
school!" But then it didn't happen until the sixties. Somebody gave me a copy
of Summerhill and I went, "Oh, wow!" I talked with Neill a couple of times. He
would always give me a little one-line postcard in return.
JM:Neill,
being A. S. Neill, the founder of Summerhill?
ML:Right.
I just got to thinking about schools and then with Mark, it just kind of came
together naturally.
JM:Now,
this school has a different philosophy than a lot of other schools. Among other
things as I understand it, the kids are not required to go to classes and you
make all your decisions democratically, is that right?
ML:That's
right. I think people are sometimes afraid that what would happen if you did
that is that kids would never want to learn again. But that's an artificial
concept; children are naturally curious. If there's interesting stuff going on
with interesting adults, and the children are drawn to it, then the new ones
just fit themselves into it naturally and sort themselves out. We have a
booming, buzzing school. There's so much going on all the time.
JM:Another
unusual thing about your school is the way you finance it because it is a
private school, and yet somehow you almost have no minimum tuition. How did you
work that out?
ML:Well,
it's probably not a way of doing it that would be available to a great many
people interested in starting a school, but a variant on it I think might be.
What we decided to do instead of fund-raising dinners and bake sales, raffles,
and rummage sales---which we do anyway because the kids go on a lot of trips so
they raise their own money, and we have different projects that we raise money
for --but that is in addition to the rockbottom income level that pays most of
the salaries of our teachers. To be able to keep our tuition quite low, we're
in the inner city in Albany, and when we moved there in '72 we bought an old
parochial school and there was so much absentee landlording in that whole area
that there were dozens of buildings uninhabited and uninhabitable. We bought
them up for very little-- we got a four-story building just four doors up from
the school itself for just $1500. During the Free School romantic period, young
people, college dropouts, or people in their twenties came in. They heard about
the school and came and we rehabbed these buildings ourselves. It's been a very
exciting way to live.
Caller:I
think the education system is deplorable due to a lack of teacher enthusiasm.
Teachers are missing kids with disabilities-- learning problems-- and they still
pass them on to the next grade. maybe due to overcrowding in the schools, I
don't know. But these teachers are really missing serious problems and the kids
have bigger problems in the older grades. As parents what can we do to
intervene, to wake up these teachers and the school system to the problems the
kids are having?
ML:The
way the public schools run at this point is so entrenched with all kinds of
adjunctive institutions such as University Teacher Training Institutes; the
concept of scientific verification of methods so that they're attempting to
demonstrate their scientific viability; and the necessity to place student
teachers in different school systems. It's a very political issue indeed. In
fact, it's been compared to what President Eisenhower once called the
"military-industrial complex." It's a very tricky issue and I understand your
concern. There's a movement to do something about it called the "inclusion
movement," which is also a two-edged sword. In the Journal of Alternative
Education I published an article based on a study by a group out in
Stockton, California, on the positive and the negative effects of this inclusion
movement, which would do away with special education as a separate entity and
incorporate these children into the regular classrooms. That might be out of
the frying pan into the fire unless the quality of the teachers themselves
improves-- and they are as good as their training and their character . In
other words, you're working back into basics of how we do things, how we train
people in schools, and so on.
JM:ML,
basically what you're saying is that you're not sure what the individual teacher
can do on this, that there's a systemic problem.
ML:Yes,
teachers really do not have that much autonomy in doing what their natural
instincts might tell them to do. They've got to follow a prescribed curriculum,
they've got to be accountable for the results to their principal and
superintendent and the school board. And if the national standard for
curriculum goes into effect, they'll have even less autonomy.
JM:There
are a lot of people who think they can't homeschool because their kids have
special needs, but I think that just the opposite is true. In a lot of cases,
the parent is the best one to be able to meet those needs. What do you think
about that?
ML:Yes,
I think by-and-large that is likely to be true. Even though the parents may not
have all of the technical qualifications of trained professionals, they do have
the personal connection and deep, deep concern for the welfare and the success
of their children. And they're likely to reach out for adjunctive services if
they feel that they're deficient in some areas. I absolutely agree. It's not
universally true, of course, there are some parents who are products of a bad
environment themselves, and a bad school system themselves, and they may not
always have the best ways of doing things. But just the same, they are their
children and that makes a big difference. I hate the idea of children being
raised by strangers, which is essentially what we're doing. We're turning over
our children's whole childhoods to strangers.
