School Survival


Has school destroyed your creativity and self-confidence? I'm working on a book called Recovering From School, to help you heal the damage caused. Join the Patreon or Newsletter to be notified about updates. Paid Patreon members will get early draft previews, as well as a free digital copy when it's done.


Alternative school in Hadley, Massachusetts

I received this via email:

I just wanted to let you know about North Star in Hadley, MA. My son started there this fall.
It is Self Directed Learning for teens and is one of the boldest and cutting edge approaches to educating Middle and High Schoolers. Basically, we are a family that left school last year. Officially we are now homeschoolers, but 4 days a week my son goes to North Star and can choose from a large selection of classes. He decides what to take and when he wants to relax and be social with others. At North Star Learning is Natural and School is Optional!
North Star has been featured in The Boston Globe, The New York Times and was recently on the cover of Teacher Magazine.
Check it out at:
http://northstarteens.org/

Thanks,
Jo-Ann Konieczny

Here's some info from their website:

North Star is a center for community-based learning located in Hadley, Massachusetts. We offer teenagers a whole new way to approach their lives. Learning is natural; school is optional.

Seven Principles that Inform Our Work at North Star

  1. Young people want to learn.
  2. Learning happens everywhere.
  3. It really is OK to leave school.
  4. How people behave under one set of circumstances and assumptions does not predict how they will behave under a very different set of circumstances and assumptions.
  5. Structure communicates as powerfully as words – and often more powerfully.
  6. As adults working with young people, we should mostly strive to “make possible” rather than “make sure.”
  7. The best preparation for a meaningful and productive future is a meaningful and productive present.

What do you guys think?

Where to next? Pick one!

Posted in: Resources on October 2, 2009 @ 2:59 PM

Tags: , ,


If you like what we're doing here, you can become a Patron and sign up for our newsletter!