Learning Community Blossoms, (A)

At School Within a School, a democratic high school in Brookline, Massachusetts, students are active participants in the decision-making process. The backbone of the 40-year-old school is its weekly town meeting at which students and faculty discuss and vote on issues of concern to the school community. Students vote on courses that will be offered and take part in the selection of new faculty. In the school's untracked, mixed-grade classes, older students encourage their younger classmates to commit to learning. To enhance community participation, the school requires all students to join at least one school committee each quarter. Committees may handle such complex matters as student discipline, or they may provide an avenue for students and faculty to explore and plan events related to their personal interests. Bresman, Erdmann, and Olson suggest that the school's democratic structure enables students to see how each individual can play a valuable role in society and teaches them the skills they need to participate in their own communities after graduation. [authors]