Woodbury Reports, Inc.
Bonners Ferry, ID

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What Is Democratic Education?

"The basis of Democratic Education is children's natural curiosity and urge to learn," explained Jerry Mintz, founder of AERO on Lon Woodbury's Internet Talk Radio Show "Parent Choices for Struggling Teens" on October 31, 2011 on LATalkRadio.

"In Democratic Education, a child has a voice in their own education which often means a vote in how the school is run," continued Mintz, "which is developed through building a culture to where the child accepts responsibility for their own education rather than just doing what they are told in the more common top-down authoritarian method of most schools."

"The culture of Democratic Education is learned by the child through them being listened to," added Mintz, "and realizing they have important choices in what they learn in a learner-centered system."

"When a child realizes they have choices," concluded Mintz, "activities like bullying usually disappear since there is nobody that is seen as 'at the bottom'. This alternative education concept of how education should be run is growing rapidly both in the United States and throughout the world since the interest developed in Summerhill School in Great Britain which was founded in the 1920's."

"Teens who are doing risky activities like drugs and dropping out of school but don't have a serious pathology," concluded Mintz, " often get serious about their education and drop their risky activities when they feel they really have a say in their own education."

To listen to the full interview, go to: What Is Democratic Education? on LATalkRadio.

Lon Woodbury is the owner/founder of Woodbury Reports Inc. and www.strugglingteens.com. He has worked with families and struggling teens since 1984 and is the host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teens on LATalkRadio Mondays at 12:00 Noon, Pacific Time.

Jerry Mintz is the founder and director of Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO). He administered a private school for 17 years, founded AERO in 1989, and lectures and consults throughout the world, helping alternative education schools and organizations.