D was explaining recently what his ideal school would be like. If this school existed, he concluded, he would probably go. And so would I! D's school would have no more than six children in each class. The spirit would be entirely collaborative, so no competitions, medals, or being top of the class. Instead, each... Continue Reading →
All about conversation
Some years ago, when my eldest son was still a toddler, I came across a book about learning at home. The author had interviewed many families (parents and children) on different topics to do with how the children lived and learned. The majority of these families didn't follow a curriculum or do any formal classes.... Continue Reading →
How do they know that?
We had a friend to stay recently. As we were cooking together in the kitchen, D (13) and E (11) were chatting with us. The conversation was wide ranging, and encompassed gun control in the US, whether Fidel Castro was a 'good dictator', best voting systems, and favourite Roman emperors. Their reasoning was sound and... Continue Reading →