Hesitation To Resolution: Our Homeschooling Narrative
Pages: 1-12

Abstract
Our decision to homeschool began with hesitation and uncertainty. Our initial concerns included the socialization of our children, the delivery of curriculum, as well as the contemplation of our aspirations for our children. Through research, and the observation of our children, it has become clear that allowing our children to follow a willed curriculum is the chosen path for our family. This narrative explores the issues that were initially concerns and how they have become our motivation for homeschooling.
Brooke HAUGH

v82161

Flemington Road- Ontario’s Original “Hub School”
Pages: 13-17

Abstract
The 20th Century saw the beginning of the evolution of the public school from an institution, devoted primarily to academic skills, to a multi-functional service facility. Such American visionaries as John Dewey (1915) and Edward Olsen 91945) saw the role of the school as reflecting the social, economic and political realities of life experience or “the school as an extension of the community it serves”. This theory of community education and development spawned the concept of the “community school”. One of the first Canadian examples of community education and development in action was the Flemington Road Community School project serving the Lawrence Heights Ontario Housing Community in the Toronto suburb of North York. Beginning in 1966, this junior kindergarten to grade six facility extended the school day to serve the educational, recreational, health and social development needs of this impoverished community of 5,000. As a result, a full range of services and activities was established both during the day and in the evening for area children, youth and adults. Governance for the project was the responsibility of the Community School Advisory Council consisting of area residents and service providers. The Flemington Road experience has much to inform the current discourse on the potential of the school as a “Multiservice Hub”.
Dale SHUTTLEWORTH

v82162

A Discourse On Broadband Technologies And Curriculum Access In Elective Home Learning
Pages: 18-33

Abstract
The extent, to which broadband technologies are being considered, when accessing the curriculum, is increasingly evident in traditional learning environments such as schools and colleges. This article explores the impact that these technologies are having on the home schooling community by offering enhanced access and opportunities. It suggests that they have generated improved choices and greater freedoms for learning communities. They have shone a light on the curriculum and removed it from the shadows. The curriculum is no longer the preserve of the educational establishment. The “secret garden” has been breached by technologies such as broadband and the democratisation of the curriculum is progressively evident as more diverse learning communities are given increased access and control over the curriculum. The author asks how this is being reflected in policy and translated into practice by the home schooling community whilst acknowledging the contemporary nature of broadband technologies and how they are influencing the decision making process of potential home schoolers. Looking to the future, the author suggests that the political agenda is not providing clear direction and that this is being determined by social reform outside the political sphere and largely driven by the consumer. In this case the learner. The relatively current nature of this debate is in itself justification for further research if we are to develop a clearer understanding of how new technologies such as broadband are influencing policy and practice in the home schooling community.
Andrew MCAVOY

v82163

No School Left Undemocratic: Experiencing Self-Government In A Free School
Pages: 34-53

Abstract
While schools have been assigned the role of introducing students to our current democratic systems, many have highlighted the paradox of teaching democracy in an undemocratic context (e.g. Biesta, 2007). Alternative models of schools that operate democratically such as free schools (democratic schools in which students and teachers largely have similar rights and obligations) can offer a great deal in terms of democratic education. In this paper, I will talk about the ethnographic study that I conducted about the experiences of Canadian free school students during school meetings (democratic activity during which students with teachers decide on the activities, operations and rules of the school). During this project, I attended 4 school meetings, spent a period of five weeks making observations in a free school and completed 17 interviews about these experiences. Based on this, I maintain that these meetings arose in a school that operated according to a consensus-based model and that students, while attending these meetings, experienced a combination of feelings that mostly included appreciation and concerns while being involved in decision-making processes. As well, I will contend that students, after having taken part in several school meetings, developed skills and attitudes associated to citizenship such as critical thinking and self-confidence. For conventional schools, this means that providing students with opportunities to take decisions democratically could help to foster such skills and attitudes.
Marc-Alexandre PRUD’HOMME

