Democracy

Taking Time to Practice Democracy #yearatMH

Posted by Sabrina ⋅ February 12, 2013 ⋅ Leave a Comment

originally posted at the IDEA Blog. Are we ‘school-year’ wise, but lifetime foolish? Immediately after finishing the first video chapter of “A Year at Mission Hill,” I went over to the school’s website and read their mission statement. I was first struck by just how beautiful it is; their care and dedication to “helping parents … Continue reading »

The Third Way

Posted by iteach4change ⋅ October 25, 2012 ⋅ 6 Comments

“The Third Way” is a phrase sometimes used to describe a new, third alternative after two somewhat opposite alternatives are explored and found wanting or inadequate. For example, the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, founded a way of life, an eightfold path, that was a “third way” after he rejected the excesses of indulgence on the … Continue reading »

Standards-Based Education for Freedom

Posted by educatedtodeath ⋅ March 26, 2012 ⋅ 1 Comment

Originally posted at educatedtodeath.com Yes, education should have standards, and yes, those standards should be tested with corporations in mind. The STANDARD should be that all learners are equipped with the critical skills to participate in an open society; that is, learners should be literate, connected, and aware. The test will be if power shifts, … Continue reading »

Is society incompatible with imagination?

Posted by kima ⋅ December 29, 2011 ⋅ 6 Comments

It’s been a while since I last blogged here — part of the reason is that I didn’t feel I can contribute as much in the efforts to change education as the rest of my Coop friends, but part was my feeling I need to focus on my family and my own health after the … Continue reading »

Cooperative Catalyst Presents: Kirsten Olson

Posted by daretheschool ⋅ November 8, 2011 ⋅ 2 Comments

Kirsten Olson is a leading writer in the U.S. describing education from a student’s point of view. Her recent book Wounded By School: Recapturing the Joy in Learning and Standing Up To Old School Culture(2009) was one of the ten bestselling books at Teachers College Press this past year, and was nominated for Book of the Year … Continue reading »

Cooperative Catalyst Presents: Dream School Commons

Posted by daretheschool ⋅ November 7, 2011 ⋅ 3 Comments

Jaime R. Wood is founder of Dream School Commons, a nonprofit organization with the mission of starting innovative low-cost or no-cost schools that serve populations in need. She is also the author of Living Voices: Multicultural Poetry in the Middle School Classroom (NCTE 2006). She started her teaching career working with middle school students in an alternative charter school … Continue reading »

Occupy Wall Street: The Education Edition (Part 1)

Posted by daretheschool ⋅ October 10, 2011 ⋅ 17 Comments

I am very happy to say that I spent my weekend occupying Wall Street. During this time, I had the amazing opportunity to speak with people who are not only angry, but hopeful. They are individuals who protest our country’s economic policies not out of hatred, but out of love for our country. They see … Continue reading »

Do I have a right?

Posted by Chad Sansing ⋅ August 19, 2011 ⋅ 5 Comments

Author’s note – much of what you’re about to read is inspired by the juxtaposition of articles featured on BoingBoing. I spent this morning sharing iCivics and its marquee title, “Do I Have a Right?”, with local colleagues. “Do I Have a Right?” is an resource management game in which the player assumes control of … Continue reading »

Back to their future – together!

Posted by kima ⋅ August 12, 2011 ⋅ 3 Comments

This was part of my speech on August 7 at Portland, Oregon during the 8th Annual AERO Conference — Transforming Education & Our World and was originally posted at the TEDxKids@BC website. I hope you will enjoy the video I made for the occasion – bear in mind that this was my first attempt at video editing! I am … Continue reading »

Bullshit freedom or freedom bullshit?

Posted by kima ⋅ June 25, 2011 ⋅ 8 Comments

Imagine this scene: — You walk into a bank with your 7 year old daughter (or son) and ask to see an account manager as you would like to open an account in her name, so she can start saving money and use her own debit card when she chooses to buy something with her … Continue reading »

Stand up for public education

Posted by Elisa Waingort ⋅ March 28, 2011 ⋅ Leave a Comment

This has been edited and revised from a previously published post at http://bit.ly/hwQkl7 In the current climate of teacher bashing, increased high stakes testing and teaching, and the push to use student test scores to evaluate teachers in order to determine individual teacher rewards and punishments, it is imperative that teachers, families, and students stand up and say, … Continue reading »

Rural School Districts, Design Flaws, and the Need for Change:

Posted by Jamie Steckart ⋅ March 4, 2011 ⋅ 3 Comments

As a child of the late 60’s, I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie. The idea of a small one-room classroom where all ages of children learned appealed to me then and now. I happen to live in a small community on the South Shore of Lake Superior. Some of you may have … Continue reading »

Voices of Students!

Posted by Jamie Steckart ⋅ March 4, 2011 ⋅ 7 Comments

How do you teach democracy? If we look at how schools are designed, do they promote or hinder our ability to create active and informed citizens? One of the reasons, I got into education is to help students find their voices. To create a space that welcomes and helps students become critical thinkers. On Monday, … Continue reading »

The future of big box schooling

Posted by kima ⋅ January 24, 2011 ⋅ 5 Comments

I recently posted my thoughts on Schooling the World, an important film that takes a look at the value of bringing Western-style education to sustainable indigenous cultures and beyond. I personally — and as I mentioned in my post, it seems Sir Ken Robinson too — believe the film raises many important questions which are … Continue reading »

Democracy, community, evidence

Posted by Chad Sansing ⋅ January 9, 2011 ⋅ 4 Comments

Through one of our fora, Coöp members have been sharing ideas about cross-posting back and forth between CoöpCatalyst and our personal blogs. To further that discussion and invite the broader Coöp community to join in it, I thought I would cross post part of a recent Classroots.org piece on principles of school funding. …considering our … Continue reading »

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