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What Is Uncharted Parenting?

Posted on Oct 25, 2009 - 12:31 AM by Khalif Williams in Uncharted Parenting

For anyone dedicated to the ideals of democracy, peace, and equality in education, parenting can be just as complex as it is beautiful; just as frustrating as satisfying. That's because we're in new territory, endeavoring to respond to a failed schooling system and a troubled society in need of new solutions. We want to raise happy families that are resilient enough to find purpose and security despite our economic and educational systems showing ever greater signs of distress. We know that, to create the world we want, we must begin where we are. So we pour our hearts and souls into parenting our children in way that reflects our courage and hope for a better society.

The story of...

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Remembering Hope & Joy

Posted on Dec 27, 2009 - 02:41 PM by Jonah Canner in Got Questions?

I am currently on vacation in Nicaragua, and while I have been doing a lot of thinking, I have not been doing very much writing, as is wont to happen from time to time. And with thinking inevitably comes questioning. So what better place to explore some of those questions than here?

I'll begin with a story. I spent the last four days on a small hostel/ranch/community center/aspiring eco-destination called Rancho Esperanza in the isolated fishing village of Jiquilillo. The owner of the ranch, Nato (Nate), was born in Maine and has been involved with the village for eleven years, living there full time for the last eight.

Six years ago Nate began an after school program for the youth of...

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Howard Zinn: One of the Great Democratic Educators

Posted on Jan 30, 2010 - 03:10 PM by Melia Dicker in The Landscape

"The interchange between student and teacher, the free inquiry that is promulgated in the classroom, a spirit of equality in the classroom, to me that is part of a democratic education." - Howard Zinn

This week, the world said goodbye to Howard Zinn, an award-winning writer, activist, professor, and role model for democratic educators. He was 87.

Zinn dedicated his life to promoting true democracy and social justice through education and action. Although he spoke and wrote extensively on the injustices that humans have inflicted upon each other, throughout history and in the present, he never lost hope for a more peaceful world.

In one of his last interviews, Zinn said that he wanted...

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Resistance, Hope & Democracy

Posted on Feb 24, 2010 - 02:46 PM by Jonah Canner in Got Questions?

I used to direct an after-school program, which was housed in a public school classroom, and I tried to implement a democratic meeting with my middle school students (a diverse group in terms of race and family income). As well-intentioned as I was, the students didn't respect me as a leader because I was offering them decision-making power. They seemed so used to an authoritarian school day that they didn't know what to do with an unexpected dose of freedom. It was also just a drop in the bucket compared to the way they spent the majority of their time. How would you have handled this situation?
- Redwood City, CA

I have a few thoughts regarding your situation but first I must say: Kudos...

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Education or Indoctrination?

Posted on Mar 19, 2010 - 09:52 AM by Jonah Canner in Got Questions?

Education and Indoctrination: Is there a difference? In this post, Jonah explores the challenges that face those of us who want to give young people an indoctrination-free education.

Hi Jonah, I saw that you were presenting a workshop at the Left Forum in New York this weekend entitled "Fertile Grounds Project: Spaces for Youth to be Youth/Education over Indoctrination." I will not be able to attend the session myself, but I was wondering what you meant the difference between "Education" and "Indoctrination" to be. Even if you are "educating" people towards democracy or social justice, isn't there still a certain level of indoctrination going on?

-Anne M., Toronto


Hi Anne,

Not only is...

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Raining on My Students’ Parades

Posted on Apr 12, 2010 - 09:31 AM by Kristan Morrison in democracy.edu

My graduate students tell me that I am depressing them - that I am the unfunny version of Saturday Night Live's Debbie Downer . Well, they didn't actually call me that, but that's sometimes how I feel. I teach the foundations of education course at my university. This is the class where American education is looked at through a critical lens - comparing the historical, Jeffersonian democratic citizenship purpose of education to the social mobility purposes that seem most paramount in schools today. We explore and critique different philosophies of education, deconstruct our society's current politicization of education, examine the injustices of our education system's funding practices,...

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Goals met?

Posted on Jun 18, 2010 - 11:42 AM by Alison Bagg Brink in ImprovEducation

The last meeting of the year is just winding down, the walls of the classroom are bare, and there is not a single piece of paper on the floor. It is officially time to start summer, at least for me.

My official evaluation was a week ago. I have my copy of it around here somewhere.... Anyway, things went wonderfully according to my vice principal. She was very happy with my performance. That is good, because I need to keep my job. She is happy, and my family has health insurance. My goals for the administration were met.

I do recall that I set different goals for myself, than I turned in for the powers that be. I wrote about my goals in my first post for IDEA. Let's see how I did....


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