Hi all, I am trying to find a teaching position at an experiemental high school, hopefully one that allows for unabashed "hippy" (I hate the term, but oh well) instructors. There is much more to me and what I teach. I just need to find a place that deeply values human beings, studens and teachers. On top of that a school that encourages critical thought, free speech, artistic expression, secular science, inspired mathematics, and more. Basically a school that loves being a school. Any leads, people whom I can contact, etc. would be extremely helpful.
My recomendation is, that you go and look for the smaller (no more then maybe 200-250 students) american overseas schools. The class sizes in the higher classes are really small, they are more study groups, then classes. The curriculum is often very liberal. they usually only have secular sience, since these schools have a very high percentace of non american students, and as far as I know, christian sience has never been an issue in european schools. At least not in the last 100 years or so.... I myself have been in the American Cooperative SChool of tunis, Tunisia from 96-98 as a student, and at Sana'a International School, Yemen as an intern for 2 month. the student and teacher relationship is usually a very good one, people care a lot of each other. The learning situation is more, that you, as a student have teacher, who is more like a personal guidance person, a tutor. There is a lot of respect between. Due to the small class sizes, individuals can often persue their own projects in assistance with the teacher, rather then just coping stuff down from the board. I would say, as a student, these were my most fertile years in terms of education. As a teacher-intern, it made me love my future profession so much, that I would have stayed, if they had asked me. Teachers are very open minded, and usually of the same oppinion about things like the foreign policy of the bush administration. They are the ones who usually lived a long time abroad, and know the consequences... I have dreads, and a pretty obvious hippie dress style, and the accepted me as an intern. maybe that's a lil different from normal teachers, since it's just temporary. But I met a lot of people that are hippies in their hearts and some even a little bit on the outside. My social studies teacher in tunisia, was very supposrtive for critical thinking. Every lesson, was meant to teach us, to never stop asking questions, and to be always critical, but at the same time to follow our hearts.
Will you stay here in Germany? Than it`s a little bit difficult, to find reform pedagogic high schools. There`s a better situation for basic schools. I am studying as a primary school teacher, too and I make a second education for a "Jenaplan"teacher. This is a great reform pedagogic movement. In Germany it is not as well as known like other reform pedagogic schools like "Montessori". But we have one school in bavaria (yes, in Nürnberg). Unfortunately the state doesn`t assist that schools with money, so the parents have to pay for it. But it`s a great alternative to the national schools. You don`t have the force of marks at "Jenaplan" and you teach children of different ages in one class. In the Netherlands you also find Jenaplan highschools. When I`m a teacher, later, I will try to work with this kind of pedagogic. Children feel well with it. If you like, I can tell you personally more about tomorrow Sabine
Sounds interesting Sabine. I didn't know you were studying to become a teacher. I can't wait to talk to you about it tomorrow. I have also been looking into certain American International schools, where I would still be credentialed to teach. Thanks for the tip Kastenfrosch.