JM:How
is your school different from that?
ML:It
is a school, but it's as close to being a family as a school can get to be and
we do not separate ourselves from the families. The parents know that they are
welcome, can walk in and feel comfortable and free to talk. Our parent-teacher
meetings are universally attended, we have lots of dinners and it's wall-to-wall
people. It's a very open-hearted community institution where the artificial
separations are minimal.
JM:I
gather that you do a lot of stuff with your community itself. In other words,
you go beyond the things that ordinary schools do. What is the money game?
ML:It's
something that I thought of years ago. When we were in Texas, my husband was
teaching down there, we were members of a credit union. When I had my school
going, none of us had any money so I said to myself, why can't we set up our own
credit union? I first looked into what it would take to set up a regular thing
and it was just too much. And this is what the money game really is. None of
us had any money but we each had a monthly pledge maybe as low as $5, and if
it's a child, 50 cents. Then when enough money came together, we invested it in
stocks and bonds. Why can't poor people have higher interest in investments?
We now have $120,000 that we hold jointly. It's all in our own account, you
know, and we've been doing it since 1974.
JM:
And you do the same thing with insurance, is that right?
ML:Yes!
Well, we do our own insurance. Liability was way, way up and doubled one year
and we said that's it--and then fire insurance finally got way beyond us. So we
have an insurance fund; it may not do all that insurance does, but it's enough.
And then we make loans to our own people. People can make home improvements or
take vacations. We have a limited health-insurance fund for teachers, dentistry
and pregnancy.
JM:So
you really established a community right there in the inner city that kind of
circles around your school.
ML:Right,
and we're growing. It's a very nice way to live.
JM:Okay,
we have Roz from New York with a question for Mary. Where are you in New York?
Caller:We're
close to Middletown, New York, in Orange County. Mary, hi, I have a two-point
question. First, can we come to visit your school because we're close enough to
do that?
ML:We
love it. Unfortunately, from the point of view of visiting and seeing the
children actually doing school, you need to wait till fall because we had our
graduation.
Caller:Oh,
are you operating offices in terms of information?
ML:Sure,
we can do that. The school number is 518-434-3072. My number is 518-432-1578.
Caller:The
second question is how exactly did you finance the school?
ML:As
I started saying, and somehow Jerry and I got off it, during the first four or
five years of the school, we gradually bought these old buildings at public
auctions and fixed them up, and we made these city row buildings with three to
four apartments in each building. Each floor that we renovated we would rent
out to a family. We are non-profit, and they allowed us to do that on a
voluntary basis as long as the families were involved with the school. That
worked out fine; and we now own 11 buildings, including one that Jerry helped us
to get a grant for, which is going to be a great asset. That pays over half of
our tuition, you see.
JM:What
kind of a program are you looking to start there, Roz?
Caller:Well,
we are looking at alternative schools. Actually, we were looking into charter
schools, if possible, which is something that is talked about in other states.
JM:Yea,
I just got a copy of a new bill that's been proposed in New York State. You can
contact us at the AERO office; the number is 800-769-4171.
Hi Jerry,
I've been finally
enjoying my Fall issue of the Aero-Gramme. I'd like to find out if we can get
your program on a network here in Tampa Florida. I'm in charge of creating the
February newsletter for our homeschool group and can inform everyone if it airs
here. I finished reading Homeschooling for Excellence a few months ago
and enjoyed your interview with David Colfax. I envy you for the time you were
able to spend with him!!! Thank you for all that you do for we Homeschoolers and
for spending time with such great people so that we can spend time with them
through you!!! Your publication helps to keep me on track with my goals! Keep
on doin' it! Sincerely, --Rachel Layman MZMT57C@prodigy.com
Editors note:
Please ask your local talk-radio station to carry our show!
Teachers,
Jobs, and Internships
The Venice Community
School is seeking teachers for the following programs: Discovery (ages 4
-7), Explorer (ages 8-13), and Mastery (ages 14-18). Responsibilities include
program coordination, collaborative teaching in a student-directed environment,
and community building. Please write Amy Cooke, 31191 Road 180, Visalia,
CA 93292 or call (209) 594-6704 or (209) 592-4999.
