Alternative forms of schooling

[Joseph]

A couple of private school systems, which are much more attuned to actual education rather than indoctrination are the Waldorf system and the Montessori system. Both are very expensive but if you can afford it they are both extremely good education systems.

http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/

http://www.montessori.edu/

If your curious about these systems I encourage you to watch some youtube videos on these education types to see how they work, and see them in action.

 

[Acala]

Or

How about NO "schooling" and just learning? Children are hard-wired to learn. But they learn in their own way at their own rate. Let them. The idea that children need to be force fed some curriculum on a fixed timetable is diametrically opposed to the way learning naturally occurs. Provide a good role model. Provide ample resources. Curb your agenda, get out of the way, and let nature take its course.

 

[Joseph]

I guess schooling was a bad word, my bad.

Yea, these are alternate forms of education that don't age segregate. At least Montessori doesn't, I don't know about Waldorf.
In these schools, children do learn at their own pace. They are not forced into some class system. It's not anything like the military style indoctrination of public schools, it's an open environment. Seriously, look into it. They are by no means centered around the curriculum style lack of education public schools.

 

[WilliamC]

For most any and all textbooks on any and all topics you can imagine try thepiratebay.se

There is no trick to learning, and all the information is free, so any 'schooling' that doesn't maximize the use of this free information is actually indoctrination at our expense.

 

[Keith and stuff]

There is a Waldorf school where I live. The cost per student is around $10,000 per year. The cost at the government schools is over $17,000 per year. I don't know what the Montessori school here costs as it isn't listed on the website. A private Lutheran school costs $4,000 to $5,000 per student per year. A 7 Day Adventist school just outside of town is $2,000 to $3,000 per student per year. There is a pro-liberty school, Liberty Harbor Academy, in Manchester, but that's 60 miles away so forget that. If I was a parent and I couldn't home school, I'd likely send the kids to the Lutheran school.

I agree that both Montessori and Waldorf offer better than government education, and at least in New England, at likely a lower cost.

 

[Lindsey]

How about Sudbury-type schools? I think if I have a child, I will give him/her schooling options that include unschooling or sudbury school, (which is basically a school for unschoolers where they really heavily on student-run democratic government.)

The Original Sudbury Valley School in MA:
http://www.sudval.org/

Highland School in WV: (I think this school may be older than Sudbury Valley.)
http://www.thehighlandschool.org/

New School in DE:
http://www.thenewschool.com/

Philly Free School:
http://www.phillyfreeschool.org/

Summerhill - not technically a Sudbury School - there are differences; for example, it has a monarchy(the founder's daughter) rather than a pure democracy. Students make a lot of decisions, but classes, while non-compulsory, are scheduled and staff is hired by the monarch rather than by the students. This is also a boarding school.
http://www.summerhillschool.co.uk/

Costs vary among the schools - the one in WV is ~$2000 per year and the one in MA is ~$10000 per year.

On another note:
I never attended a public school so I don't really understand the indoctrination, but I really have no desire to understand either. If my potential child thought that was what they wanted, then I suppose we'd give it a chance. My parents told me no when I asked to go to public school. While looking back I understand that they probably made the right decision to keep me in my private school, I still wish they would've considered letting me try it. 20+ years later and I still remember being told No; your kids should have input in where they spend 25-30 hours every week for the next ~12 years.

 

[Paul Or Nothing II]

How about NO "schooling" and just learning? Children are hard-wired to learn. But they learn in their own way at their own rate. Let them. The idea that children need to be force fed some curriculum on a fixed timetable is diametrically opposed to the way learning naturally occurs. Provide a good role model. Provide ample resources. Curb your agenda, get out of the way, and let nature take its course.

+1

Absolutely agree

 

[donnay]

How about NO "schooling" and just learning? Children are hard-wired to learn. But they learn in their own way at their own rate. Let them. The idea that children need to be force fed some curriculum on a fixed timetable is diametrically opposed to the way learning naturally occurs. Provide a good role model. Provide ample resources. Curb your agenda, get out of the way, and let nature take its course.

Absolutely! +rep!

 

[LibertyRevolution]

Unschooling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling

 

[tttppp]

Why does school have to be expensive? If you put it online you can dramatically reduce costs and even improve quality if you want.

 

[Paul Fan]

How about NO "schooling" and just learning? Children are hard-wired to learn. But they learn in their own way at their own rate. Let them. The idea that children need to be force fed some curriculum on a fixed timetable is diametrically opposed to the way learning naturally occurs. Provide a good role model. Provide ample resources. Curb your agenda, get out of the way, and let nature take its course.