v82164

Against Schooling: Viewpoints of Tribal Students of Kanavu, India
Pages: 1-28

Abstract
Achieving what we believe to be the true purpose of education is a challenge in any society, particularly so in a society as diverse as contemporary India. Most attempts in this field are focussed on improving the access of children to education, but substantive questions such as: What is a school to a child? Does he/she enjoy learning? – are seldom addressed prior to drafting any curriculum or policy. Even where they are, the exploration tends to be qualitatively poor and devoid of stake holders’ views. Alternative educational organisations might offer a perspective on the crisis education seems to be in today, with children lacking lifeskills, governments grappling with retention, disparities across gender and caste and declining standards of education. ‘Kanavu’ is an educational organisation managed by tribal youth in Cheengode village of Wayanad, a hilly district in the southern state of Kerala, India. These are children who dropped out of mainstream schooling. In the light of efforts to mainstream tribal students into government schools and to control escalating dropout rates, this paper tries to understand the perspectives of the tribal students of Kanavu on schooling and their reasons for resisting mainstream schooling. This paper is a result of a 4 day visit and extensive correspondence the authors have had with this alternative learning organisation.
Teena AUGUSTINE and Milind BRAHME

v81151

Laying the Foundations for Democratic Behavior – A Comparison of Two Different Approaches to Democratic Education
Pages: 29-68

Abstract
A democracy is a society in which everyone has equal rights and is able to participate in decision-making processes. Consequently, in a democratic society, democratic behavior is essential. This work investigates the question: In what ways and to what extent can alternative models of education support the development of democratic skills in children? To explore this question, the author analyzes and compares two different approaches to democratic education: The Sudbury approach and the democratic free school approach. The study is based on qualitative research – participant observation and open-ended interviews conducted at different Sudbury and democratic free schools in the US.
Viola HUANG

v81152

Slow and Local: A Re-vision of Teacher Education in Ontario
Pages: 69-91

Abstract
Modern life has created a culture of speed and standardization, especially in the business world. Education is not immune to this culture and, in an effort to prepare teacher-candidates for modern classrooms, pre-service programs in Ontario (and elsewhere) seem to have adopted a business mentality, creating overstuffed classes, overfull timetables, and over-stressed future educators. This article critiques current pre-service program practices and presents slow living and terroir as guiding concepts for revising teacher education. It includes a context for program revision, inspirational observations made in French schools, and recommendations for pre-service programs based on those observations. As well, a model for a two-year consecutive teacher education program is presented, informed by the concepts and observations discussed.
Elizabeth ASHWORTH

v81153

The Construction and Perpetuation of Whiteness
Pages: 92-116

Abstract
White privilege is a prevalent phenomenon in Canadian society. One of the most discouraging aspects of this phenomenon is that white privilege and Whiteness ideology are not discussed sufficiently, which means the mentality and way society is functioning will continue to favour Whiteness ideology. This paper will explain exactly what Whiteness ideology is, where it stems from, and how it has been and continues to be constructed within the family, society, and the education system. Then, the paper will focus on ways to deconstruct Whiteness ideology in these areas, especially in the Canadian education system. Through autobiographical and secondary research, I will challenge the way in which Canadian society functions today.
Shawna CARROLL

v81154

The Challenges and Benefits of Unschooling, According to 232 Families Who Have Chosen that Route
Pages: 1-27

Abstract
Unschooling families (families that don’t send their children to school and don’t school them at home) were invited to participate in a survey about their unschooling practices. Two hundred and thirty two self-identified unschooling families, with at least one child over five years old, completed and returned the questionnaire. Qualitative analyses revealed considerable variability in the routes to unschooling and in the ways in which the parents saw themselves as involved in their children’s education. The biggest challenge expressed was that of overcoming feelings of criticism, or social pressure, that came from others who disapproved and from their own culturally-ingrained, habitual ways of thinking about education. The reported benefits of unschooling were numerous; they included improved learning, better attitudes about learning, and improved psychological and social wellbeing for the children; and increased closeness, harmony, and freedom for the whole family.
Peter GRAY & Gina RILEY

