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There are many alternative schools around the world that have successfully put in place democratic practices as guides to their curriculum. Free at Last – The Sudbury Valley School by Daniel Greenberg and Democratic Schools by Michel W Apple & James A Beane are two books that capture their essence.
In Democratic Schools it is given how educators in four schools have committed themselves to preparing students for the democratic way of life. Editors Michael Apple and James Beane have gathered narratives given by the educators who have actually put them into practice. Central Park East Secondary School, the Rindge School of Technical Arts, Marquette Middle School, and La Escuela Fratney are the four institutions that remind us schools play an important role in laying a foundation for children’s future in a democratic society. Standing as living models of egalitarian principles in action, these schools help young people comprehend the meaning of active citizenship and teach them the knowledge and skills they need to sustain and empower democracy.
Free at Last is about an alternative school, Sudbury Valley, started by a group of parents who wanted their children to be free to choose what they wanted to study. Quoting from the introduction, "Some learn best from teachers or other students, others learn best by themselves." Active exploration by children is the key feature there. Teachers are mere facilitators when the child needs them.
These are all places where democratic principles are put into practice, with full respect for children and adults alike. Their accounts challenge the notions of teaching and education. A school without a curriculum and where students purposefully take charge of their own learning is hard to imagine.
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