| Conference Update - 25th Anniversary Talk |
It's hard to believe but the AERO conference is here, starting this Wednesday evening. People are coming from 38 states and provinces and 7 countries! I don't think we've ever had such an action packed week. Most of our previous attendees have said it's changed their lives. Go here to look at the final schedule and program.
We've been given a very nice offer to go back out west next year, so if you are in driving distance don't miss the conference near New York City. We may not be back.
What I posted below last week still applies. Write to me or call the AERO office with last minute registrations.
Hopefully we'll see you here!
-Jerry
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The AERO conference is filling up, but is not full. If you have not registered yet, you can still register quickly and easily here. The student, child and dorm rates have not increased. But if you are low income, need special arrangements, or have a group, it is best that you write me directly at [email protected] or call the office at 516-621-2195.
For those that have indicated they are coming, but haven't registered, we need you to register now or call us.
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Eight New Books! - Limited Quantities
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 Our friends at the Holistic Education Press sold us their final remaining copies of eight classic alternative education titles. These books, all new and priced at $9.95 and under, are available in limited quantities and cannot be re-stocked when gone! Get them while they last! They will be for sale at the upcoming AERO conference and there may not be any left after that!
Find complete descriptions all eight titles and order them on our special clearance book page here.
Educational Freedom for a Democratic Society
A Critique of National Educational Goals, Standards, and Curriculum
Edited by Ron Miller
New Directions in Education
Selections from Holistic Education Review
Edited by Ron Miller
Partnership Education in Action
A Companion to Tomorrow's Children by Riane Eisler
Edited by Deirdre Bucciarelli and Sarah Pirtle
Designing & Implementing an Integrated Curriculum
A Student-Centered Approach
Edward T. Clark, Jr.
Holistic Education
Pedagogy of Universal Love
Ramon Gallegos Nava, Translated by Madeline Newman Rios and Gregory S. Miller
Classroom Management
The Dance of the Dolphin
Mark Kennedy
Ten Common Myths in American Education
Mordechai Gordon
Schools Where Children Matter
Exploring Educational Alternatives
Doralice Lange DeSouza Rocha
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An Interview with Pat Farenga
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The latest interview in this ongoing series about the relationship between community and education features longtime AERO friend Pat Farenga. Read the entire interview here and read the other interviews from the series here.
 What is an ideal education to you?
Pat Farenga: To me, it would be something that doesn't even look like a program that's being administered to somebody with the expectation of a degree. To me, it would be lifelong; opportunities to learn all the time in your local community and the world at large. The reward would be that I'm able to use this information for my own betterment or to satisfy my curiosity for a personal reason. The idea that education is only for kids from kindergarten until they graduate college, then after that you are "educated" or you have attained a certain level of education-that, to me, is crazy. We are learning constantly. I'm 57 years old, and I hope I continue learning until I die. Think of what we could do if we just stopped giving standardized tests and got everyone books, health care and good food with that money. That can make a big difference in people's lives. I really see education much more holistically. I don't view it as these little buildings where teachers teach kids. I view it as the whole society. That's the other thing that I take great exception to-when people say, "The world is my classroom." No, the world is not your classroom; the world is your environment. It's your birthright that you live in it. Birds fly, fish swim, humans learn. To view the world as your classroom is to view the world like a gigantic school, and that is horrible. The world is the world; let's enjoy it. Let's embrace it so there are no dotted lines separating math from science from physics from reading and writing.
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| VIDEO: The Decline of Play and Rise of Mental Disorders (Dr. Peter Gray) |
Dr. Peter Gray is the author of Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life and was a featured keynote speaker at last year's AERO conference.
In this compelling talk, Dr. Gray brings attention to the reality that over the past 60 years in the United States there has been a gradual, but overall dramatic, decline in children's freedom to play with other children, without adult direction. Over the same period, there has also been a dramatic increase in anxiety, depression, feelings of helplessness, suicide, and narcissism in children and adolescents. Based on his own and others' research, Dr. Gray documents why free play is essential for children's healthy social and emotional development and outlines steps through which we can bring free play back to children's lives.
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| The 2014 Education Jam - Apply Today! |
30 leaders and visionaries will gather for six days in a beautiful retreat center in the New Hampshire wilderness. We will spend the time building community, deepening in stories and perspectives, sharing places of growth and struggle, and co-creating inspiration and vision.
We will be inviting folks from around the education world: public, private, independent, and charter schools, unschooling, homeschooling, learning communities, youth empowerment, and more. We acknowledge that in the education sector there is a fair amount of division around definitions of the "best way forward". We also know that across the spectrum, people working in the education world are constantly giving of themselves. The Education Jam will make space to listen and learn from our diversity, engage in new synergies, find inspiration and rejuvenation, and begin to build towards a common vision with each of our own unique contributions.
Find out more about the 2014 Education Jam and apply today here.
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Personalized Learning Approaches - Virtual Open House
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Education is critical in forming a child's growth, personality, confidence, and future. That's why decisions surrounding the style and model of a child's learning experience are so important. Some parents are rethinking what's being offered by the traditional educational model, and many parents are considering the benefits of homelearning and the development of a more personal learning environment. Join one of SelfDesign Global's Virtual Open Houses to explore personalized learning paths for your children, and virtual learning circles available for families and educators for support and connection to a larger community.
For more information, visit selfdesign.com.
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Do you have a news or resource item you think Education Revolution newsletter readers would find useful? Send it to [email protected].
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Thank you for your ongoing support. With your help, we will make learner-centered alternatives available to everyone!
Sincerely,
Jerry Mintz
Executive Director
Alternative Education Resource Organization
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 The Ten Signs You Need to Find a Different Kind of Education for Your Child | |
Many parents don't realize that the education world has changed drastically since they were in school. Schools and class sizes used to be smaller, dropout rates lower, in-school violence almost unheard of, and teachers weren't terrified of showing affection to their students, or of discussing moral values. Of course, even then, school was far from perfect, but at least the teachers-and usually the principal-knew every student by name, something that is increasingly rare today.
Because our public school system has deteriorated considerably, many parents, teachers, and individuals have taken it upon themselves to create public and private alternatives to that system; and it is important for parents to know that they now have choices.
So how do you know that it's time to look for another educational approach for your child? Here are some of the signs:
1. Does your child say he or she hates school?
If so, something is probably wrong with the school. Children are natural learners, and when they're young, you can hardly stop them from learning. If your child says they hate school, listen to them.
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