Links Tamariki School
For info. about alternatives in education. Contact: Linn Burke, e.address below
Democratic schooling A selection of the rationale aims and guidelines of Tamariki School
Tamariki is a state funded democratic day school for 5-13 year old children in Aotearoa/ New Zealand.The philosophy and methodology represented here encodes overforty years direct experience of democratic schooling. It is a school system that puts social and emotional development as well as academic, at the heart of learning to equip each child to be an effective and contributing member of a free democratic society.
Sample:
DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION
Democratic Education is a system of schooling where pupils are actively engaged in choosing the content, pace and timing of their curriculum; it is social, emotional and academic learning where pupils, parents and teachers have equal respect for the contribution of each to the life-long learning process. It is child-centred, equipping each child to function to the fullness of their nature and talent, leading to happiness and meaningful citizenship.
It works largely due to honesty and a non-judgemental approach to all conflict situations: where good communication, (listening as well as speaking) is regarded as a fundamental social skill and play is always recognised as an integral part of the learning process.
There have always been a few schools of this type throughout the world but in recent times this approach has been recognised as essential for the development of socially aware, responsible citizens with environmental consciousness. Schools are beginning to develop 'positive ethos* ways of learning. To involve children in decision making, some schools are starting to use an election process. Others are using participatory democratic methods. What is being thoroughly examined is the notion of 'value' in today's world and it is through action in communities that our values are measured.
Tamariki School, in Aotearoa (New Zealand) is a democratic free school with over 40 years experience. When a child starts at Tamariki it is often after a year or more of being in this friendly environment and every child starts school accompanied by one or other members of the family until such time as that child is ready for you to leave. Sometimes days, sometimes weeks... but parents arc always welcome in the school at any time, to help out or to sit and chat (which is work to some end also). Actually there is always a lot to do and we generally enjoy it.
The purpose of education for sustainable communities is to promote the 'Rationale, Aims and Guidelines'(RAG's) of Tamariki School, which speak volumes more than this writer ever could.
For further information contact:
TAMAR1KI SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES
POLICY ON SOCIAL STUDIES NUMBER 209 1997
RATIONALE
Learning to live in a social group is a major task of childhood, and the School seeks to support this learning.
AIMS
1. To conserve the integrity of the child's perception of itself as a functioning member ( social group with rights and responsibilities.
2. To provide an environment where children have direct experience of the social implications of these rights and responsibilities.
3. To provide mechanisms and models which support children's learning to resolve the problems and difficulties inherent in the conflict of personal needs with the needs of of and of the group.
4. To support each child's learning about its own reality and that of others. The school recognises that this is a lengthy process which cannot be hurried, and that self-knowledj required to really encounter the reality of the other.
GUIDELINES
1. Social contact with others is the richest resource in the school.
2. Play must always be recognised as an integral part of the learning process.
3. Staff shall at all times model respect for themselves and other members of the community, especially the children.
4 The meeting system, in which events, feelings and responsibilities are explored, recognised, and reinforced, is an integral and very powerful part of the Social Studies programme.
5 The aims of the National Curriculum in Social Studies, and of the Board of Trustees, ai embodied in the structure and programme of the school.
CONCLUSION
Self-knowledge as the basis for a fully responsible and responsive life, is the major aim o the school.
DRAFTED BY EDWARDS, CAWSTON, MICHELL, KENDRICK PRESENTED Oct 1997 Oct 1998 PUBLISHED Oct 1998 REVIEWED June 1999
THE SPECIAL CHARACTER OF TAMARIKI SCHOOL
Tamariki's aims may be summarised as:
a. To equip each child according to its nature and talents TO lead a personally satisfying life,
and to be an effective and contributing member of a democratic society. b. To be a supportive community which nurtures its members.
The means to achieving these aims are different in emphasis from mainstream New Zealand schooling and are what give Tamariki its Special Character. There are eight main areas of emphasis.
1 Emotional and social growth are regarded as the base for cognitive development and strategies which support these growths have priorities over all other activities. Tamariki operates in many ways more like an extended family, offering support and encouragement to all its members. It seeks homeliness and limits its numbers to sixty so that all members may know everyone else. Children mix freely irrespective of their age or gender.
