A brief biographical account of the life of Elizabeth Byrne Ferm and her work in the Modern School Movement describes her early life; her educational training based on Froebel's ideas; and her development of "free" kindergartens, particularly at the Modern School at Stelton, New Jersey. (SAS)

Jon Scott, former department chair at the State University of New York at Albany, discusses his early education in the Modern School Movement, transition to public school, college experience, and opinions on the deficiencies of higher education. (SAS)

Various forms of alternative education include elements that are incompatible with each other; alternative educators must clarify their principles and follow their own paths. For example, Kinokuni Children's Village (Japan) is a "free school" that has blended elements of the philosophies of Neill, Dewey, and its founder Hori. (SV)

A comparison of the philosophies and pedagogies of Waldorf and Montessori schools points out that no single educational perspective can encompass all possibilities of human growth. Educators should attend to the "seed qualities" of alternative educational philosophies rather than their dogmas. A caring relationship between teachers and students is…

Addresses similarities and differences in educational philosophy and practice among alternative schools such as the Free School (Albany, New York) and Summerhill (England). Discusses philosophies of Summerhill's founder A. S. Neill and his belief that children should be loved and accepted and allowed to participate within the school's power…

The four issues of "SKOLE" published in 1996 include articles about alternatives to public education, the value of free schools and home-schooling, and children's learning experiences. Feature articles include profiles of alternative schools and educational programs; descriptions of learning experiences and teaching practices; a study of full…

Participants who attended three national alternative education conferences in Japan, Indiana, and Israel report on their experiences at the conferences and issues addressed, including freedom versus license, responsibility to poor children, funding for alternative education programs, democratic education, government role, and varying and…

Two interviews with Akira, a 7-year-old student, describe life at a Japanese residential free school. Modeled after the Summerhill School, the main components are voluntary lessons, self-government through weekly schoolwide meetings and smaller dormitory meetings, and extensive experiential learning through project work. Akira likes Kinokuni…

A teacher describes his experiences during an outdoor expedition with urban students from the Free School in Albany, New York. Time spent at the school's camp is intended to narrow the gap between experience and learning, promote principles of "self-regulation" and "work democracy" encouraging students to manage their own behavior and make…

Followup student interview about Kinokuni Children's Village, a Japanese residential free school modeled after Summerhill School. School features include voluntary lessons, self-government through schoolwide and dormitory meetings, and extensive project work. The school now has secondary programs and another campus. Eight-year-old Akira, in his…

Discusses the dilemma of losing concerned parents as advocates for better public schools when they choose alternative schools, the pros and cons of vouchers, and the free market's effect on public education. A discussion of Mr. Rogers, Dr. Spock, Sesame Street, and various nuns and monks highlights characteristics that are valuable in working with…

Students from the Free School in Albany, New York, arranged and financed a road trip to the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools conference in Pennsylvania. In exchange for a portion of travel expenses, they visited a struggling new charter school in Florida and demonstrated their democratic decision-making process. (TD)

Two chapters of a serialized book develop the idea that attention-deficit disorder is created by the conventional school's rigid enforcement of a spirit-deadening "order" that suppresses children's natural behaviors. Anecdotes from Albany's Free School describe incidents in which two very active and intelligent boys developed some…

The four issues of "Skole" published in 1995 include articles examining alternatives to public education and the value of free schools. Free schools offer an unstructured curriculum in which comparisons between students are eliminated and students are empowered to be responsible for their learning. Proponents of this approach to…

Reflects on the experiences of an American teacher of a Japanese university education course that focused on reading selected works by Western educators and on alternative models of education. Includes student responses to class readings, nontraditional education, educational philosophy, and the value of academic freedom. (LP)