26 Nov

Posted at 09:14h in Uncategorized

Introduction In this article I want to explain how we work with young people, such that they can take charge of their own learning. As well as running a college on the Sussex coast, we have also been working in schools utilising the approach. I will first, start by explaining how Self Managed Learning College works and then go on to cite one example of working in a school. The latter is based on an article written by a Deputy Principal of an 11 to 18 school in East Sussex. We have worked in eight schools with young people aged 7 to...

24 Nov

Posted at 09:13h in Uncategorized

Ian Cunningham – edited from ‘Self Managed Learning and the New Educational Paradigm’, Routledge, 2020. Abstract This extract from Chapter 6 of the above book provides sufficient evidence to show that the work in developing a New Educational Paradigm is both desirable and highly justified. And on the other hand, it shows that defence of the existing traditional schooling paradigm is not warranted. Some specific pieces of educational evidence affecting schooling include: the discrimination against summer born children: the negative impact of large schools: the problems of violence affecting schools: the negative response of schools to difference amongst children: the fact that...

11 Nov

Posted at 09:17h in Uncategorized

College thrives as it rewrites curriculum BY NADIA MENDOZA September 20, 2020 For original article, please visit https://uspire.life/2020/09/20/good-news-education-student-wellbeing-sml-college-dr-ian-cunningham/ Student success skyrockets as old school values are updated. When we look back on our education years, no matter what school or college we attended, it’s likely all of our days were dictated by timetables and lesson plans. Fast-forward to 2020, and things are happening a little differently. The way future generations learn is facing a major revamp, with plans to end the current and outdated system in order to help individuals reach their full potential. And we don’t just mean learning about mental health or managing finances, but a college...

14 Oct

Posted at 09:23h in Uncategorized

UNESCO issued a consultation on Education in the Future. This is our submission to that consultation. Education in the future has to make dramatic changes. It is not fit for purpose. A major error is the notion that education means institutional learning – generally in a school, college or university. It also assumes that most useful learning occurs via a process called teaching and that covering a curriculum in an institution somehow automatically produces educated people. If teaching was so effective then every child would pass every test that was imposed on them. The fact that this process is very inefficient...

28 Sep

Posted at 09:06h in Uncategorized

Coco Kirkland joined Self Managed Learning (SML) College aged 13. She had been constantly in trouble in her mainstream school, because the teachers accused her of just doodling all the time. She is also diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Having been labelled naughty, just because she sees herself as a visual learner, she decided she didn’t want to stay in mainstream school. In her first year at SML College, she did continue her doodling and cartoon drawing and other visual activities as well as chatting to fellow students. To anyone observing her, she seemed to be doing nothing else. However, she was...

15 Sep

Posted at 09:00h in Uncategorized

(Published in Education Revolution in the USA; 2010) Too often there is confusion about the difference between structure and control when talking about freedom or autonomy for learners. I want to say something about these ideas and to give examples from our practice in using Self Managed Learning. My case is that we (adults) should support young people to grow up to be autonomous human beings who can lead a good life, as created by themselves (which includes moral, social and ecological dimensions). We need to provide structures for autonomy. And good structures reduce control. The ideal of autonomy is espoused in...