The IDEA Blog
Charting a new path forward in education by sharing positive stories of change, providing perspective on key issues, and giving you the news and analysis you need to take action.
Power Dynamics with Young Children
Every community/school faces the challenge of dealing with peer pressure and bullying among children. As Dr. G so eloquently put it in a recent post, there is no such thing as a bully; instead “the vast majority of children and teens will find themselves in each of the three roles in any bullying encounter -- victim, bully, bystander -- on different occasions.” What we must learn to teach children is how to recognize and negotiate power relationships.I teach 5-7 year olds in a mixed-age classroom at The Patchwork School, a small independent school in Colorado influenced by three major educational approaches: democratic education, Reggio Emilia, and humane education. In our class,...
Posted on Sep 03, 2012 - 09:44 AM by Isaac Graves
Teacher Appreciation Week: Reflections from my childhood
Teachers have deeply impacted my life. Ok, not a revolutionary statement, but nevertheless true.During the school day, my third grade class and our teacher Dave took a trip to our local park just half a block down from the Governor's mansion in Albany, New York. While throwing a baseball back and forth with Dave, I experienced something I had never previously experienced in my life: a teacher talking to me as a person. We were discussing whether the Cardinals had a real shot at the pennant and it hit me, he actually wanted to know what I thought. He considered my opinions valid and wanted to have a real conversation with me. Did it matter that I was nine and he was twenty-seven?...
Posted on May 02, 2011 - 08:51 AM by Isaac Graves
Bringing Democracy to Education
This article has been published in various forms by The Huffington Post, YES! magazine, and Education Revolution.Introduction
As a leader within the alternative and democratic education community, I am frequently asked the question, “What is democratic education?” When I was a teenager, and at that time a recent graduate of a democratic school, I used to give a fairly dogmatic and uninviting response which included a bullet point list of requirements to be “democratic.” Surprisingly, this was not an effective method to talk about what I was most passionate about. This style of communication disappeared as I grew up and my experience as an organizer and educator evolved. I learned to...
Posted on Mar 09, 2011 - 06:16 AM by Isaac Graves
2010’s ‘Best of Democratic Education’ List
I recently read through Education Week's "Revisiting the Most Popular Stories of 2010" list and was generally disenchanted. This is not to say it's a bad list, rather it didn't represent my work and passions in democratic and alternative education. After a few days of jogging my memory, looking through a few 'cheat sheets,' and asking around I now present to you my 'Best of Democratic Education' list for 2010. I've organized the links into a few categories with no ranking system (I wouldn't want Alfie Kohn to get mad).Best of...
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Posted on Jan 02, 2011 - 01:47 PM by Isaac Graves
I “Demand Education That Matters.”
On November 11th, I attended the Coalition of Essential Schools' Annual Fall Forum. With a theme of "Demanding Education That Matters," the forum drew teachers, administrators, students, and others who are passionate about improving education and providing personalized, equitable, academically challenging schools that prepare all students for successful lives. The last workshop I attended at the conference was a panel of LGBQTI youth and adults who had an unscripted discussion on the question “What Does Demanding Education That Matters” mean to them. The panel was powerful and I have a wealth of memories and notes to reflect on. One comment that really stuck with me during that session...
Posted on Nov 14, 2010 - 04:29 PM by Isaac Graves
I was ‘Free to Learn’ (Reflections | VIDEO)
The most profound experience I had growing up was attending The Free School. The Free School is a democratic school in Albany, NY--the only democratic school for elementary-aged students in New York's capital. Founded in 1969, the school is the longest running inner-city democratic school in the country.It's important to acknowledge that, while The Free School was the most profound experience, my parents played the most important role in my life. Their guidance led me to discover, develop, and nurture my own sense of morality and justice, what it means to be self-directed, and what it means to live in community with others. They taught me that the most important thing in your life is...
Posted on Nov 08, 2010 - 11:25 AM by Isaac Graves
Discussion: Bestselling education writer Herbert Kohl delivers a stirring keynote address (VIDEO)
In early June of this year, I had the pleasure of filming bestselling education writer and educator Herbert (Herb) Kohl at his home in Point Arena, CA where he addressed the 7th annual AERO conference. Kohl delivered a riveting keynote challenging alternative and democratic educators, while presenting a stirring call to fight for public education as a foundational element of democracy. I found his talk thoroughly engaging, blending humor, wonderful anecdotes, while presenting tough and important questions for those involved in education--specifically, democratic and private learning alternatives. I invite you to watch his talk and join me in a meaningful discussion around so many of the...
Posted on Oct 14, 2010 - 11:09 PM by Isaac Graves
Posts by Isaac Graves
