The Village Free School was founded in 2004 based on the Free School movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Over the past 10 years it has changed and grown, but has remained true to its three rules: Take Care of Yourself and Others, Take Care of Our Space and Things, and Respect the Freedom of Others. Village Free School's 'program' emphasizes play and pursuing goals. Most people (myself included), when first encountering alternative schools where students choose how to spend their own time, say: "Won't my child just choose to play all day??" In fact, play is highly respected at most of these schools, where children are encouraged to follow their curiosity, and learning happens through engagement. Some of these schools report on the learning progress through portfolios (see Windsor House), while with others it is anecdotal. Goal-setting is an important part of Village Free School's curriculum creation and 'assessment' process. Adults are seen to be guides and mentors. They help students to set goals, to reflect on how they've spent their time, and encourage them to practice and master skills. |
Mission Statement: |
VFS's program director, Jessica Graves, talked to me about how students 'graduate' from the school. It may have been one of my favourite pieces of any free school program anywhere!
When students at VFS feel they are ready to graduate (usually between the ages of 15-17), they write a letter to the staff saying that they are ready to begin the process. The process (which is optional but almost all students choose to undergo) generally takes 1 to 1.5 years to complete.
When students at VFS feel they are ready to graduate (usually between the ages of 15-17), they write a letter to the staff saying that they are ready to begin the process. The process (which is optional but almost all students choose to undergo) generally takes 1 to 1.5 years to complete.
'Graduating' involves four challenges:
- a self-reliance challenge - a professional challenge - a community challenge - a self-knowledge challenge |
The student chooses a committee of adults and students who will help mentor him/her through the process. Challenges are created by the student and are something that are of personal interest or that the student feels is of importance to his/her life. The final result is a presentation to the committee and the school on each of the completed challenges. |
Jessica gave me an example of a student who had grown up having a great fear and unease around established religions. For her self-reliance challenge (putting yourself somewhere where you're uncomfortable), she asked to attend a Christian camp for a summer, which she followed up by research, reading, interviews, and an exploratory journal project. Another student was concerned about the difficulties seniors were having with the transit system. For his community challenge he spent a year interviewing seniors, talking to officials, doing research, and eventually proposed a plan which ended up being adopted by the transit system.
I have faith that this is a school that is meeting its mission to empower students to become independent, creative, and conscientious citizens capable of thinking for themselves and collaborating with others to create a better world!
I have faith that this is a school that is meeting its mission to empower students to become independent, creative, and conscientious citizens capable of thinking for themselves and collaborating with others to create a better world!
For most democratic schools, Village Free School included, conflict resolution and communication are key parts of the learning process. Students learn through democracy as they participate equally in the running of the school, in the cooperative resolution of disputes and disagreements, and in making consensus decisions.
This from Village Free School's website:
Students are presented with a basic template for problem solving where each voice is heard, respected, and valued. Adult and peer mediators model compromise, reflective listening, and empathy. Students who play an active role in resolving interactions with others gain invaluable practice in understanding the world around them and moving through it with confidence. Students, advisors, interns and volunteers use All School Meeting to make decisions regarding daily life and to resolve conflicts facing the community as a whole. All School Meetings can be called at any time by any member of our community, and may be facilitated by either a student or adult.
This from Village Free School's website:
Students are presented with a basic template for problem solving where each voice is heard, respected, and valued. Adult and peer mediators model compromise, reflective listening, and empathy. Students who play an active role in resolving interactions with others gain invaluable practice in understanding the world around them and moving through it with confidence. Students, advisors, interns and volunteers use All School Meeting to make decisions regarding daily life and to resolve conflicts facing the community as a whole. All School Meetings can be called at any time by any member of our community, and may be facilitated by either a student or adult.
When I visited Village Free School in October, many of the students were away visiting a farm where they have weekly visits with volunteer Elliot Harvey. It was a rainy day and the remaining students were showing the antsyness and pent up energy of children cooped up. My impression of chaos and noise was also partly due to the fact that Village Free School has recently needed to move to the small building that is currently their homebase - 4 smallish rooms and a wide hallway, bathrooms, and a small staff room are the extent of their facilities, and, considering the fact that they were practically stepping on top of each other, there was an amazing amount of cooperation. As a child (and even as an adult) I would find it challenging to not have quiet spaces, nooks, and outside green space in which to work, read, and think, and this is a challenge that Village Free School is currently trying to problem-solve. In the meantime, students learn to get along, to find solutions to their own needs, and to voice their opinions in a small space!
Check out Village Free School's facebook site - with frequent photos and updates about goings-on at the school, as well as links to blog posts by teachers about their experiences. |
Click here to read one mother's experience and understanding of democratic education and her son's journey with Village Free School.
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