Gesundheit Institute
is building an experimental hospital in an eco-village context in West Virginia
in an effort to address health care delivery problems. They are looking for two
teachers who would like to help create a school at the communal hospital. All
staff will live at the facility. Contact Patch Adams, 6855 Washington
Blvd., Arlington, VA 22213.
Martha's Vineyard
Public Charter School
is in its second year with 105 children ages 8 to 16. The school is looking for
an innovative educational leader with a history of successful leadership in a
progressive school environment and proven experience in the development and
implementation of project-based curriculum, staff development, and teacher
evaluation. Send resume, statement of interest, and three letters of reference
to Ms. Nelia Decker, President MVPCS, PO Box 546, West Tisbury, MA
02575. Tel: 508-693-9900. Fax: 508-696-9008, or Rufus W. Peebles, PO
Box 338, West Tisbury, MA.02575
The Department of
Education of Antioch New England Graduate School
is accepting applications for three full-time faculty positions. These
positions will begin July 1, 1998. For more information on each of the
positions contact Antioch at 40 Avon Street, Keene, New Hampshire 03431-3516.
Tel: 603-357-3122.
The November 1997 News: Schools for Tomorrow reported that the
Children's Village School (Moo Ban Dek) in Thailand is looking for an
English teacher to work there for a year. There is no salary, but board and
lodging are provided. Contact the school at telephone number 0171-487-3139.
The Renaissance School
is a small, progressive elementary school in Lakeland FL. Lakeland is between
Tampa and Orlando. The school is a public charter school. The school has an
immediate opening for a "master teacher" to teach a small mixed-age class of K-2
graders. Annual salary is $26,000 plus benefits. E-mail Jean Applicants should
be degreed and have experience in a progressive teaching environment
(learner-directed, student-paced, authentic assessment). E mail Jean Bias,
bias@gate.net for or more information, or fax your resume to (941)701-1046.
Chuck Estrin
sent us this: Long established, academically focused small Seattle public high
school that values shared decision-making and personalized education seeks
passionate teachers certified in math, LA, science, or social studies.
Minorities encouraged to apply. Contact: The Nova Project, 2410 E.
Cherry St.Seattle, WA 98122 Phone: 206-726-6730 or chuck@novaproj.orghttp://www.novaproj.org
There's a sudden spurt of enthusiasm for a new school -- about eight families
of 5 to 6 year olds are eager to begin PR campaign for other families and staff
person. "Future Maui (Hawaii) Sudbury model school wants interested families
and staff persons." More later--much love, -- Liz Wertheim, liz@maui.net
We
have an opening at the Community School for a weekend, camping trip,
outdoorsy kind of person who likes teenagers and is willing to work in a mostly
consensus-based decision model among the faculty with 8 former high school
dropouts, in a residence in Camden Maine. The school has been going for 24 years
now, and we are a fascinating and challenging place to work. Pay starts at
about $16,000 with benefits. Please send resume to Lauri Donleavy,
The Community School Box 555, Camden, Maine 04843, 207-236-3000 Email
Lauri at cschool@community.pvt.k12.me.us
Teachers
Looking for Jobs in Alternative Schools
Katie O'Connor
is interested in learning about alternative schools, visiting them, doing
internships, and eventually finding or founding a school at which she would feel
comfortable, happy, and challenged. She graduated in 1996 with a BA in
anthropology from Pennsylvania State. She would especially like to learn more
about Summerhill School or others like it. Please write to her at 417 Brookway
Rd., Merion, PA 19066.
A
substitute teacher with 10 years public and private school experience is looking
for a full-time position, particularly in an alternative school. Farrell
Winter has taught students ages 3 to 18 and is willing to relocate. He can
be reached at Box 11, Graton, CA 95444. Tel: 707-829-3763.
Philip Ross
has developed an innovative curriculum called World Music in Schools that
teaches young people how to perform rhythm music while learning about the music
and lifeways of cultures around the world. The program integrates performing
arts and social studies, along with science, math, and instrument making, to
provide a full appreciation of the world of music. Philip Ross has a B. A. in
anthropology and has been offering his program in schools for the past seven
years. He is currently seeking a teaching position or internship in an
alternative school in the San Francisco Bay area. Philip Ross, 5521 Volkerts
Rd, Sebastopol, CA 95472, 707-823-0369, songo1@pacbell.net
A
quite willing, able, and promising addition to your free school/alternative
school staff. Montessori teaching experience. Unschooling network/resource
center volunteer - (Genius Tribe, Eugene, OR). Various tutoring of high school
and middle school students. Mary Simons, 21 Fuller Road, Trumbull, CT
06611, (203)261-3685.
