The School Around Us: 25 Years

by Claudia Berman

 

 

From the back cover:

 

The School Around Us: 25 Years is a history of a small parent-run school in Kennebunkport, Maine; a description of its principles; and a celebration of its ongoing growth. It recounts the evolution of the school from the varied viewpoints of its many members. It is a record of the educational philosophies, practices, and concerns which currently guide the school, and the problems it continues to face. The book's topics include how school members dealt with issues of power and equality, self-governance by consensus, development of a guiding educational philosophy, holistic curriculum versus the standard curriculum based on the three R's, public school transitions and more. SAU is a model of a student-centered, democratic, learning community of parents, teachers, students and friends. The school has been a place for experimentation and research for innovative educational methods that support teaching our children to live and work together cooperatively with each other and the earth.

 

Claudia Berman has worked in alternative schools for eighteen years. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Education from Antioch New England Graduate School. She is currently an independent consultant in science education and holistic educational methods for school districts and universities.

Back to the bookstore