Anarchistic free school

This article is about anarchistic free schools. For other uses, see Free school (disambiguation).

An anarchistic free school (also anarchist free school and free skool) is a decentralized network in which skills, information, and knowledge are shared without hierarchy or the institutional environment of formal schooling. Free school students may be adults, children, or both. This organisational structure is distinct from ones used by democratic free schools which permit children's individual initiatives and learning endeavors within the context of a school democracy, and from free education where 'traditional' schooling is made available to pupils without charge. The open structure of free schools is intended to encourage self-reliance, critical consciousness, and personal development. Free schools often operate outside the market economy in favor of a gift economy. Nevertheless, the meaning of the "free" of free schools is not restricted to monetary cost, and can refer to an emphasis on free speech and student-centred education.

Free schools have their roots in the anarchist Escuela Moderna of Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are, at heart, non-institutional, non-authoritarian, and counter-cultural. Generally, these are formed at a grassroots level by a group of individuals acting collectively and autonomously to create educational opportunities and promote skill-sharing within their communities. For example, the Anarchist Free School in Toronto was described as "a volunteer-run, autonomous collective offering free courses, workshops, and lectures."[1]

Philosophy

While the philosophy and intention of anarchist free school projects vary, they share a desire to offer free ongoing education without hierarchy and outside of institutional control.

Free Skool Santa Cruz in California is perhaps typical of the current batch of free schools that are explicitly rooted in an anarchist tradition of collectivism, self-reliance, and mutual support, and feature informal, non-authoritarian learning outside of the monetary economy. From the Free Skool Santa Cruz website: "More than just an opportunity to learn, we see Free Skool as a direct challenge to dominant institutions and hierarchical relationships. Part of creating a new world is resistance to the old one, to the relentless commodification of everything, including learning and the way we relate to each other."[2]

History

Spanish anarchist Francisco Ferrer (1859–1909) established "modern" or progressive schools in Spain in defiance of an educational system controlled by the church. Fiercely anti-clerical, he believed in "freedom in education," education free from the authority of church and state.[3] Murray Bookchin wrote: "This period [1890s] was the heyday of libertarian schools and pedagogical projects in all areas of the country where Anarchists exercised some degree of influence. Perhaps the best-known effort in this field was Francisco Ferrer's Modern School (Escuela Moderna), a project which exercised a considerable influence on Catalan education and on experimental techniques of teaching generally."[4]

