Open Education

Substitute teaching at Ann Arbor Open (the system for which my dad has been a teacher for 35+ years) has been a rejuvenating experience this year. There is a certain amount of excitement on the kids' parts about being at school, and that sentiment seems to be shared by the teachers. There is an overwhelming sense of respect between teacher and student that goes beyond the "expectation" that children are to adhere to every request of the teacher without a second thought. Students are invited to question teachers, choose their own interests, and have a say in the curriculum. It just seems like the most logical way to inspire kids to learn: let them figure it out themselves! Teachers aren't viewed as the omniscient source of all knowledge (nor, in my opinion, should they be,) but rather, simply as classroom facilitators. Especially in the upper grades, there's a trust that ranges from work to behavior that most students, having grown up in the open system, are inherently bonded to, making it a virtual non-issue. Of course, there are the students who need their reminders, as we all do, but the active force of defiance that I've become all-too-familiar with seems to be absent in this school. Needless to say, it's so refreshing and inspiring to take part in a system so concentrated on the student and the community in which s/he works, that I'm often reminded why I got into this profession. Hopefully I can find an open-school system (if not in Ann Arbor,) where I am allowed to create such an environment.

For more info. about Ann Arbor Open, (a great way to learn more about the Open School system and philosophy without the uninformed bias) go here.


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