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10 Steps To Start Your Own Educational Alternative

  1. Visit a variety of educational alternatives: Progressive schools, democratic schools, Montessori Schools, Waldorf schools, homeschool resource centers, and charter schools, etc.
  2. Think about your own vision of what a good alternative would be and what would suit your philosophy.
  3. Decide what you think is the best way for your school to be governed, including whether you want to be a for-profit and own the school, a non-profit with a board, and how much decision-making power you want the students to have.
  4. Start having meetings to find out more about your local community, its needs, and what they want. See if your vision is compatible with it.
  5. Find out what the education laws are in your area, what the requirements are to start various kinds of alternatives.
  6. Decide what kind of learning environment you want and start looking for local buildings and spaces that would work to do that.
  7. Start looking at potential costs such as rent, insurance, staff salaries. Start planning fundraisers and looking for sponsors.
  8. Start recruiting potential students and staff members. Use relevant networks such as food co-ops, alternative health practitioners, alternative education networks. Use the media.
  9. Map out what the first days of your alternative might look like and organize a two or three-day demonstration program.
  10. Write out an overall action plan. Make sure it is clear that this is YOUR alternative and that the other people involved are simply helping you to get it off the ground!

The School Starters Consultation program is now open. It is offered between the full September to January School Starters Course and gives the participants full access to all the course materials but is unguided. The $300 fee can be applied to the full course. Go here for more info. 

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Fall 2017 Part-time Elementary and Middle School Physical Education Teacher Position at Blue Rock School

Blue Rock School is a small, not-for-profit, independent school (Kindergarten-Eighth) in West Nyack, NY.  We are oriented towards a balanced education, holistically engaging the mind, body and the feelings.  Our approach is hands-on and multi-disciplinary, with an emphasis on a love of learning and an emergent curriculum.  Applicants must possess effective class management techniques that are aligned with the school’s progressive approach to learning and have the ability to modify class focus and activities based on the grade-level and experience of the group ranging from First through Eighth Grade.  Lessons need to be age-appropriate, engaging and meet the needs of the diverse interests and abilities of students. Specific duties are to teach physical education classes including, but not limited to calisthenics, skill development, yoga/stretching, and outdoor sports (soccer, kickball, basketball, wiffle-ball, volleyball) with sensitivity.  Applicant must also have experience and comfort in creating cooperative physical activities, games and promoting teamwork, sportsmanship, conflict resolution and learning through play. Please fax or email a resume and a cover letter explaining your background and interest in the position to Caty Laignel at: 845-627-0208 or bluerockclaudia@yahoo.com.

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Elementary Teacher Position at Blue Rock School

Blue Rock School is a small, not-for-profit, independent school (Kindergarten -Eighth) in West Nyack, NY.  We are oriented towards a balanced education, holistically engaging the mind, body and the feelings.  Our approach is hands-on and multi-disciplinary, with an emphasis on a love of learning and an emergent curriculum.  We emphasize open investigation and discovery, creativity, academic challenge and individualized attention in a stress-free environment.  Applicants must have an interest in progressive education, strong Math and Language Arts skills, as well as an interest in Science and Social Studies.  Experience with collaboration, communication and self-development is required.  Minority applicants encouraged to apply.  Please fax or email a resume and a cover letter explaining your background and interest in the position to Caty Laignel at: 845-627-0208 or bluerockclaudia@yahoo.com.

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Global Village School Seeks Teacher

Teacher Job Description

About Global Village School

GVS is an international K-12 homeschool diploma program with a creative, flexible approach and an emphasis on peace, justice, diversity, and sustainability. Our focus is on preparing students to be wise and capable stewards of the planet and each other. We work to nurture and protect the passion and enthusiasm for creating a better world that comes so naturally to so many young people. We seek to help our students to lead authentic and meaningful lives, and strive to have them leave school feeling confident in their abilities to make an impact on the world around them.

Global Village offers a full K-12 curriculum with all the regular academics, weaving in progressive themes wherever we can. In addition, we offer customized curriculum which reflects students’ interests and learning styles, and high school courses such as International Human Rights, Planetary Stewardship, Peacemakers, Literature of Diversity, and The History of Civil Rights in the U.S.

 

About the Teaching Position

Working remotely under the supervision of the Executive Director, and in cooperation with the office staff and administration, the Teacher provides support to and oversees the educational progress of assigned students.

 

Schedule

Flexible. Time required depends upon number of students assigned. This is a part-time position.

 

Duties and responsibilities

Provide teaching services for GVS students and follow the guidelines in the GVS Teacher Manual, including:

  • Consult with and support parents and students, answer questions as they arise
  • Review student work and return it in a timely manner
  • Assign grades to high school work (K-8 work only if requested by parent)
  • Keep detailed records, including an up-to- date list of all students
  • Provide documents such as written evaluations at the end of each semester’s work, monthly student updates and billings, send welcome letters to new students, etc.
  • Communicate regularly with office staff and assigned families, including notifying the office if you have any concerns about a family

 

Qualifications

  • Personal commitment to the vision of Global Village School, including commitment to social change, educational excellence and innovation, creativity, peace, justice, and diversity
  • A passion for working with young people
  • Teaching experience, preferably in an alternative education context
  • Ability to work with people from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, educational, and religious backgrounds, generations, sexual orientations and gender identities
  • Experience working with staff and students in a team-based context
  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work independently; trustworthy; dependable; productive
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • The ability to personalize curriculum and requirements to meet individual student interests, needs, and learning styles
  • High school diploma required. Bachelor's Degree preferred. Teaching credential is a plus.
  • Solid knowledge of personal computing: Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Drive, creating pdfs, e-mail, the Internet, Skype, online chat, and social media such as Facebook is required
  • Knowledgeable about peace, social justice, active nonviolence, diversity issues, education, and their interconnectedness is a strong plus
  • Knowledgeable about homeschooling, humane education, and alternative education is a plus

 

How to Apply

Please send resume and cover letter to Marcie Foster, Assistant to the Director, at info@globalvillageschool.org

No phone calls please.

www.globalvillageschool.org