Is this the future of education in America?

http://www.thepatchworkschool.com/Mission.php

or

http://runningriver.org/about/

Both schools are just outside Boulder, Colorado.

Boulder

The first indicates it is a type of democratic school. A (private) democratic school also recently opened in Maplewood. (http://www.southmountaincoop.org/)

My sense is that some kids thrive in more self-directed atmospheres. Others tend to thrive in more directed-instruction environments.

In the current public school accountability environment, while some may add more self-direction opportunities, or individualized self-paced instruction using online resources... I would not expect to see this at the level of a private democratic school.

The more standardized testing, eg PARCC and end of year tests that NJ is trying to push, then less self-directed education. Period. No wiggle room there. In actual practice, it is going to be one or the other.

PARCC is developed by a private sector company -- Pearson -- and as with any and all companies, it has as a mission to grow its business. That means as time rolls on, more standardized testing, not less. Does anyone think Pearson will say -- "hey, we made the test and that's that. Let's try and sell more magazines or books." It will assemble a bunch of educators who will say with a straight face that we should test every marking period. (Just remember all the scientists who said with straight faces that cigarette smoking was just fine and dandy. Here and there are some scientists who say global warming is just ducky or is non-existent or just a cycle fo nature.) Why not? Pearson will make many millions on this roll-out of PARCC and I doubt it wants to stop the flow of funds.

So as PARCC and other tests increase in frequency, then self-directed or inquisitive education has to decrease -- after all every school in every district will teach to the test. That will mean the growth of these private schools as the public schools are turned into factories producing graduates who can test like crazy but might start to lack in critical thinking skills.

Thank politicians of both parties for this crap.

Jude said:

PARCC is developed by a private sector company -- Pearson -- and as with any and all companies, it has as a mission to grow its business.

Not that it really matters to your argument, but I believe Pearson recently lost their bid in the re-competition for this role to another test design company.

Well, if so that is good as the current roll-out was extremely poorly done -- not by the school but by Pearson. The next company will pursue a similar course unless and until the political leadership of this country figures out what education is and what kinds of students are we to produce.

The problem is that once education becomes politicized, then the only good education is measurable education and that means testing so that we can produce numbers for politicians to twist around as they see fit.