v72141

Unschooling, Then and Now
Pages: 28-71

Abstract
While the accountability and standardization movement continues to narrow curriculum in the US, unschooling families are redefining learning and recreating community in an atmosphere of love and trust. As professors of education and unschooling mothers, Rolstad and Kesson compare their unschooling experiences in two different eras, one in the early days of unschooling (1980s), and the other in the first decade of the 21st century. Kathleen Kesson was an unschooling pioneer when her children were unschooled in the early 1980s, and her children are now adults. She describes what it was like to unschool then, to do what she terms ‘old school unschooling.’ Only a generation later, Kellie Rolstad began unschooling her three children, in a world transformed by the Internet and ease of access to both information and social networking, key components of unschooling today. Rolstad describes how her unschooling children connected play in real and virtual worlds, exploring ideas differently in many aspects from how Kesson’s children played and explored, and yet fundamentally and remarkably the same. In this article, Rolstad and Kesson share their experiences of trusting children, of giving them the space and the resources to learn and grow in the ways that are best for them, comparing along the way what it was like to unschool then and what it is like to unschool now, in this era when our society has come to distrust children more than ever.
Kellie ROLSTAD & Kathleen KESSON

v72142

The Case Against Learning In School With Evidence From Video Game Studies
Pages: 72-91

Abstract
The author of this article argues that learning in school is an outmoded practice that needs to be reevaluated in light of current practices that children engage in outside of school as well as skills needed for the future. She draws on the philosophy of learning proposed by John Holt and researchers who have carried over his philosophy to demonstrate the qualities of real learning. Then, she demonstrates that learning principles built into the video games as proposed by James Gee, are more effective in engaging players in skills needed in the 21st century than many activities students perform in school.
Izabela USCINSKI

v72143

Natural Learning and Learning Disabilities: What I’ve Learned As the Parent of a 2 Year Old
Pages: 92-104

Abstract
Many students with learning disabilities continue to struggle in the classrooms of our traditional school systems, where curriculum objectives usually take precedence over the natural processes of learning. In this article, I review and summarize what I have learned about learning through the observation and parenting of my 2 year old son. I reflect on the question: What do these lessons about natural learning teach me about instructing students with learning disabilities? While I conclude that students still need compensatory strategies, they also need the space to allow learning to move at its own pace, the freedom to make good and bad choices, honesty from educators, and they need to learn independence within structure.
Karen CSOLI

v72144

How Unschoolers Can Help To End Traditional Reading Instruction
Pages: 1-27

Abstract
Unschoolers can help end traditional, de-contextualized reading skills instruction, a change which might create other beneficial ripple effects. An unschooling parent and early childhood teacher educator, the author describes how his children learned to read without formal instruction. Next is a description of how prospective and practicing teachers react to this example, to examples of how children learned to read in alternative schools, and to reading research that clearly favors a more natural approach to learning to read. Five ways in which the unschooling model can influence others are described, and three specific suggestions for advocacy by unschoolers are outlined.
Karl F. WHEATLEY, Ph.D.

v71131

Digantar In India: A Case Study For Joyful Learning
Pages: 28-44

Abstract
The hearts and minds of children and young adults are wide open to the wonders of learning and the fascinating complexities of life. The school has to provide for all these experiences. However, this experience of ‘going to school’ destroys children’s spirit to learn, their sense of wonder, their curiosity about the world, and their willingness to care for the human condition. After finding an ‘extraordinary sameness’ in our schools, Goodlad (1984) wrote, “Boredom is a disease of epidemic proportions. … Why are our schools not places of joy?” (p 242) As educators, we have the responsibility to educate and inspire the whole child – mind, heart, and soul and put more joy into students’ experience of going to school and get more joy out of working inside one. It is rightly said that joyful learning can flourish in school – if you give joy a chance. This paper discusses the example of Digantar schools as a case study of alternative schooling for joyful learning.
Vanita CHOPRA & Sonal CHABRA

v71132

A Curricular Paradigm Based Upon Vedic Epistemology: An Approach To Developing The Whole Person
Pages: 45-63

Abstract
The Bhaktivedanta Dharma School (BDS) provides quality but yet affordable holistic education to the local Indonesian community in Bali. The school’s educational orientation is inspired by the Vedic (Hindu) goals of fruition of knowledge (Vedanta or the essence of the Vedic scriptures) and devotion (Bhakti) to God (Krishna). The curriculum integrates the best of both the eastern and western approaches to enriching young minds. The strengths of both value systems are seen to be crucial in the all-round, dynamic development of children. Not only is academic excellence emphasized but character development and awareness of the higher spiritual purpose of life are also imparted to the kids. The role of the teacher extends beyond the taught curriculum and s/he plays a vital role in the character development of the child, through his or her own personal example. This paper examines the pedagogical effectiveness of the implemented framework of holistic education at BDS based upon the perceptions and experiences of the teachers working in the school. An ethnographic approach was employed as the main research methodology with participant observation and open-ended interviewing the primary means of data collection and analysis. A total of six teachers working at BDS were interviewed in this study. The findings of the study provide deeper insights on the differences between BDS and mainstream, traditional schools in terms of their structural and curricular characteristics and the key challenges participant teachers faced in orientating to the alternative learning culture of BDS.
Dr. Kumar LAXMAN & Aristotle MOTII NANDY

