Ron Miller, founder of the journal "Holistic Education Review," discusses his intellectual background in humanistic psychology and historical studies, definition of holism in education, the holistic approach as an answer to the reductionist and fragmented modern era, founding of the journal as a form of activism, and the incremental nature of…

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)

A teacher at a nontraditional school describes how a 12-year-old boy with a background of personal loss and school failure was helped to find his way by an apprenticeship experience in which he reconstructed his school desk. The pivotal contribution came from the boy's mentor, while the school's contribution lay in what it didn't do. (SV)

Mary Leue started the Free School, an independent, alternative elementary school in inner-city Albany (New York), based on open democratic education dedicated to the authentic lives of children. Other accomplishments include a community-investment organization, a magazine of alternative education, a magazine for empowering families, and a…

Cooperation among the Rhode Island legislature, the commissioner of education, funding agencies, businesses, and community members has enabled the creation of a statewide school district composed of small secondary career and technical schools based on student-initiated learning, internships, and mentoring. There is no set curriculum, high-stakes…

The Free School (Albany, New York) was started for children who had experienced little success in public schools. The school advocates a number of therapeutic practices that encourage the healthy expression of emotions as well as the articulation and exploration of life's inevitable conflicts and problems. As children gain in self-esteem, they…

Former New York governor Mario Cuomo discusses the inequities of public schooling, the trend toward charter schools, and the importance of making education a national priority. Richard Lewis, founder and director of the Touchstone Center (New York City), discusses children's literature, the intrinsic motivation that children have for learning, and…

The Free School is an independent, alternative elementary school in inner-city Albany (New York) based on open democratic education dedicated to the authentic lives of children. Emotional freedom is balanced by meetings in which everyone participates in solving discipline problems. The highly flexible and individualized curriculum uses the…

The co-founders of the Sudbury Valley School (Massachusetts) discuss how the school's philosophy is based on giving children respect, freedom, and support to find their own self-motivation; how play is one of the best learning tools; and the sustained public relations effort that has been required to establish and maintain the school's…

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…

A teacher at an alternative school draws upon his and other educators' experiences to illustrate that learning within relationships and learning about relationships are fundamental to the educational process. Schools must provide safe, caring environments where kids can establish enduring relationships with each other, teachers, and mentors, and…

Founded in 1969 in an inner-city neighborhood, the Albany Free School is based on real freedom, community, democratic principles, and affection and trust between teachers and students. This book provides an in-depth history of the Free School, including a brief analysis of its place in the broader scheme of things; describes the school with…

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…

Introduces the idea that attention deficit disorder is a myth brought about by society's attempts to alter and adapt children's natural behaviors to fit the routines and limits of a flawed educational system. Anecdotes from Albany's Free School describe ways of working with children as unique individuals, based on the faith in every child's inborn…