I
am a teacher looking for alternative school employment opportunities. I live in
Colorado now but will be relocating to Utah within the year.While I was studying
education at Brigham Young University I was very interested in alternative
education and I am excited to find your page. Good job!--Marjohna K. Madsen,
marjohna@compuserve.com
I
am a social studies-teacher at an at-risk charter school in Middleton, WI.
Alas, the school I teach at is not as innovative as I would have hoped coming
out of my second year of teaching. Does anyone have any teaching openings for a
dynamic social-studies teacher who wants to focus on learning (like the
progressive schools of the '30's)?--John
Ivens, 2098
Springdale Ctr. Rd.,Verona, WI 53593. E-mail: guano26@hotmail.com
Joe Darak
is a graduate of Duquesne University with PA certification in secondary social
studies. He is looking for employment in an alternative school. "As a teenager,
they threw me out of high school for leading a student democracy movement. As an
adult certified teacher I'm still at it. I prefer a rural setting but will
consider relocating anywhere. " Contact Joe Darak at 777 1/2 Chestnut St.,
Coraoplois, PA 15108. Tel: 412-269-2694.
I
am looking for alternative views on education and life in general. Also, always
open to a new teaching job.--Mark D. Wise, mwise@mail.acps.k12.va.us
I
am doing some research about alternative high schools for at-risk students. I
have resently moved to Massachusetts from Canada, and was working at an
Alternative program in Nepean, Ontario. I'd love to continue working with those
students, in a nontraditional setting.--Sharyn M. Sweeney, teachsms@usa.net
I'd like to introduce myself, give you some background about myself and tell you
what I'm looking for. I teach at the Democratic School of Hadera in
Israel. After 16 years of living here, my wife and I have decided to return to
the United States. I am looking for work in education, particularly in an
alternative framework. At the Democratic School I teach English (all ages) and
work as a "tutor" or personal counselor for students ages 11-19. For the past
five years I've also led an adventure-based education course, using adventure
exercises in an outdoor setting to promote learning at a multitude of levels.
I've also done successful fundraising for the school, mostly by writing
proposals and developing projects. This year I chair the school's field trip
and camping committee, and just finished a course in mediation as part of the
school's mediation committee. In the past I've worked extensively in Jewish-Arab
relations, and currently am very active in the school's cooperative projects
with Palestinians. I am an American citizen, fluent in English, Hebrew, and
Spanish (I grew up in Puerto Rico) and have a pretty decent grasp of spoken
Arabic. I was trained as a medic during my obligatory service with the Israeli
army. I have two small children, Tenara, almost five, and Devin, two-and-a-half.
My wife, Joanie, is a darn good music teacher. If anyone out there has any
suggestions, ideas or leads as to possible employment opportunities,
please drop me a line at the email address listed. All responses will be deeply
appreciated.--Douglas and Joanie Calem, dcc@actcom.co.il
I
am seeking employment in a holistic public school as an elementary teacher and
willing to travel nearly anywhere. I am interested in schools especially for
low socioeconomic children, and in the Pacific Northwest. Anyone have any
leads? In regards to holistic education, has anyone read Ken Wilber and
considered the implications of his work?--Brad Kose , 151 E. Oakland Ave,
Columbus, OH 43201. Tel: 614-421-9328. E-mail: kose.1@osu.edu
Michelle Senzon
recently graduated from Prescott College, an alternative liberal-arts,
environment-based school in Arizona with an early education/alternative
education degree. She is looking for work in New York and/or Long Island this
summer form May through September in an excellent early childhood camp, school,
or program. Please contact her by e-mail at chellbee@hotmail.com or write1980
Sherwood Dr., Prescott, Az 86303. Tel: 520-772-8930
Also,
see
Alberto Alegre,
under International
section, SPAIN.
