| In New York, there is now a school with
no daily lessons, no class teachers, not even a school building. The "school" is
a now project. It is called "City-as-School" and the name means just that, the
city itself is the place where, 350 students, between the age of 15 and 18,
learn their lessons. Students choose areas of work which interest them and then they help to do that work. For instance, one girl spends her week in the offices of a Congresswoman — an elected official — helping the public with problems such as pensions, housing, etc. Then she goes to help in a theatre for a day and she spends one day a week taking first-year courses at college. City-as-School is 30 years old. The education system in New York accepts it now, as an alternative to final years at school. But can it replace ordinary lessons? Well, students have to pass maths and science exams before they enter the "school". These Subjects are not easy to provide for in "City-as-School". Tethers monitor the progress of the students, 80 to 85% of the students go to college (or university, ms it is called in Britain) .after their time at "City-as-School". The success rate is high. And the students are enthusiastic about their "school". They like the responsibility of their work, and the sense of purpose it gives them. When the students leave "City-as-School", they don't have a normal academic education; but they do know a lot about different kinds of work in the city! |