Some feel education won’t change until the students demand it as they did during the 1960s sit-down strikes in some urban high schools to protest segregation. Much can be gained from involving youth in decisions about their education. Dana Bennis has been tracking youth participation in decisions. He writes: “In recent years several states and cities have created youth advisory councils – small groups of youth usually age 15-18 from across the region who come together to discuss policy and create recommendations (and in some cases even draft legislation) to present to legislators and/or governors/mayors. This offers a powerful way to give youth a voice (short of lowering the voting age, which is another issue many groups advocate). States that have youth advisory councils include: Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Washington.”
Related organizations include: National Youth Rights Association, theWhat Kids Can Do (published a booklet on The Schools We Need), the English Secondary Students Association, the National Youth Leadership Council, and Student Voices project of Education Evolving.
In related news, I just finished reading The Euridem Project: A Review of Pupil Democracy in Europe by Lynn Davies and Gordon Kirkpatrick of the U of Birmingham. The report is in association with the Children’s Rights Alliance for England. Children in Denmark, Holland, Sweden and Germany are well ahead of English children in legal requirements on schools to involve children in a wide range of decision-making committees; participation by children in the development of curriculum and teaching methods; pupil representation on local, regional and national education committees; and, funding and support for national unions of school students.
Also related is the work of Drs. Raymond Moore (recently deceased) and Dorothy Moore who over many articles and books counseled educators and parents to delay instruction until the child exhibited readiness to learn. They encouraged following the child’s natural interests and pace for learning. Their recommended formula for learning in The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook is 30-180 minutes of study, 30-180 minutes of real work and additional time in service to others.