Youth Want a Democratic Education
Why do adults fear it?
“We need to rebuild our schools from the ground up with the democratic classroom in mind. This would increase the positive outcomes of education for everyone and create the world leaders that we need to solve global problems such as climate change” — High School student
I’ve been researching and teaching about student-centered education and intervention programs for over a decade. The research is clear – kids are more engaged in school when their education is personally meaningful and culturally relevant. Sure, some students do fine in a traditional school setting if the definition of success is high-scores on standardized tests and their ability to get into college. However, what is the price that many of them pay for this achievement?
Rates of anxiety and depression are skyrocketing in teens. In a 2018 study by Pew Research Center, seven out of 10 U.S. teens reported that anxiety and depression are significant problems in their community amongst people their age. Experts report that academic and social pressures contribute to depression and anxiety. We can only expect that between the pandemic, wildfires burning…
