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AERO Conference Filling up, 5 Reasons You Should Go

Registrations for the AERO conference are piling up. We now have registrations from 23 states four Canadian provinces and three other countries. We’ve had registrations from NY, WA, IL, OH, NC, MD, TX, OR, CA, HI, WY, MT, MN, ID, IN, TN, NJ, NJ, VT, MI, MA, WI, NH, VT, ME, DE and from ON, BC, AB, and MB

Some people may be a little confused by our various conference registration rates,

You are free to choose any rate that applies. We have a regular registration rate of $275,  a low-income rate of $225, a volunteer and student rate of $200 and even a patron rate of $500. In addition we have an under 11/childcare rate of $100,  You choose your own rate when you register. If you want to you can put in a note or e mail us if you have chosen to volunteer.  If you have any additional questions or need a special group rate you can write to JerryAERO@AOL.com

5 reasons you should go to the AERO conference

  1. You are at an alternative school and want to network with others and knew the latest developments in the field.
  2. You are a parent or teacher dissatisfied with the current system and looking for something different and effective.
  3. You are a college student and planning to be a teacher and want to know where you can teach at a learner-centered school.
  4. You want to start a new alternative and want to find out how to do it.
  5. You have developed some innovative educational approaches and want to share them with others in the field.
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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