Comments on: Summerhill School by A.S. Neill by http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/2009/07/free-school/ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:33:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Leo http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/2009/07/free-school/comment-page-1/#comment-57484 Leo Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:12:28 +0000 http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/?p=3521#comment-57484 ..hii Joe..stumbled `n this from Anthony De Mello`s website: http://www.demello.org/ after read`n a highly recommendable book by him: `Awareness`.. after read`n the book U`shouldn`t `ve any difficulties by Ur choice of "unknowns".. nor how best help Ur kids..;-) ,,C` & dwnld : http://bit.ly/sLr98q ..hii Joe..stumbled `n this from Anthony De Mello`s
website: http://www.demello.org/ after read`n a highly recommendable book by him: `Awareness`.. after read`n the book U`shouldn`t `ve any difficulties by Ur choice of “unknowns”.. nor how best help Ur kids..;-)
,,C` & dwnld : http://bit.ly/sLr98q

]]> By: Eric http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/2009/07/free-school/comment-page-1/#comment-57173 Eric Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:12:50 +0000 http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/?p=3521#comment-57173 Joe, I'm a few years late in this, but I hope you're still looking for information. I think a few of your concerns speak directly to what free schools are trying to address. First, the reason you can't find any example of what the lessons look like is that the lessons are (at least in theory) supposed to be spontaneous. Something catches a student's attention and a teacher (subtly) converts that into a lesson. For example, maybe a student breaking a rule could become a lesson on the legal system -- something the students can immediately relate to their own lives at that point and are, therefore, more likely to remember. Second, regarding your concern about students not going to lessons, remember that young children are naturally curious and enjoy learning. It is typically not until they are older that they start to dislike school - primarily because school becomes a burden instead of an opportunity. If the students are never forced to go to school it never becomes a burden. (In fact, my understanding is that students at Summerhill are often so enthusiastic to go to class they have to be forced to stay in bed when they're sick.) If you're interested in a critique of the "dictatorial" method, you should read "Discipline and Punish" by Michael Foucault. It's actually about the penal system, but it has direct correlations to public education - particularly the emotional effects that "forced" education has. For the record, I'm an elementary teacher and not a fan of Summerhill or the free schools. I think it's important to get as much of the big picture as you can, though. Joe, I’m a few years late in this, but I hope you’re still looking for information. I think a few of your concerns speak directly to what free schools are trying to address. First, the reason you can’t find any example of what the lessons look like is that the lessons are (at least in theory) supposed to be spontaneous. Something catches a student’s attention and a teacher (subtly) converts that into a lesson. For example, maybe a student breaking a rule could become a lesson on the legal system — something the students can immediately relate to their own lives at that point and are, therefore, more likely to remember. Second, regarding your concern about students not going to lessons, remember that young children are naturally curious and enjoy learning. It is typically not until they are older that they start to dislike school – primarily because school becomes a burden instead of an opportunity. If the students are never forced to go to school it never becomes a burden. (In fact, my understanding is that students at Summerhill are often so enthusiastic to go to class they have to be forced to stay in bed when they’re sick.)

If you’re interested in a critique of the “dictatorial” method, you should read “Discipline and Punish” by Michael Foucault. It’s actually about the penal system, but it has direct correlations to public education – particularly the emotional effects that “forced” education has.

For the record, I’m an elementary teacher and not a fan of Summerhill or the free schools. I think it’s important to get as much of the big picture as you can, though.

]]> By: Joe http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/2009/07/free-school/comment-page-1/#comment-43053 Joe Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:10:42 +0000 http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/?p=3521#comment-43053 Thanks Lynette - I wish Mr. Berg would respond. - I've moved on to reading a guy named Alfie Kohn - very readable, but I don't know where I'm going to end up. Funny story - I told a teacher friend that I'm reading about education - she said why? I said because I have kids that are going to have to be educated some day. Thanks Lynette – I wish Mr. Berg would respond. – I’ve moved on to reading a guy named Alfie Kohn – very readable, but I don’t know where I’m going to end up. Funny story – I told a teacher friend that I’m reading about education – she said why? I said because I have kids that are going to have to be educated some day.

