Not sure if I feel that such a system is appropriate for children under a certain age. What that age is is hard to determine, but some sort of directed structure seems appropriate. At least until a certain age… once again, therein lies the uncertainty.
Homeschooling seems like a better alternative for younger kids than this.
Great vid. I’m not that keen on the democratic decision making but beyond that it’s rather good.
I wonder if so much interaction with others causes all the important mental tools become incentivized the right way. If the friends of an illiterate child tell him he should learn to read, will that incentive to learn allow him to learn better?
However, I would be afraid that some people may confuse the school with representing a working socialist structure. No students own anything at the school yet through the ‘democratic’ process they appear to be able to control how the ‘stuff’ and the time of individuals is used. All the students are free but only insofar as others allow them to be.
“students and staf are equals”…
this statement is incorrect. the teachers are not equals…they have knowledge that the students want to learn…
“no they don’t”…
then why are the students there in the first place?
“this statement is incorrect. the teachers are not equals…they have knowledge that the students want to learn…”
I don’t see how that makes them unequal. I think it is supposed to mean that the teachers don’t have privileges over the students like the right to arrest them if they don’t want to learn from them. Plus they can see them as fit to actually teach… or not. Also not the case with government schooling.
It’s authority in the sense of having something to provide. Instead of authority in the sense of ‘because I say so’ or ‘because that’s the way it is’ like in the case of government.
As far as I can see, the democratic process only applies to:
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Rules of conduct between students.
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Keeping the property clean and undamaged
I also doubt these rules change much if ever, and it’s a question of applying them and finding a good solution.
- Their satisfaction with the staff members
They do not control what other can or cannot do with their time outside of this.
And:
Youtube comment from someone who goes there:
“When it comes to math, I’d say the four years old are better than lots of seven year olds in regular school from dealing with their own money a lot.”