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The Ten Worst Things That Happen In School

 

1. Sometimes you have to get up when it's still dark.

Research has shown that children generally learn better when they start school later.1

2. Most schools dispense curriculum from the top down, from distant sources.

Children learn best when the approach is learner-centered, based on their interest.

3. Students are forced to stay in classrooms and are not allowed to leave.

Democratic and progressive schools have found that children are happier and learn better when they are free to come and go.

4. Children in most schools are forced to sit in rows of desks and not move around.

Research shows that it is unhealthy for children to not move around, and is especially painful for kinesthetic learners.2

5. In most schools learning takes place in rigid periods, governed by bells.

Research has shown that children need to learn according to their own rhythms, working on projects until they are finished.3

6. In most schools bullying is rampant and there is no effective mechanism to control it. 

There is almost no bullying in democratic schools, and if there is a problem it can be brought up in a democratic meeting where students can give each side of a conflict and all participants enforce the decisions.4

7. In most schools, irrelevant homework is assigned, which students are forced to do at home and turn in at school.

If students are following their own interests, homework is not necessary. If children are natural learners, assigning them to study information not of interest only serves to extinguish that natural ability to learn.

8. In most schools children are segregated into classes of students who are their exact age.

This is "socialization" to a bizarre environment they will never experience in their life after school. Children learn best in mixed age groups in which they can collaborate with children of different ages and backgrounds.5

9. In most schools children are forced to compete for grades in every subject.

Grades have been shown to be a false motivator, based on someone else's idea of what they should be learning, rather than their own intrinsic interest.6

10. In most schools students are forced to take many hours of standardized tests, often without ever knowing whether their answers were right or wrong.

Teaching to tests pushes students in exactly the wrong direction. They should only be given at a student's request, with the results known immediately, and not ever as a judgment of ability. 

 

If many of these things describe situations in your school, it's time to look for another school, or to consider homeschooling. 

 

 
 
 
 
Safe learning environment: Research has documented a remarkable lack of violence, vandalism, and disruptive behavior in schools of choice. Students and families consistently report feeling both physically and emotionally safe to participate and learn.
 
 
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Admissions & Outreach Director for The Woolman Semester School

Admissions & Outreach Director

This position coordinates student recruitment for the Woolman Semester School. The heart of this position is to communicate the story of this learning experience to prospective students, parents, teachers, alumni and other educators. The work itself is very dynamic and can, at times, feel part marketing, part social work, part therapist, and part community organizing. A major highlight of this work is walking between the two worlds of a progressive educational community and the larger progressive education movement in the US and beyond.

High school education is transforming and Woolman sees itself as a critical part of that transformation. During a semester at Woolman, our students explore individual and community empowerment through a variety of topics and learning experiences that address social justice and sustainability. Students from diverse educational backgrounds attend Woolman – traditional public high schools, charter schools, Waldorf / Quaker / Montessori schools, students who are homeschooled or unschooled – and together with the staff and interns, they create a rich learning community for 16 weeks.

Specific responsibilities for this position include:

  • Communicating with students and parents throughout the application process
  • Creating and implementing an outreach plan
  • Developing and maintaining relationships with sending schools and other influencers
  • Contact management for schools and prospective students
  • Coordinating outreach travel
  • Interviewing applicants
  • Processing applications and financial aid

In addition to these responsibilities, the Admissions & Outreach Director is an integral member of the school’s Leadership Team, working closely with the Head of School, Program Coordinator, and other Woolman Faculty. This team will often work collaboratively with each other on outreach efforts. When on campus, they are expected to join other staff in making a full commitment to Woolman's community life. This includes participation in Quaker meeting, community meeting, chores, meal preparation, and other community support.

Desired Qualifications and Skills

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent life experience
  • Experience in educational admissions and enrollment
  • Excellent communication, time management, delegation, and organization skills
  • Experience in community organizing, campaigns, and/or event planning
  • Strong public speaking skills
  • Highly proficient in use of office technology
  • Ability to plan and implement outreach trips throughout the US
  • A network of connections with educational institutions and organizations
  • Comfortable working with large groups of kids and adults
  • Strong desire to live and work in a community setting
  • Passionate about progressive education
  • Familiarity with semester schools
  • Experience working with high school age students and recent college graduates from diverse backgrounds
  • Willingness to participate in staff and community meetings in the style of Quaker 
  • consensus decision-making
  • Willingness to practice NVC and Restorative Justice
  • Willingness and desire to participate in anti-oppression work within the community, and continue learning and training in those areas
  • Interest in living in community and participating in community activities
  • A fun, positive and encouraging disposition

About Woolman

Woolman is a nonprofit educational community located on 230 acres in the Sierra Nevada Foothills dedicated to the principles of peace, justice and sustainability. Originally founded in 1963 as a Quaker high school, Woolman now offers educational programs for teens, retreats for adults, and summer camps for children and families including The Woolman Semester; a 4-month residential education program in northern California for passionate young people who want to make a difference in the world. Woolman is an equal opportunity employer. www.woolman.org.

Salary and Benefits

This position will start between February 15th and March 1st, 2016, and receive an annual salary of $25,000. Health benefits are available. Room & Board on campus are discounted 60% and end up being around $5,000/year renting a space on the Woolman campus and eating lunches and dinners in the Woolman dining hall. To apply, please send a letter of interest, current resume, and three references to: Gray Horwitz, Head of School, grayh@woolman.org

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Blue Rock School Needs part-time Spanish Teacher

Blue Rock School has a position available for a part-time Spanish Teacher.  Applicants must be fluent, and have interest and experience in progressive educational practice, assessment and social learning.  He/she will develop Spanish curriculum and lesson plans spanning grades 1st – 8th, including experiential activities such as cooking, crafts, songs, rhymes and games.  The applicant will be able to work with young children in a hands-on way, as well as, work with older students introducing the study of grammar and sentence structure.
 
We are a small, not-for-profit, independent and progressive school.  We are oriented towards a balanced and multi-disciplinary education, serving students in grades kindergarten through eighth.  Blue Rock School emphasizes open investigation and discovery, creativity, academic challenge with individualized attention in a stress-free environment.  Please fax or email a resume and cover letter explaining your background and your interest in the position to: Caty Laignel, Director, Blue Rock School, FAX: 845-627-0208 or EMAIL: BRSOffice@verizon.net.
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Black Friday Deals Continue Through Tuesday!

The AERO Black Friday sale will start Tonight at midnight and go through Friday night.

MOST BOOKS IN THE BOOKSTORE ARE AT 25% OFF! Just use the coupon blackfriday.  
 

Some items are even more discounted, such as Stuart Grauer's new book,

Fearless Teaching.
 

Some other terrific sale items:
 

AERO membership will be half price, just for this sale. We haven't had a sale on membership for over a year. That means individual membership is $20 instead of $40, and school and organizational membership is $37.50 instead of $75. 
 

We have three specialized kits with combinations of books and videos, for School StartingHomeschooling and Learner-centerededucation. 

You can audit the current school starter's course for $250 instead of the usual $500. The regular course is $1000. This gives you access to all resources on the course website. This will definitely be the only time this is offered. 

The Super Early Bird Rate for the Portland AERO next August ends on November 27th. It is $200 for the whole 5 day conference. After that the rate will go up and keep rising. A surprising number of people have already registered. 
 

AERO new book release, Stuart Grauer's glowingly reviewed Fearless Teaching, has quickly become one of our best selling books of all time-and it is still in pre-release!

 

You can read the original release by clicking on the book title above. 

 

Here is a short video by Grauer about the book. 

 

See Grauer's article about Play above. 

 

Buy the book here.