One October 16th I went to Brooklyn Free School for the first time this year. I'm a board member and helped start the school. Among other things I was curious about how their new program for 4 year-old is going. Also, the fifth floor of the school has been renovated for the high school students, and ithe school is at a record high of 73 students.
Well, things are going great on every level under new director Lily Mercogliano. Lily is a rare democratic school director who also grew up in a democratic school, Albany Free School. Every student I saw was engaged in something that interested them. The school has a sliding scale tuition so the spectrum of students, racially and economically is great.
I brought a few people with me for the visit, including new staff member Wylie Kuhn who had never seen a democratic school before said he was "blown away" by the experience. Here is his take:
By Wylie Kuhn
I could tell the energy was different from the moment I stepped through the door of Brooklyn Free School. I had gone with AERO director Jerry Mintz to visit the school as I had never been to a democratic school before. I was unschooled for the majority of my life before college. I had been pulled out of kindergarten by my mother after I had hidden in the classroom to keep reading a few times and had freaked out the teacher when I was missing during the post-recess headcount.
I was stunned by the school. My experience with learning institutions had been to sit down and shut up in fluorescent-lit white walled room and try to absorb facts I would never use . The colorful walls and lack of direction was a bit of a culture shock. Once you meet the kids that go there though, it all makes sense. Not one kid was bored. Not one kid was complaining. None of them were sitting around without knowing what to do. They were all engaged in their interests and completely involved in the community. The school was full of life, not the apathetic I-just-want-to-get-my-classes-over-with-and-go-home attitude of many public schools and traditional private schools.
When they described what they were learning their eyes lit up with enthusiasm. One described her love of American history with us. One student showed me a website he is developing that is a great idea and could easily become a profitable business. They were doing these things all of their own accord.
This is truly how education should be.
Click below to see images of Brooklyn Free School.
