– students need to feel that the school is a safe place
– schools put knowledge into boxes called subjects and separate things that are not separate in the real world
– learning is about what we call the three Rs: relationships, relevance and rigor
– learning is not something you can split up into 45-minutes blocks or confined subjects
– fun and hapiness are two of the most important factors in a good school
– when a school is different everyday, it’s exciting and kids are excited about learning
– part of everyday different are celebrations
– students must be part of a democratic environment
– a silent school is not a school at all
– communication is the lifeblood of education
– first cultivate a culture of trust and respect
– if kids are going to be respectful, they must feel respected
– all the things we adults want to say are so much more powerful when other kids are saying them
– I look at every time I deal with a kid as a moment when the culture of my school is being set
– create an atmosphere which is best for kids
– why don’t they just build small schools in the first place?

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– the only really substantial thing education can do is help us to become continuous, lifelong learners
– education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire
– our addiction to testing is blinding us to what we believe in our hearts are the important lessons our children should learn
– too many forget how intrinsic motivation and desire are to learning
– they say knowledge i power. We say the use of knowledge is power
– learning is about learning how to think
– learning is not about memorizing. Learning is about being mindful
– our education system should see creating mindful learners as its goal
– teaching is listening, learning is talking
– most kids are not making one democracy-inspired decision throughout their entire years of schooling
– teaching becomes figuring out how to see and listen to each kid, one kid at a time
– teaching cannot happen in a vacuum. The community and child’s family must be included in every way possible
– teaching is really about bringing out what’s already inside people
– society is asking our graduates for skills and fast-paced communication, and schools are still giving them facts and one-way lectures
– the world is changing – schools are not
– when education is defined by the number of minutes a kid sits at a desk, it is way too far away from what is really important
– we measure what we can measure-not what we should or even want to measure
– we have to have higher standards, and they’ve got to be different standards
– yes, all schools must help kids gain knowledge, but they must also help them believe in themselves, believe in others, and love learning

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