When Kids Rule the School, livre ebook

How self-directed democratic schooling builds fulfilling lives and can lead the way back to a civilized society

Education is ripe for democratic disruption. Students in most schools are denied fundamental social ideals such as personal freedom, public government, rule of law, and free enterprise. In our increasingly authoritarian post-truth world, self-directed democratic schooling offers a timely alternative: educating children in civilized society and showing that self-motivation outperforms coercion in its power to educate and fulfill.

When Kids Rule the School is the first comprehensive guide to democratic schooling, where kids practice life in a self-governed society—empowered as voters, bound by laws, challenged by choice, supported by community, and driven by nature. Through heartwarming stories and hard-headed details, this book covers:

• Democratic schooling philosophy, theory, and practice
• School governance by students and staff together
• Student self-direction and day-to-day life
• Deep play, cognitive development, and critical thinking
• Why democratic schooling is morally right and effective
• Model bylaws and guidance for starting a democratic school.

Created for educators, parents, and scholars, When Kids Rule the School will immerse you, heart and mind, in a promising new approach to education, and stretch your thinking about what school can be.

Stories
Prologue: Taming the Wild
Introduction

Part One: Self-directed Democratic Schools1. What's a Democratic School?
Small-scale Democracy
Sudbury Schools
Summerhill School
Integral Education
Free Schools

2. The Circle School
Scaled-down World
Foundation Principles

Part Two: A Case for Democratic Schooling 3. Integral Education: An Emerging Era
Traditional to Modern to Integral
Fill a Bucket, Light a Fire, Fan a Flame
The Radical Difference

4. Democratic Schools: A Better Fit
Aligning School with Society's Ideals
Alignments Within the School
Aligning School with Children's Lives
Bliss It Isn't
Human Development and Democratic Schooling
And Finally There's This

5. Seven Ideas
Democratic Schooling in a Nutshell
Community: Less Obvious, More Important?
Intrinsic Motivation and Autonomy
Optimal Challenge: Children Reaching Higher
Embodied Cognition and Deep Learning
Coercive Curriculum Harms Children
Practicing Life

Part Three: Thinking about Thinking 6. How and What Do They Learn?
Worldviews, Culture Wars, Concerts, and Railroads
Expanding the Scope of Education in School
Old Ways
Integral Learning Patterns Enabled by Democratic Schooling

7. Critical Thinking
Capable Cognition
Provocations
Culture of Critical Thinking
Deep Play and Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking in Perspective

Part Four: In Practice 8. Jargon
School Meeting
Ends We Seek
School Meeting Committees
School Meeting Officials
Corporations
Certification
Lawbook
Judicial Committee
Board of Trustees

9. A Typical Day?
Walking Tour
Bulletin Board
Room Reservations
Daily Schedule
What You See and What You Don't

10. School Government
Elections
School Meeting
Corporations
Staff
Management Manual
Laws
Enforcement and Empowerment
Judicial Committee
Formal Governance
Legal Structure

11. The Chore System

12. Safety, Safety, Safety
Standards
Laws
Safety Practices

13. Moving On: College and the World
High School Diplomas
College Admissions
Not Going
College and Degrees

Part Five: Frequently Asked Questions
Basics
Curriculum
Assessment and Reporting to Parents
Getting into a Democratic School

Epilogue: Seeking Infinity
Acknowledgments
Appendix A: Management Manual Table of Contents
Appendix B: The Circle School Corporation Bylaws
Appendix C: Colleges Attended by Circle School Graduates
Index
About the Author
A Note about the Publisher