v71133

School Refusal And Home Education
Pages: 64-85

Abstract
When a child refuses to go to school, the whole family is placed in a highly distressing situation. The response of school and mental health professionals in the UK is to return the child to school as soon as reasonably possible; home education is almost never suggested as a viable alternative. Nevertheless, a number of parents decide that home education will be in the best interests of their children. This mixed-method study reports on 20 such families who completed questionnaires, followed up by 5 in-depth interviews. Parents generally reported that symptoms associated with school refusal, both physical and psychological, lessened or disappeared altogether. Moreover, although they had turned to home education as a last resort, the majority decided to continue after seeing their children thrive academically and socially. It is concluded that parents of school refusers should always be fully informed about home education.
Allison WRAY & Alan THOMAS

v71134

A Personal Journey Into Home Learning
Pages: 1-29

Abstract
In this narrative the author, Colleen Raja, shares her personal experience and reflections on the decision she made to homeschool. Through reflection and story she shares her own struggles and triumphs in learning about herself, her surroundings and the true desires and needs of her children. She also addresses and debunks some of the typical stereotypes and objections to home learning. In the end she sees that what had taken her several years to discover about and desire from the lifestyle of home learning took her children mere moments to embrace.
Colleen RAJA

v62121

Letting The Child Work: Real Learning, Real Play In School
Pages: 30-52

Abstract
Unschoolers, and those who practice democratic, free, and progressive education philosophies, are often uncomfortable with a particular choice their children make: as Summerhill’s A. S. Neill observed: “Every child under freedom plays most of the time for years” (1964, p. 116). Those who see children as active, motivated learners can be disappointed when, given an environment rich with fascinating choices, their children spend most of their time in fantasy. The families’ discomfort can result in a reversion to more conventional schooling. Beginning with an early encounter with educational democracy during the 1970s at Toronto’s ALPHA Alternative School, supported with commentary from educators from schools that took a parallel path, and from psychologists and education critics both historic and contemporary, this article gathers arguments that support play as not only a pleasure but a necessity for growth, learning and mental health.
Deb O’ROURKE

v62122

The Boy Who Learned To Read Through Sustained Video Game Play: Considering Systemic Resistance To The Use Of ‘New Texts’ In The Classroom
Pages: 53-81

Abstract
Various studies have discussed the pedagogical potential of video game play in the classroom but resistance to such texts remains high. The study presented here discusses the case study of one young boy who, having failed to learn to read in the public school system was able to learn in a private Sudbury model school where video games were not only allowed but considered important learning tools. Findings suggest that the incorporation of such new texts in today’s public schools have the potential to motivate and enhance the learning of children.
Rochelle SKOGEN

v62123

The Wall On Gladstone Avenue
Pages: 82-92

Abstract

“Since the house is on fire,
Let us warm ourselves…”
(Calabrian Proverb)

It all began in the village. We would wake up with the sun, we would rest our laboured bodies underneath the moon. Gli vecchi (old folks) often told us: “In the end, all that will remain is our story. Nothing else really matters.” This article “The Wall On Gladstone Avenue” will take you into a life of duality and how immigrants “press-on” to acquire knowledge and manifest meaning in a new land — Canada.
Pina MARCHESE

v62124

Draw the Dots, Let the Students Make the Connections
Pages: 1-3

Abstract
Learning is the acquisition of knowledge that occurs in a variety of constructs. This poem is modeled as an advocacy for self-learning, a cry to stop the standardization and allow students the freedom to explore their interests. As educators we should not hoard knowledge passing it along at defined stages, but rather provide learners the opportunity to explore the world around them and recreate meaning as they make connections based on their interactions. As we move towards a model of inquisition we will create a community of learners where knowledge is shared, not owned, and we are truly embracing uniqueness and individuality where every learner’s true self can shine as they transform into mavens.
Jesse FORTIER

v61111

A Narrative: Meditation In The Lives Of Children With Chronic Illness
Pages: 4-19

