No Homework and Recess All Day: How to Have Freedom and Democracy in Education - Softcover

Mintz, Jerry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0974525200 ISBN 13: 9780974525204

Publisher: Alternative Education Resource Organization, 2003

Synopsis

Jerry Mintz has spent most of his life promoting learner-centered education and the empowerment of children. In No Homework & Recess All Day, Mintz draws on this experience to provide an overview, brief history, and many practical lessons to learn from the growing movement of democratic and alternative schools around the world. If you've ever thought of homeschooling, sending a child to a democratic school, attending a democratic school, or maybe even starting a democratic school, this is the book for you.

About this title

From the Publisher:

Jerry Mintz, director of AERO and a world-wide authority on alternative education, has spent most of his life promoting learner-centered education and the empowerment of children. In his book, No Homework and Recess All Day: How to Have Freedom and Democracy in Education, Jerry draws on his long experience as director of a democratic school and also on his intimate relationship with democratic schools around the world to give an overview of this growing movement. If you've ever thought of attending a democratic school, enrolling your child in a democratic or alternative school, starting a democratic school, helping your school become more democratic, or teaching your child at home, then this is the book for you.

From the Inside Flap:

"This is a delight to read, full of insights drawn from real life. Jerry Mintz's broad experience with other ways to organize the scholastic part of growing up is unique."
--John Taylor Gatto, former New York State and New York City Teacher of the Year Award and Bestselling Author of Dumbing Us Down, and The Underground History of American Education

"Finally, the one book you need in order to know everything there is to be known about kids and schooling. Told in simple, straightforward language, this eminently readable, admirably short book has finally been published!

The contents are drawn from numerous talks made by Jerry after many years of dedicated work running his school, publishing an almanac and a newsletter to help families, teachers and kids locate schools for themselves, visiting schools and attending conferences all over the world.

This is unquestionably THE BOOK for families and kids who want to get right down to the rock bottom truths that all kids know about learning - and "learning" in school! Too many people with too many vested interests have been fudging it or obscuring it for much too long! Read it from cover to cover!"
--Mary Leue, founder, Albany Free School, SKOLE, Paths of Learning, Journal of Family Life

"As one who has experienced democracy in education first hand, I feel Jerry's book gives an accurate and honest depiction of how democracy can and does work in education. Through real life experiences, not lofty theories that are so often thrown around about education, he shows how a learner-centered approach to education is not only a method, but also a necessary attribute to all healthy, caring, and effective learning environments. This is a truly wonderful book that I will suggest to people over and over again."
--Isaac Graves, 16-year-old homeschooler and alumnus of the Free School (Albany, NY)

"A remarkable book about a remarkable life's work. The book is clear and easy to read, with wonderful stories. An ideal primer for anyone interested in education, commitment, service. It's a gem."
--Svetlana A. Sussman, Harris Sussman, Ph.D.

"I picked up this book and didn't want to put it down Jerry is an excellent storyteller - and it is packed with extremely important and insightful material. I found myself underlining and highlighting often. a must read for people already involved in democratic education, for those thinking of getting into it, or for those who just want to learn about it!

There are many powerful passages or commentaries, but I can tell you one of my favorites: Jerry said that at Shaker Mountain they had no budget for travel. He said that if they had had a limited budget they would have had limits on where they could travel to, but because they had no budget at all they therefore had no limits!!

If it were up to me I'd make this mandatory reading for every parent and every educator! Simple and profound!"
--Roger Dennis, Public School teacher

About this edition

• Publisher: Alternative Education Resource Organization
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0974525200
• ISBN 13: 9780974525204
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144