A few weeks ago, I watched a TV documentary (Zone Interdite 2009) about alternative forms of education which are directly relevant to our concerns about learning and play.

The key characteristic of these forms of playful education is that learning is highly embedded in every activities. In fact, there is often no distinctions between studies and hobbies.

Children studying at home

• Represent 3000 children out of 12 millions
• Don't strictly follow official academic topics but regular checks by officials from the government

• Activities outside the home in order to socialise
• Relative freedom regarding waking up time
• Freedom regarding topic order
• Mothers, who don't work, are facilitators of learning
• Key pedagogic principle: pleasure
• One of the children not interested by school: his mother isn't worried and waits for him to find it interesting (which happens once he meets someone of his age to study with)
• Children are responsible for their own learning
• Children more advanced than those going to the traditional school
• Concerns about hierarchical constraints later in their lives
• In China, possibility for families to group and study together
• No border between studies and hobbies: studying is natural and parents have difficulties stopping their children from learning at the end of the day

• Beginning of the morning: ride their bike in the countryside or music / reading
• Chemistry through practice and fun (including cooking)
• No assignments / no marks
• Watch a TV documentary to open up their minds at the beginning of each afternoon

School in Finland

• Best pupils in the world according to a study (reading, languages and sciences in particular)
• Learners enter school at the age of 7 in order for them to remain in childhood as long as possible (children are therefore enthusiastic when they enter school)
• School is free (including stationery)
• Schools are autonomous
• Great support for underachieving students: “not to leave anyone behind”
• Support lessons are regarded as something positive
• Schools are open on the neighbourhood (no gate, no “guard”, etc.)

• Pupils are empowered and autonomous
• Secondary school pupils elect their subjects and customise their schedule
• Learners have a lot of freedom of expression
• No disciplinary issues
• No homework
• Pupils speak 2 or 3 languages
• The day at school finishes at 2pm (4pm in secondary school)
• Pupils are encouraged and hardly criticised

• Day starts with music
• Children don't wear shoes in class (socks)
• Learners role-play molecules (simulated through their bodies)
• No music theory
• Music is learnt through trendy instruments and there is no music theory
• Cooking lessons compulsory in certain schools
• Woodwork and other topics deeply related to Finnish culture are taught

Self-managed secondary school of Paris

• For underachieving students
• Acceptance in part decided by fellow students

• No marks
• No traditional power relationships (no hierarchy)
• Each student has a personal tutor
• Students are not required to go to class, which, paradoxically, often makes them want to go (it's not a constraint anymore)
• Students learn to argue, sell their ideas, set up projects, etc.
• Students and staff work together to maintain the school equipment
• Parents are not kept informed of what happens in the school and therefore, children really choose their own future

What's really interesting about most of these features is that they are very good reflections of most pedagogical principles we have learned on this Masters. Although such examples are rather isolated and often difficult to put into practice, they are nonetheless very encouraging...

References:

Zone Interdite (2009). Bac dévalorisé, élèves qui s'ennuient, méthodes dépassées: enquête sur ce qui pourrait changer l'école. 8 February 2009.