Abstract
The presence of chronic illness in one’s life often entails endless appointments, tests, medications, treatments, and procedures. In the instances of children with chronic illness, they do not know what life consists of without their illness, and consequently, have lived with many restrictions. Children with chronic illness and their families are not only in need of traditional methods and strategies from the medical model but are often in need of additional strategies to support and cope with the nature and effects of the chronic illness. This paper focuses on how mediation, mindfulness, and visualization strategies aid individuals with chronic illness.
Taunya WIDEMAN-JOHNSTON

v61112

Learning Math With My Father: A Memoir
Pages: 20-33

Abstract
If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind. –Kahlil Gibran

We all build our own houses of wisdom, each of us; we cannot build them for each other. Teachers cannot simply invite students into their “houses of wisdom,” but can often find ways to help learners to enter and explore their own minds. While Constructivism has had a positive impact on the teaching and learning of literacy mathematics instruction continues to rely heavily on rote memorization and drills. As a young child, I learned to love math. My love of math stems from learning math with my father. He did not focus on rote memorization and drills. The primary emphasis was for a real purpose. My self-confidence was enforced when he started me out with problems that were less difficult and had many different solutions. These solutions were valued and respected, which allowed me to trust in my own problem solving abilities.

How can we hope to lead children to the thresholds of their own minds when we remain intent on forcing them into our ‘houses of wisdom’? What alternative ways can we devise of interacting with children that respect their confidence and leave intact their levels of understanding, that lead them to the thresholds of their own minds excited about entering?
Yolanda De La CRUZ

v61113

Jailed
Video

Abstract
As the public education system in Northern Ontario continues to take a downward spiral, a plethora of secondary school students are being placed in an alternative educational environment. Juxtaposing the two educational settings reveals very similar methods and characteristics of educating our youth as opposed to using a truly alternative approach to education. This video reviews the relationship between public education and alternative education in a remote Northern Ontario setting. It is my belief that the traditional methods of teaching are not appropriate in educating at risk students in alternative schools. Paper and pencil worksheets do not motivate these students to learn and succeed. Alternative education should emphasize experiential learning, a just in time curriculum based on every unique individual and the students true passion for everyday life.

Cameron Culbert was born on February 3rd, 1977 in North Bay, Ontario. His teenage years were split between attending public school and his willed curriculum on the ski hill. Culbert spent 10 years (1996-2002 & 2006-2010) competing for Canada as an alpine ski racer. His passion for teaching and coaching began as an athlete and has now transferred into the classroom and the community. As a graduate of Nipissing University (BA, BEd, MEd.) Cameron’s research interests are alternative education, physical education and technology in the classroom. Currently Cameron is an active educator and coach in Northern Ontario.
Cameron CULBERT

Comparing A.S. Neill To Rousseau, Appropriate?
Pages: 1-19

Abstract
The following article explores a comparison drawn by several authors between A.S. Neill and J.-J. Rousseau. To conduct this exploration, the article first delineates a methodology that rests on the analysis of key educational themes. Then, the article contextualizes the works of both Neill and Rousseau. This contextualization clarifies the subsequent comparative analysis. This analysis examines Neill and Rousseau’ stances on knowledge, learning, teaching and the nature of learners. This examination identifies evident discrepancies between the discourses of both authors. As a result, it concludes that the likening of Neill to Rousseau is largely inappropriate.
Marc-Alexandre Prud’Homme and Dr. Giuliano Reis

v52101

Setting The Record Straight: Interviews With A Hundred British Home Educating Families
Pages: 20-57