Conferences
April 15-19, Dartington Hall, Devon, England. Learning for Sustainable
Living. Contact Lyn Brown, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, England TQ9
6EL. Tel: 01803-866688. E-mail: dart.hall.prog@dartingtonhall.org.uk
April 22-25, Glenmoore, PA. 23rd Annual National Coalition of Alternative
Community Schools Conference. Upattinas School, 429 Greenridge Rd,
Glenmoore, PA 19343. Tel: 610-458-5138
April 23-24, Indian Lakes Resort, Chicago, IL. Professional Learning
Communities at Work, Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement, National
Education Service. 1252 Loesch Rd, PO Box 8, Bloomington, IN 47402-0008.
Tel: 800-733-6786. E-mail: nes@nes.org
April 28-may 2, Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel, East Rutherford, NJ. 16th Annual
International Conference of Magnet Schools of America. Dr. Donald
Waldrip, PO Box 8152, The Woodlands, TX 77387. Tel: 281-296-9813. E-mail:
director@magnet.edu
May 1-2, Oklahoma City. Oklahoma's 1998 Home Educators Convention. PO
Box 270601, Oklahome City, OK 73137. Tel: 405-521-8439
May 22-26, Grapevine, Texas. Rethinking Education. Speakers John
Taylor Gatto, Jeannine Parvati-Baker, James Loewen, Mark Wahl, Cafi Cohen, Bob
Philban, Michael Fogler, Jim Weiss, and Marian Henley. Sponsored by MINDFULL--Exploring
Old Ideas in Brave New Ways. Tel: 817-540-6423. Online: www.flash.net/~lisadahl.
E-mail source@flash.net
June 12-14, Los Angeles, CA. The Link 2nd Annual KID COMFORTABLE Homeschool
Conference at the Westlake Hyatt Hotel, 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
John Taylor Gatto, David & Micki Colfax, Sam Blumenfeld, Pat Farenga from
Growing Without Schooling, Dr. Pat Montgomery from Clonlara. Early
registration fee is $59 per couple if paid by 3/1/98. Admission price for kids
5-15 is only, $5 no matter when. Under 5 is free. Call 805-492-1373 or e-mail
hompaper@gte.net
June 22, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ. Unschoolers Network
Conference & Curriculum Fair. Nancy Plent, Unschoolers Network, 2 Smith St,
Farmingdale, NJ 07727. Tel: 732 938-2473
June 25-27,Orange, California. 1998 International Alternative Education
Conference. Chapman University, Sponsored by LEARN and the Orange
County Department of Education, Yvette Rosevear, International Alternative
Education Conference Information, 16490 Harbor Blvd., Suite B, Fountain Valley,
CA 92704. Tel: 916 322-5012. E-mail: susan_condrey@code.k12.ca.us
July 1012, Boxborough, MA. Homeschool and Family Learning Conference.
PO Box 1056, Gray, ME 04039. Tel: 207 657-2800.
July 19-21, 1998, Chicago, IL. Future Quest: Strategies for the New
Millennium, World Future Society, 7910 Woodmont Ave, Suite 450, Bethesda, MD
20814. Tel: 800-989-8274.
July 30-August 2, 1998, Washington, DC. National Coalition of Education
Activists Conference. PO Box 679, Rhinebeck, NY 12572.
August 7-8, Burlington, VT. Shaker Mountain School 30 Year Reunion.
Contact: Madelin Colbert, 25 Greenwood Dr, Colchester, VT 05448. Tel: 802 860
4889.
August 7-8, Livonia, MI. Homeschool and Family Learning Conference. PO
Box 1056, Gray, ME 04039. Tel: 207 657-2800.
August 15, Colorado. "Homeschooling For Everyone"1998 Colorado Conference.
Contact: Teikyo Loretto, Heights University, 3001 S. Federal, Denver, CO.
Sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Education Connection. E-mail: connect@pcisys.net.
Online: http://www.pcisys.net/~dstanley/
October 18-21, Detroit, MI. National Dropout Prevention Network Conference,
"wheels in Motion: Creating Champions of Learning." Online:
www.dropoutprevention.org
October 25-6, Vichy, France. Annual Meeting of Les Enfants d'abord.
Brigitte Guimbol, 474 Chemin de Font Cuberte, 06560 Valborne, France. E-mail:
bguimbal@aol.com. Tel: 04 93 12 93.49