]]> By: Lynette http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/2009/07/free-school/comment-page-1/#comment-43049 Lynette Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:20:21 +0000 http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/?p=3521#comment-43049 Joe, good on you for your drive to investigate. Joe, good on you for your drive to investigate.

]]> By: Joe http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/2009/07/free-school/comment-page-1/#comment-42991 Joe Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:04:40 +0000 http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/?p=3521#comment-42991 Hey Don - thanks for the comment. I went to your site today and read some of your articles - very interesting. This is exactly what I wanted to have happen - I'm trying to figure out where to send my kids and am questioning the traditional models, but don't really know all of the options. I guess the thing about Summerhill is that it's a great big book, but Neill isn't able to help the reader understand what his methods are really like in practice. Maybe that kind of info is on your site, but I haven't found it yet. I just have a lot of questions: what about the kids that don't want to do anything, or the one's that won't follow what everyone has voted on. Also, don't you have to direct them somewhat? Nowhere in Summerhill does Neill explain how the lessons actually work. Also - I would like to read a really good critique of what you call the dictatorial method - I know it doesn't work for everyone (me for example) but I need a really in depth critique from your side of the fence. Finally, what exactly does the mainstream classroom assume about human nature? Maybe that we don't deserve more respect than the sheep heard? I can see that. Please know that I'm just trying to figure this stuff out - it's just that Neill comes across as sort of nutty. Hey Don – thanks for the comment. I went to your site today and read some of your articles – very interesting. This is exactly what I wanted to have happen – I’m trying to figure out where to send my kids and am questioning the traditional models, but don’t really know all of the options. I guess the thing about Summerhill is that it’s a great big book, but Neill isn’t able to help the reader understand what his methods are really like in practice. Maybe that kind of info is on your site, but I haven’t found it yet. I just have a lot of questions: what about the kids that don’t want to do anything, or the one’s that won’t follow what everyone has voted on. Also, don’t you have to direct them somewhat? Nowhere in Summerhill does Neill explain how the lessons actually work.

Also – I would like to read a really good critique of what you call the dictatorial method – I know it doesn’t work for everyone (me for example) but I need a really in depth critique from your side of the fence.

Finally, what exactly does the mainstream classroom assume about human nature? Maybe that we don’t deserve more respect than the sheep heard? I can see that. Please know that I’m just trying to figure this stuff out – it’s just that Neill comes across as sort of nutty.

]]> By: Don Berg http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/2009/07/free-school/comment-page-1/#comment-42982 Don Berg Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:03:13 +0000 http://blog.lemuriabooks.com/?p=3521#comment-42982 "too naive about human nature" I think this is a very ironic statement to make about a democratic school like Summerhill. Have you really considered what the mainstream classroom assumes about human nature? If you are willing to consider the issue deeper I invite you to read an essay I wrote comparing democratic schools (which Summerhill is but one of hundreds around the world) with the dictatorial schools that dominate most education systems. Here's the URL: http://www.teach-kids-attitude-1st.com/democratic-schooling.html -- Enjoy, Don Berg Site: http://www.Teach-Kids-Attitude-1st.com Free E-book: http://www.changethis.com/51.05.AttitudeProblem “too naive about human nature”

I think this is a very ironic statement to make about a democratic school like Summerhill. Have you really considered what the mainstream classroom assumes about human nature?

If you are willing to consider the issue deeper I invite you to read an essay I wrote comparing democratic schools (which Summerhill is but one of hundreds around the world) with the dictatorial schools that dominate most education systems. Here’s the URL:
http://www.teach-kids-attitude-1st.com/democratic-schooling.html

–
Enjoy,

Don Berg

Site: http://www.Teach-Kids-Attitude-1st.com
Free E-book: http://www.changethis.com/51.05.AttitudeProblem

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