Abstract
This study provides the first in-depth insight into home educators’ thoughts in the UK. One hundred UK-based home-educating families were interviewed, 33 twice, mostly in their own homes, after having been randomly selected from a larger sample of families responding to an initial home-education questionnaire (Rothermel 2002). Participating families were from diverse socio-economic groups, family structures and cultural backgrounds. The interviews were undertaken with a view to exploring issues within home-educating families that would not necessarily have become apparent through the questionnaires alone. The interviews revealed clear friction in some families, both within the home-educating family and between them and their extended family, which directly related to home-education. Generally however, the home-educating families were satisfied with their choice and relished the close family relationships engendered. These extensive interviews underline the view that viewing home educators as ‘types’ is useful only to those local authorities aiming to integrate children into school.
Paula Rothermel

v52102

Re/Viewing Student Success in an Era of Accountability
Pages: 58-99

Abstract
This paper examines how student success is defined in Ontario schools. In the current era of accountability, student success is often narrowly defined in terms of student achievement on standardized tests. Alternate definitions of student success are explored by viewing student success from the vantage point of various stakeholders. Finally, the author suggests that we need to re/view student success by envisioning it from the perspective of the students themselves.
Christine Duncan

v52103

Why Do You Stand So Far Away? A Qualitative Look At The Lived Experience Of Alternative School Students.
Pages: 100-127

Abstract
In recent years, research has begun to focus on identifying and understanding those factors that contribute to the likelihood of a student’s not completing high school (risk factors) and those factors that contribute to keeping a student in school (protective factors). This paper details the qualitative findings from a survey study of 145 students and in-depth interviews with 12 alternative high school students. Data was analyzed using a Rapid Assessment team analysis approach (Beebe, 2001). This paper provides a description of the qualitative interview data, with support from the survey data. The study also identifies strategic approaches that students claim are effective in keeping them engaged in school and the factors that hinder their abilities to complete high school.
Dr. Michael I. Poutiatine and L. Veeder

v52104

Images of Alternative Learning in Films and Television Programs
Pages: 1-17

Abstract
This study examines how homeschooling, unschooling and alternative learners have been portrayed in five recent films and television programs. It also investigates whether the media are grounding their representations of these students and their parents in reality, or if it is disseminating harmful stereotypes that may have detrimental effects for those who choose to learn in this manner in real life.
David Cameron Hauseman

v5191

Weapons of Mass Distortion
Pages : 18-28

Abstract
In this personal narrative I contend that the traditional conventions of schooling can distort and mislead us in mainstream schools and universities. The long-term consequences of these practices have paved the way for the corporate curriculum’s privatization agenda for what Illich (1971) hailed as the ‘hidden curriculum’ of our consumer-based society.
Jonathan Pitt

v5192

The Need for Grades in Terminal Degree Programs
Pages: 29-37

Abstract
This paper examines the issue of grading in terminal degree programs as well as exploring the history and utility of grading. Through personal reflection, the author reveals how grading is a coercive management tool which conditions people to act, speak, and participate in ways which they would not otherwise if grading were not present. Finally, the author urges for reform in grading practices whereby educational settings deemphasized grading althogether – creating fruitful learning experiences that encourage learners to take risks, talk freely, and explore topics and readings beyond the course expectations.
Stephen Tedesco

v5193

Education as a Ubiquitous Learning Web, Immersed in Living
Pages : 38-56

Abstract
This essay describes the personal philosophy of education I have developed through my formal and informal education in both South Korea and the United States. While much of the world considers institutionalized school education to be the essential and only way to be educated, I suggest, instead, relational, communicative, and informal ways of learning, which occur in a ubiquitous learning web, immersed in living. To open the discussion, I describe how my early experiences as a public school student in my home county of South Korea, shaped my developing perspective on educational systems. I then integrate published theories to articulate my view of an ideal educational system, which values personal interest, community-based learning, and informal education.
Yuha Jung

v5194

Journey Through Intuition
Pages: 1-19

Abstract
In this article I wish to share how I learned about intuition through personal experiences and why it is important in education. Intuition is linked to epistemology, language, emotions, health, memory and involves the inner life of the person. For most of my life, I had very little understanding about intuition and deemed this phenomenon as useless in education. I started to learn about intuition as a result of my spouse’s catastrophic death. The grief I experienced precipitated a loss in my belief system and I felt a significant decrease in my ability to function in a logical or rational manner. My journey into intuition enabled me to forge a new way to live my life. I believe that each person has the ability to learn about intuition and how it can be useful in guiding one’s life. The mainstream school system however fails to recognize intuition as a valid way of learning despite the research in this field. Students are therefore being given a partial education. Given this, I feel there is a serious problem which emerges if people are led to believe that the mainstream education system is offering students a complete education.
Christina Legree

v4281

The Audacious Learner
Pages: 20-26

Abstract
The Audacious Learner is a risk taker. She approaches learning boldly, overcoming fear because she is driven by the will to know. In this paper, I utilize ideas from “Blogging with Audacity” (Skellie, 2008) whose work analyzes what makes a successful blogger and blog. I draw parallels between the successful, unconventional blogger and the unconventional, self directed learner.
Beatrice Ekoko

v4282

Education for Pastoralists in Mongolia: The Role of Non-Formal Education
Pages: 27-39

