“Differences must be immediately experienced to be treasured and understood. A school which avoids differences, directly or obliquely, places education outside the context of living.” –Gus Trowbridge, the founder of Manhattan Country School.
Read More“The college-for-all mentality has fostered neglect of a realistic substitute: vocational education. It takes many guises—classroom training, apprenticeships and other types of on-the-job training, and straight-up work experience—but they have much in common. All vocational education teaches specific job skills, and all vocational education revolves around learning by doing, not learning by listening.” - Bryan Caplan, The World Might Be Better Off Without College for Everyone
Read More“When I think about the word community etymologically and within the context of Westland, I am left wondering, What is our common unity? I hope that one of our common unities is how we treasure, celebrate, notice, and utilize (maybe the hardest one) our differences. I believe we can be strong in our collective values and remain open to the different ways we navigate parenting. I believe that we can practice self-focus and confront each other in respectful, open ways.” - Melinda Tsapatsaris
Read MoreWhen it was time to apply for graduate school, I made the decision that I wasn’t going to take the GRE to get in. At that point in my career, I was a young teacher who had already experienced the pitfalls of standardized testing.
Read More“What it means to be a progressive school is that we are preparing young people to be a full scale member responsible for the society we live in, exercising good judgment personally and for the commonwealth.” - Deborah Meier, Founder Central Park East School - Harlem
Read More“Kids know how to assert themselves, and lead and work within a group. It’s these base skills that make them not intimidated for future learning. They want to learn how the world works around them and why...which is key to what progressive is. Without these base skills it can become problematic—either you’re afraid to take the risk or you don’t even think to take a risk. Our Westland kids feel they can try anything and not fail. They realize it’s worth the risk and to not try is to fail.” - Parent, Westland School
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