2 The school values and works to achieve close relationships between teachers and children, children and children, and parents and teachers. These are based on trust, and we accept that children may need to test the reliability of teachers before learning takes place. Teachers are expected to be emotionally nurturant of the children, willing to cuddle them, and accepting as natural a child's need for physical contact. Teachers are also expected to physically restrain and hold a child when appropriate.
3 The children are deeply involved in creating and maintaining the social structures by which the school functions. This involves rule-making, and dispute resolution through the mechanism of whole school and small meetings, which, when called, take priority over all other activities. The school rejects punishment as a source of control or a response to inappropriate behaviour.
4 The child's learning is to a very great extent under its own control. In this way it can genuinely advance at its own pace in response to its unique developmental sequence. Attendance at classes is generally voluntary, and exceptions must be justified. Such justification would normally be that the child is afraid of taking the risk of failing and compulsion would be applied for a limited period mutually agreed, to carry the child over the risk period. Mistakes are regarded as important learning information and grading is NEVER done. The child's learning belongs to itself, and it is responsible to itself, not its teacher for this learning. No adult has the right to demand to see the child's work and such access is always under the child's control. There are no class stratifications until the child enters Form Two. A child always works at its individual level of competence.
5 We reject norm-referenced tests and examinations as incompatible with our emphasis on the individual. Competition is not regarded as a desirable learning activity. The children are encouraged at all times in all areas to compare their work and skills with their own previous achievements and their own goals. Self-examination is constantly fostered, and the capacity to use a skill and to generalise from it is taken as demonstrating its possession. The focus of teaching strategies is to acknowledge and support what children do well, and use these strengths in areas of weakness.
6. Play is regarded as children's work. By playing with ideas and objects they develop functioning cognitions about their world. The children may and do use all the materials in the school for their own purposes. We require an environment in which uninstructed play freely occurs, with access to trees, sand, water, mud and junk materials. We also respect the child's need at times to be passive and inactive.
7. The children have a very large measure of control over the environment, which the adults in the school recognise as a most important resource for the children's development areas. Accordingly, they will defer their need for an orderly and tidy environment t< child's need to experience cause and effect; to experience why order and tidiness an desirable. The school values and fosters a child's full and committed engagement in activity, and this engagement can be inhibited by a concern about mess, so we accept children in this age range will be messy. This is the case in both formal and informal activities. It is the school's policy not to ask for neatness in a child's work until that child sees the need itself. Similarly, while children are encouraged to tidy away after them: a far amount of leeway is given so that children may experience the frustration involved themselves.
S. Parents are welcome in the school, have unrestricted all-day access, and are not ie< to till any particular role. In keeping with the school's function as an extension of the 1 pre-school siblings are welcome, and enjoyed by the children.
POLICY ON LEARNING
NUMBER 001 DATE 19 RATIONALE
The School supports children as active learners, whose interests are best served when they themselves have control over subject, pace and timing. AIMS 1 . To conserve the integrity of the child's perception of itself as a learner.
2. To foster pleasure in learning and a positive attitude towards future learning.
3. To provide opportunities for learning suited to each child.
4. To support each child's learning at its individual rate.
5. To support each child's development of personal goals and standards which are realistic and achievable for that child,
GUIDELINES ; 1 . Satisfying social and emotional functioning should be established as a base for cognitive" growth.
2. Play must always be recognised as an integral part of the learning process.
3. Attendance at classes is generally voluntary and exceptions must be justified.
4. A child should be able to proceed at its own pace and should not have its development compared with that of others.
5. Ability to use a skill should be used as a criterion of mastery.
6. Extensive use should be made of informal learning opportunities and one-to-one interactions.
7. The School should be responsive to children's individual interests.
8. All learning programmes should be flexible enough to accommodate each child's learning modes and pace, and should foster a positive attitude towards mistakes and weaknesses.
.9. All programmes and procedures should serve the child's self-concept as a leamer child must not be put in a position where he is not fully the 'owner' of his learningCONCLUSION
Successful learning is an natural and life-long process, and the aquisition of learning skills is the major task of the primary years
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For information about alternatives in education. Contact:Linn Burke lynn@maia35.fsnet.co.uk