The higher education system is failing millions of potential students. For various reasons, higher education stopped being accessible for many students. Universities are expensive and cost-prohibitive for many individuals. Additionally, cultural barriers in many parts of the world prevent potential students from accessing higher education. Equally problematic, are the limitations of traditional Universities themselves. UNESCO ... Read more
Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves on a long journey that spans an entire continent. We’re traveling by train and, from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of ... Read more
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy Almost everyone has an opinion on what’s wrong with the world, yet few act to create change. What can we do in the midst of this chaos and confusion? We can change ourselves and change our hearts. In this ... Read more
The world is on lockdown. So where are all the carbon emissions coming from? In the spring of 2020, while the whole world was on lockdown and the global economy ground to a halt, global C02 emission fell by only 5.5%. While a 5.5% drop in emissions would still be the largest yearly change on ... Read more
Gitanjali 35 by Rabindranath Tagore WHERE THE mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear ... Read more
Differences Between Self-Directed and Progressive Education Self-directed learning and Progressive education models have both gained traction in recent years, and although they share many similarities and goals, they vary from each other quite a bit. In this article we learn more about these two alternatives to the “standard” education model. We also learn why the ... Read more
How We’re Priming Some Kids for College – And Others for Prison In the United States, two institutions guide teenagers on the journey to adulthood: college and prison. Sociologist Alice Goffman spent six years in a troubled Philadelphia neighborhood and saw first-hand how teenagers of African-American and Latino backgrounds are funneled down the path to ... Read more
Watch below as Akilah S. Richards and Laura Kriegel from the Alliance for Self-Directed Education explain how unschooling, free/democratic schools, learning centers, co-ops and more relate. As we move forward, we should think about what play and exploration looks like – it builds into incredible programs, choices, and a future that leads to liberating children.
What is revealed when we stay conscious in the midst of great upheaval? When we are willing to inquire with an open mind, we can move beyond simply coping with disaster and discover a life-changing truth untouched by any loss. Recorded in March of 2011 following a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, this monologue is relevant ... Read more
Near the end of 2018 a group of foundations, led by the Hewlett Foundation and including the Koch Foundation, launched a project to study the current state of civic education in America. Concerned about the state of civic knowledge and political practice in our country, these foundations wanted to invest more in civic education, but ... Read more