Resources
Articles
A Comparison of Alternative Education Methods
Alternative education is a broad spectrum due to varying philosophies followed by alternate schools. This article on Fairhaven School website makes an attempt to explain the differences. The article compares the various philosophies as compared to Sudbury Valley School model.
Books
This book contains insights from founders of Sudbury school, that evolved over a period of 30 years. The book is recommended to all homeschoolers, open schoolers, un-schoolers etc. Chapters: 1. The meaning of play 2. Conversation 3. What’s role of parents? 4. Significance of Democratic model 5. Developing each child’s unique destiny.
The Sudbury Valley School Experience
This contains articles on concepts and experiences that make up Sudbury Valley School. A chapter titled “Back to basics” is must read for all parents. This chapter is available online here.
Author Gijubhai Badheka believed in story and games based education. He attempted to ‘localize’ the Montessori method, by removing the didactic materials altogether and replacing them with storybooks, storytelling, role-plays, local games, and creative exercises.
In this book, Gijubhai has narrated his experiments in education, in the form a “day dream”. Originally written in Gujarati, the book has been translated into English and many Indian languages. Download: English, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Urdu. Print versions available at National Book Trust.
Video
This animation conveys a strong message in a funny way. Really a great satire!!!
How unknowingly we are trained, in school, to stop talking, stop asking questions, stop thinking etc. There is so much emphasis on developing knowledge databases. It is like a factory producing similar products.
What do you think of this mass production? Do we want our children to be treated as robots?