Abstract
This study explores the nature of education for pastoralists in Mongolia as it has changed with the introduction of a market-based economy. Pastoralists face the challenge of sustaining their livelihoods in the wake of modernization and its ideologies embedded even in the education available to pastoralists. This study explores the strengths and weaknesses of non formal education and its ability to provide education for Mongolian pastoralists. Perhaps thinking outside the box about education and learning in Mongolia can shed light on global education issues.
Jennifer Reddy

v4283

The Montessori Method
Pages: 40-57

Abstract
Dr. Maria Montessori provided the world with a powerful philosophy and practice for the advancement of humanity: change how we educate children and we change the world. She understood two things very clearly: One, that we can build a better world, a more just and peaceful place, when we educate for the realization of the individual and collective human potential; and two, that the only way to create an educational system that will that will serve this end is to scrap the current system entirely and replace it with a completely new system. She gave us a system through which to accomplish that goal: The Montessori Method. The following is a personal and professional account of the Montessori Method of educating children.
Cathleen Haskins

v4284

How my now six-year-old daughter learned how to write her name, recognize numbers, read some words and draw: A narrative
Pages: 1-14

Abstract
In this paper I want to share how my now six-year-old daughter learned how to write her name, recognize numbers, read some words and draw. By doing so I hope to offer an alternative to a schooling-centered curriculum that would have us believe that the only way to learn these things is to have an expert train young people to do these things. Methodologically, this paper is a narrative. I also consider this paper to be a political piece of writing. For me writing politically in this paper means, in part, engaging the reader in a dialogue about, on the one hand, trusting and respecting young people’s right to learn what they want, when they want, how they want and, on the other hand, imposing an externally directed curriculum on them. I am arguing in favour of the former.
Dr. Carlo Ricci

v4171

“Walking by Ourselves with our Toes”: An Exploration of Soul
Pages: 15-23

Abstract
Much of our time as professionals involves a focus on rational thought: completing administrative tasks, setting course outcomes, planning lessons, marking assignments and evaluating tasks. As Thomas Moore reminds us in his paper Educating the Soul, “today’s emphasis on mind has resulted in a neglect of the soul” (as cited in Miller, Karsten, Denton, Orr, & Colalillo Kates, 2005, p. 9). In this article, Kara Arviko sets out to explore what it means to discover and nourish the soul, and to identify how that discovery impacts her interactions with and understanding of her students. She concludes it is a journey worth taking.
Kara Arviko

v4172

Shattered Dreams: The Success and Failures of Education in Kenya During the Pre- and Post Colonial Days
Pages: 24-88

Abstract
In most of the African, Kenya included, there is little to show in terms of development though most of the continent has been independent for over 4 decades. The Post colonial days are marked by abject poverty, many civil /ethnic strives, and an education system that is largely dysfunctional. I have tried to trace most of the social and educational problems in the independent Kenya to the colonial history. We inherited an educational system formulated during the colonial era whose objectives were to create dependency as opposed to liberation. Many years after independence, we continue to view our problems using borrowed lenses. It is my argument that the solution is to rethink about our educational problems with an aim of finding workable solutions. This means an education system that will be grounded on the local economic and cultural realities. This will be contrast to the present situation which is centered on schooling rather than learning. This has resulted on the sad situation where the educated can not fit into their social/economic environment and hence can not contribute towards the societal good.
Karugia Ndirangu

v4173

Portrait of the Artist/Researcher/Teacher: A Reflection on the Nature of Learning
Pages: 89-145

Abstract
This research paints a portrait–both literally and figuratively–of the practice of an artist/researcher/teacher. Arts-based inquiry is used as a methodology for self-examination into the art, research, and teaching practice of the author, using the critical theories of unschooling and a/r/tography as a contextual platform.
Rebecca Codack

v4174