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The Albany Free School and Harriet Tubman

With the news that the US treasury department will put Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill, we wonder if the Albany Free School students project might have helped in some way. In 2003 a group of Free School students discovered that Tubman had worked as a spy for the Union forces but had never been compensated for it. Here’s an article about their successful fight to get that compensation and preserve the Tubman house.
 
In addition, the Free School helped establish a democratic high school named after Harriet Tubman.
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JOB OPENING: PROGRAM DIRECTOR

JOB OPENING: PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Compass is on a mission to make self-directed learning for young people a viable alternative to school. We are looking for a person to join our staff starting August 22nd, 2016 who has entrepreneurial zeal for the mission and views this work as more than just a job. The Program Manager is responsible for making deep mentoring connections with teens and their families, interviewing and managing volunteers and teachers, and taking charge of various administrative roles. A strong preference will be given to people who have demonstrated a desire and ability to make things happen. No particular educational or professional credentials are required – we are most interested in what you have done and what you can do.

Job Posting

Position Summary

Send a resumé with references and cover letter to employment@compassteens.org

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World Café Sessions At The AERO Conference

The World Café http://www.theworldcafe.com/

  • To Shape Our Futures (together) Through Conversations That Matter to Us

  • Café attendees have multiple opportunities to have quality conversations with other conference participants during each World Café session

Session 1 Thursday August 4th 8 -9:30 PM

Exploring with other AERO conference participants, 1) what our intentions are for the conference, 2) what our role is in assuring that these intentions are realized 3) what passions, concerns, questions and contributions can we engage with one another during the conference, 4) possible actions I/we may take during the conference or afterward to support my/our commitment to quality education.

Session 2 Sunday, August, 7th 1:30-3 PM

Exploring with other AERO conference participants, 1) what have been our experiences, e.g. full self-expression, being heard and known by others, deeper connection to ourselves and the AERO community, new insights, etc., that forward our commitment to quality education, 2) what have I learned from the speakers and my conversations with others, 3) how might I/we translate these experiences and learning into actions, e.g. what new opening for actions have I/we discovered during this time together.

Café process.

1) Set the Context
Pay attention to the reason you are bringing people together, and what you want to achieve. Knowing the purpose and parameters of your meeting enables you to consider and choose the most important elements to realize your goals: e.g. who should be part of the conversation, what themes or questions will be most pertinent, what sorts of harvest will be more useful, etc..

2) Create Hospitable Space
Café hosts around the world emphasize the power and importance of creating a hospitable space—one that feels safe and inviting. When people feel comfortable to be themselves, they do their most creative thinking, speaking, and listening. In particular, consider how your invitation and your physical set-up contribute to creating a welcoming atmosphere.

3) Explore Questions that Matter
Knowledge emerges in response to compelling questions. Find questions that are relevant to the real-life concerns of the group. Powerful questions that “travel well” help attract collective energy, insight, and action as they move throughout a system. Depending on the timeframe available and your objectives, your Café may explore a single question or use a progressively deeper line of inquiry through several conversational rounds.

4) Encourage Everyone’s Contribution
As leaders we are increasingly aware of the importance of participation, but most people don’t only want to participate, they want to actively contribute to making a difference. It is important to encourage everyone in your meeting to contribute their ideas and perspectives, while also allowing anyone who wants to participate by simply listening to do so.

5) Connect Diverse Perspectives
The opportunity to move between tables, meet new people, actively contribute your thinking, and link the essence of your discoveries to ever-widening circles of thought is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Café. As participants carry key ideas or themes to new tables, they exchange perspectives, greatly enriching the possibility for surprising new insights.

6) Listen together for Patterns and Insights
Listening is a gift we give to one another. The quality of our listening is perhaps the most important factor determining the success of a Café. Through practicing shared listening and paying attention to themes, patterns and insights, we begin to sense a connection to the larger whole. Encourage people to listen for what is not being spoken along with what is being shared.

7) Share Collective Discoveries
Conversations held at one table reflect a pattern of wholeness that connects with the conversations at the other tables. The last phase of the Café, often called the “harvest”, involves making this pattern of wholeness visible to everyone in a large group conversation. Invite a few minutes of silent reflection on the patterns, themes and deeper questions experienced in the small group conversations and call them out to share with the larger group. Make sure you have a way to capture the harvest – working with a graphic recorder is recommended

Anne Adams, PhD

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Progressive learning community Seeking Constructivist Social Science Teacher

About the Attic Learning Community:

Founded in 1999, the Attic is a dynamic learning community located in Woodinville, Washington, serving children ages 5-18.  Our teaching and learning practices are based on constructivism (Piaget’s scientific theory that explains how human beings construct knowledge) and Socratic teaching methods. Our core academic classes meet three days per week MTW, giving children and their families downtime and time to pursue outside interests.  

At the Attic children are deeply known by a supportive circle of adults as well as multi-age peers. Our community is one where children are accepted as their true self, comfortable to explore freely, and confident to challenge themselves and try new things.  A community where the developmental curriculum is flexibly designed to meet each child’s unique needs, interests, and abilities and expand them through authentically meaningful constructivist experiences.  A community where children feel ownership of their educational journey and where their innate motivation to learn is sparked to life and fanned into a strong flame. 

Our faculty is comprised of passionate educators who recognize the innate potential that lies within every child; who challenge students to approach learning with an open, inquisitive, and critical mind and to go beyond the “facts” toward understanding the “why” and “how”; and who give children authentic choices and a voice in their education.  Because we highly value the development of self-direction and intrinsic motivation, we do not use grades, rewards, or punishments. At every level, progress and growth are documented using detailed narrative assessments.

At the Attic we are deeply committed to the ongoing growth and development of our faculty. We reflect often on our teaching practices and work collaboratively to understand and implement constructivist and child-centered teaching methods. Our ideal candidate will have thoroughly explored our website at www.the-attic.org. He/she is energized by our approach and our mission, committed to his/her own growth and development as an educator, specifically drawn to teaching young children in a constructivist and child-centered teaching/learning environment, and open to receiving mentoring, regardless of years of experience.

Days/Hours:

The Attic meets three days/week. This position reports Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 8:45am-1:15pm, from September 26, 2016 through May 31, 2017. In addition, our faculty meets beginning mid- September and then once a month on Fridays 9am-3pm October-May. Successful candidate could have opportunities to take on more responsibilities with time.

Responsibilities:

Serve as Constructivist Social Science Teacher for our Middle and High School classes teaching World History with a Model United Nations (MUN) focus. This position is ideal for someone with a passion for Social and Political Science, World Affairs, and Current Events who wants a mixture of experience working with a master teacher and doing some solo-teaching. This is an opportunity to work in a highly collaborative and constructivist environment.

Qualifications/Salary

Successful candidate will be qualified for continuing offer for the following year. B.A./B.S. or currently pursuing degree. Masters degree or higher, a plus. A passion for learning and an enthusiasm for team-teaching are required. Experience creating and implementing meaningful learning experiences for young children in multi-age settings, and knowledge and experience with constructivist education a plus. Stipend/salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.

How to apply:

Research the Attic Learning Community at www.the-attic.org. Email resume and cover letter to Sharon Ilstrup, Managing Director – Sharon_ilstrup@yahoo.com