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Democratic Education and Low Voter Turnout

by Jerry Mintz
 
After last week's record low turnout for the midterm vote there were a lot of articles reporting this and despairing the phenomenon. But the analysis of why this happens didn't ever get to the core of the situation:
 
As I said in one of my TEDx talks, "I think that the best way to prepare students to participate in a democratic society is to have them grow up in democratic schools. Why do we have them experience 12 years of a dictatorship and then expect them to be ready for democracy?
 
Why would we think that people who attended schools for twelve or more years would be prepared to vote when they didn't grow up participating in a democracy?  In fact, the training in 95% of the schools seems to be how to live and survive in a dictatorship.
Jerry Mintz
Jerry Mintz

You would think this would be self-evident. Democratic schools are very successful and their graduates do amazing things. Most of the schools we help people start have a sliding scale tuition and are interracial and have a spectrum of students.
 
Related to all of this is bullying. I believe that no program will "cure" bulling in mainstream public and private schools because of their top-down, authoritarian nature.  In that situation there will always be people at the "bottom" who will be bullied by those above. But in democratic and non-authoritarian  learner-centered schools bullying is hardly seen. When it does happen, a democratic meeting about it can be called right away. Even in public at-risk alternatives, researcher Dr. Robert Barr discovered a starting drop in bullying statistics when he looked at alternative schools in his research.
 

You might wonder why research like this doesn't lead to drastic changes. I do, too. But I think that the current authoritarian system serves some economic vested interests and is also more akin to a religion. It is based on habits and  rituals and not very amenable to research or discussion. So that is our challenge! We know that learner-centered and democratic schools work. How do we get this across to the mainstream so we can truly have an Education Revolution?

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GREENFIELDS ACADEMY IN CHICAGO SEEKING CLASSROOM GUIDES

Are you convinced that the way we are educating children has to fundamentally change?
Do you have the patience needed to allow students to experience and learn from failure?
Are you prepared to inspire a generation to tackle the challenges that lie ahead?

 

Greenfields Academy is seeking Guides who are ready to change the world of education at our innovative, game-changing school.  Greenfields blends state-of-the-art learning software, real-world projects, Socratic discussions and a Hero’s Journey dialogue in a student-driven, multi-age learning studio.  Our approach to learning does not include tests, grades, or teachers leading lectures.  Our classrooms are supervised by Guides who create and facilitate the learning environment, but empower students to take ownership of their learning and classroom governance.

 

Greenfields currently has an Elementary program and will be growing in Fall 2015 to include Early Learners (ages 4-6), Elementary (ages 6-10) and Middle School (ages 11-14) programs.  We are currently seeking Guides for all three programs.

 

Position Description
Each program is led by two Guides working in close partnership to oversee a mixed-age class of 20 to 40 students. Guides help each student find their calling and reach their full potential by:
  • supporting individual students in setting and achieving their learning goals and identifying and pursuing their passions
  • facilitating Socratic group discussions
  • evaluating and refining the existing curriculum
  • designing and experimenting with new projects, tools, and approaches
  • organizing speakers and field trips to inspire students
  • creating and maintaining a studio environment that supports and motivates students
  • acting as a role model as an independent learner on a Hero’s Journey
Guides will also document learning (student projects, achievements, and everyday activity), communicate actively with parents, and assist students with creation of their learning portfolios.  

 

Qualifications
We are looking for Guides with a deep curiosity about life, a lifelong love of learning, endless patience, and an entrepreneurial spirit (must thrive in a startup environment). Candidates should have proven excellence in guiding others, whether in or out of a school environment.  Montessori, project-based and/or experiential learning experience is a plus.

 

This is a position for an independent learner who is willing to take direction but can also work without much direct guidance.  We seek a Guide who loves to experiment, evaluate, and improve on everything he/she does. Candidates should have proven excellence in written and oral communication skills, and be comfortable using and learning a variety of technology tools.  And most importantly, candidates should have a deep respect for all children, believing that each has a genius within.

 

Salary
Greenfields Academy offers a salary commensurate with experience plus a bonus structure based on performance.

 

Next Steps
Candidates should email a resume and thoughtful cover letter that outlines how their skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position, how the position is part of their Hero's Journey, and how they heard about this opportunity to hiring@greenfieldsacademy.com. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Learn more about Greenfields Academy at www.GreenfieldsAcademy.com