This, times ten. School is prison. Set your kids free to learn. They will be so much happier, and they'll learn more.

 

[Joseph]

As far as online school younger kids react much better to physical objects and an interactive environment.

As far as no schooling I agree, Montessori (which I did for 4 years) is all about learning at your own pace, with no age segregation. The word schooling in the title was a poor choice of words. Before you knock these options I encourage you to look into them, they really are how learning is suppose to be. It isn't indoctrination, sitting in a desk as some no body talks at you all day. I would know, I was in public school, montessori school and christian school and I saw the difference and it was astounding.

The Montessori and Waldorf schools really are the opposite of the indoctrination camp public schools. Please just look into them, before knocking them. I promise you will pleasantly surprised.

 

[camp_steveo]

For most any and all textbooks on any and all topics you can imagine try thepiratebay.se

Thnx

.......................

 

[Travlyr]

How about NO "schooling" and just learning? Children are hard-wired to learn. But they learn in their own way at their own rate. Let them. The idea that children need to be force fed some curriculum on a fixed timetable is diametrically opposed to the way learning naturally occurs. Provide a good role model. Provide ample resources. Curb your agenda, get out of the way, and let nature take its course.

This for sure.

 

[Jonse]

Absolutely no social conditioning of a child during their early years, a brief instruction about how to logically infer something and make proper comparisons to personal experiences, a computer and an internet connection. Your child will learn absolutely everything they need to know and will have all the cross references in the world to determine truth.


There is a reason the current younger generations have become more keen as to what is really happening than any other generation when they were the same age.

 

[Kluge]

As far as online school younger kids react much better to physical objects and an interactive environment.

As far as no schooling I agree, Montessori (which I did for 4 years) is all about learning at your own pace, with no age segregation. The word schooling in the title was a poor choice of words. Before you knock these options I encourage you to look into them, they really are how learning is suppose to be. It isn't indoctrination, sitting in a desk as some no body talks at you all day. I would know, I was in public school, montessori school and christian school and I saw the difference and it was astounding.

The Montessori and Waldorf schools really are the opposite of the indoctrination camp public schools. Please just look into them, before knocking them. I promise you will pleasantly surprised.

I've looked into Montessori, though not Waldorf, and I'm reasonably impressed with Montessori. I'd like to see if there could be some sort of online version of it. Oh, and for those who care, Montessori was allegedly a libertarian.

 

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[moostraks]

Absolutely no social conditioning of a child during their early years, a brief instruction about how to logically infer something and make proper comparisons to personal experiences, a computer and an internet connection. Your child will learn absolutely everything they need to know and will have all the cross references in the world to determine truth.


There is a reason the current younger generations have become more keen as to what is really happening than any other generation when they were the same age.

Question...what do you define as social conditioning? I disagree to allowing the internet and a computer be my children's guide. I think that is a bad idea. Would be interested to know how that little experiment works out for you though...

 

[moostraks]

I've looked into Montessori, though not Waldorf, and I'm reasonably impressed with Montessori. I'd like to see if there could be some sort of online version of it. Oh, and for those who care, Montessori was allegedly a libertarian.

Waldorf is artsy and depends on an understanding of anthroposophy to properly execute. Long and short it is a belief in the fact that the soul of all living things experiences evolution in a cyclical fashion and teaches according to the receptive nature of children depending upon their age. I am more Waldorf than Montessori and largely Charlotte Mason in my execution, lol!

I couldn't function with the manner in which montessori materials are supposed to be handled and presented, but I find a benefit to some of them (It was too dogmatic in my opinion as to the reverence given to manipulatives ie never let them play with them in a manner contrary to that in which it is presented is a prevailing theme I found and just seems to stifle their familiarity and creative side imo)

Waldorf does a lot of learn this story and then 'tell it' to the students so you maintain eye contact and your soul speaks to the student with no interference.( there is a lot of touchy feelyness to waldorf education ) Not as necessary when you homeschool imo as you are vitally connected in a strong bond unlike student-teacher of non-relatives. However it is more effective than just reading a story as experience has shown me because when you tell the story the words are from your common language usage and you will guide the story using familiar examples to your family. I use a Charlotte Mason approach in finding stories they can relate to but I don't have to memorize a zillion stories a day for my large age range I am teaching. I use Waldorf as a guideline to find the stories that will speak to them according to their natural inclinations. Then depending on their age my children will do art related and/or summary (written and/or oral) of the material covered. The older they get the more our school is Charlotte Mason as opposed to Waldorf.

It works for us. To each his own....

 

[Shane Harris]

bookmarked this thread. only 21 but very interested in options for educating my future children.