Currently active free schools/skools

Europe

Aotearoa New Zealand

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

See also

References

  1. ↑ Antliff, Alan Breaking Free: Anarchist Pedagogy. In Cote et. al, Utopian Pedagogy: Radical Experiments Against Neo-Liberal Globalization. University of Toronto Press, 2007, p.248. ISBN 978-0-8020-8923-6.
  2. 1 2 "Free Skool Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA, USA". Santacruz.freeskool.org. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  3. ↑ Francisco Ferrer's Modern School
  4. ↑ Chapter 7, Anarchosyndicalism, The New Ferment. In Murray Bookchin, The Spanish anarchists: the heroic years, 1868-1936. AK Press, 1998, p.115. ISBN 1-873176-04-X
  5. ↑ "Halifax FreeSkool – Halifax, NS, Canada". Halifaxfreeskool.wikispaces.com. 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  6. ↑ Hamilton FreeSkool; – Hamilton, ON, Canada
  7. ↑ "KW FreeSkool". Waterloo PIRG. 2-11-09-23. Retrieved 2011-10-01. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ↑ "FreeSkool Niagara – Saint Catharines, ON, Canada". Opirgbrock.org. 2011-09-13. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  9. ↑ practicalsolidarity. "Toronto Free School – Toronto, ON, Canada". Torontofreeskool.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  10. ↑ "Anarchist U in Toronto – Toronto, ON, Canada". Anarchistu.org. 2011-08-21. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  11. ↑ "Camas FreeSkool – Victoria, BC, Canada". camas.ca. 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  12. ↑ "Falls Brook Free School – Knowlesville, NB, Canada". fallsbrookcentre.ca. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
  13. ↑ "London Free School – London, , UK". Londonfreeschool.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  14. ↑ "London, , UK". Really Free School. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  15. ↑ "The Atlanta Free School". Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  16. ↑ "Corvid College, Ma, Usa". Corvid College. 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  17. ↑ "Corvid College, Ca, Usa". Corvid College. 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  18. ↑ "La, Ca, Usa". LA Free Skool. 2011-08-14. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  19. ↑ "Albany, NY, USA". Albany Free School. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  20. ↑ "Prescott Freeskool – Prescott, AZ, USA". Freeskoolprescott.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  21. ↑ "Austin Free Skool – Austin, TX, USA". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  22. ↑ "Davis People's Free School – Davis, CA, USA". Daviswiki.org. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  23. ↑ "Newberg Free Skool, Newberg, OR". https://www.facebook.com/newbergfreeskool. Retrieved 2015-15-23. Check date values in: |access-date= (help); External link in |publisher= (help)
  24. ↑ "West Marin – Inverness, CA, USA". Westmarinfreeskool.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  25. ↑ San Francisco Free School- San Francisco, CA, USA
  26. ↑ http://www.freeu.com/
  27. ↑ "Denver, CO, USA". Free School Denver. 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  28. ↑ "Fort Collins Free School". focofreeschool.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  29. ↑ "Bridgeport Free Skool". bptfreeskool.org. Retrieved 2013-11-09.
  30. ↑ "New Haven Free Skool". newhavenfreeskool.org. Retrieved 2013-11-09.
  31. ↑ "Bloomington Free Skool – Bloomington , IN, USA". Bloomingtonfreeskool.tumblr.com. 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  32. ↑ "Baltimore Free School – Baltimore, MD, USA". Freeschool.redemmas.org. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  33. ↑ "Little Lake Learning Community – Ann Arbor, MI, USA". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
  34. ↑ "Mount Pleasant Free School – Mount Pleasant, MI, USA". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  35. ↑ http://ypsifreeskool.wordpress.com
  36. ↑ "Experimental Community Education of the Twin Cities – Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN, USA". Excotc.org. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  37. ↑ "Freeskool Asheville – Asheville, NC, USA". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  38. ↑ "Mercer Free School – Mercer County, NJ, USA". Mfs.insi2.org. 2011-07-29. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  39. ↑ "Ithaca Free Skool – Ithaca, NY, USA". Ithacafreeskool.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  40. ↑ "Eugene, OR, USA". Eugene Free School. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  41. ↑ "Orlando Free Skool – Orlando, FL". Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  42. ↑ Portland Freeskool – Portland, OR, USA
  43. ↑ "Pgh Free Skool – Pittsburgh, PA, USA". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  44. ↑ "Vermillion Free Skool – Vermillion, SD, USA". Vermillionfreeschool.weebly.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  45. ↑ "Olympia, WA, USA". Free Skool Olympia. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  46. ↑ "Seattle, WA, USA". Seattle Free School. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  47. ↑ "Free University of Gainesville". Facebook. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  48. ↑ "FSU Center for Participant Education – Tallahassee, FL, USA". Fsucpe.org. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  49. ↑ "St. Petersburg, FL, USA". St. Pete Free Skool. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  50. ↑ "Tampa Free Skool – Tampa, FL, USA". Tampafreeskool.wordpress.com. 2011-09-09. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  51. ↑ "Madison Free Skool – Madison, WI, USA". Madisonfreeschool.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  52. ↑ "Bloomington/Normal, IL, USA". Common Action Free School. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  53. ↑ "Philadelphia, PA, USA". Philly Free Skool. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  54. ↑ "NO, LA, Usa". NOLA Free School. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
  55. ↑ "Klamath Falls, OR, USA". Klamath Free School. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
  56. ↑ "The Brooklyn Free School, Brooklyn, NY". Brookyln Free School. Retrieved 2012-10-1. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  57. ↑ "South Florida Free Skool, South Florida Tri-County Area, FL". South Florida Free Skool. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  58. ↑ "Always Learning Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Valley, UT". Always Learnign Salt Lake City. Retrieved 2014-10-01.

External links

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