GOVERNANCE IN SCHOOLS is becoming an increasingly important issue, as educators begin to realize how crucial it is to empower the participants in any educational process. There are currently many hundreds of schools in the United States and other countries, both private and public, which operate with varying degrees of of student self-government. These take [...]
democratic process
Democracy in education
This talk was given by AERO Director Jerry Mintz on September 22, 2012 at TEDxYouth@BFS. When I was 15 year old I wrote this poem about the school I was going to: I hate this darn unthinking school Which professes to teach you the Golden Rule– “You fool me and I’ll make you a fool” [...]
The Spirit of Democratic Education (Part 1 of 3)
Democracy is a tool we think about using in education. But, what is this tool called democracy? And towards what ends would we take up democracy as a mode of raising our young? The History of humanity is marked by numerous brilliant inventions. These inventions are born as realizations about the world we inhabit, become [...]
Democratic table tennis club
I’ve been playing table tennis since I was a kid and I love the sport. Along the way I had a couple of big breaks in learning the game. One was when the New York State junior champion was a student at Goddard College when I was there. I got to play and practice with [...]
Staff at Sudbury Valley School, Framingham, MA
Are you looking for a career that is meaningful, deep and varied? Consider becoming a staff member at Sudbury Valley School. We are looking for people with strong executive skills, knowledge in maintaining an institution plus excitement about helping keep a cutting edge school vibrant, a commitment to treating children and adults with complete respect, [...]
Pass the Elmer’s please
“Education is the Glue of Democracy,” reads a billboard towering over I-90 just outside the birthplace of the American Revolution. “It is a sticky business these days, isn’t it?” I mused to myself as I zoomed by. Then a more serious thought: “Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t the right of every student [...]
Exploring, learning & playing at a democratic school
This sweet video of life at The Highland School, a democratic day and international boarding school in Highland, WV, shows how active, inventive, and thoughtful unstructured free play can be. There is a strong relationship between the nature of learning and curiosity and the freedom of a democratic learning environment for democratic schools like this [...]
