By Maura Duignan | Staff Member
This year we have our first official Graduates at Sligo Sudbury School.
Sean and Vasilisa are the first of our students to have completed the requirements of our school Graduation Process, creating a portfolio of their self directed learning journey. This involved a year-long process of self reflection and gathering of artefacts to showcase their learning. We are immensely proud of them and grateful for the inspiration they have provided to others following the self-directed path.
We hope you will enjoy reading their portfolios.
Thanks to the support of donors like you, this initial project is 90% funded and will now be deactivated. We will transfer our fundraising efforts to a new project; to build a Centre of Excellence for Self Directed Education, which will serve more children and be a model for educators and researchers to learn more about self directed learning and its benefits to children.
Education for a changing world.
A complete education can no longer be limited to the accumulation of knowledge and the development of some rudimentary academic skills. Children growing up today will need much more. 21st century students must not only be critical thinkers, self-motivated learners, competent problem-solvers, and life-long learners. They also must have well developed qualities of empathy, respect, cooperation, and collaboration.
Children today need an education system that supports initiative, fosters self-motivation, and provides each individual with freedom to excel on their terms.
Over the past five years, we have proven that Self-Directed Democratic Education is a viable and sustainable model. A diverse range of learner types and personalities flourish and thrive here. Our retention and growth rates, along with families who have moved country and county to join our school, demonstrate the pressing need for this kind of school in Ireland and Europe.
We have been operating since August 2018. Our funds are invested in the school, staff, grounds, buildings, and facilities. Since our inception, we have experienced exponential growth: from 15 members in September 2018, to 85 in 2024 and a considerable waiting list. Our model and impact has great potential. Now that we have been granted planning permission, we can extend our facilities.
We urgently need to start this development to accommodate more students, improve facilities and become a Centre of Excellence for Self-Directed Democratic Education. Here, policy makers, educators, and learners will experience the potential of this sustainable and future-fit model of education.
Your support will make a significant difference in the lives of young people. By making a donation or becoming a Major Benefactor, you can have a huge impact on our organisation, ensuring it has the facilities and resources it needs to continue to make a positive impact for years to come.
Links:
By Maura Duignan | Staff Member
By Maura Duignan | Staff Member
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
