Education - AS Neill PDF

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Education: Philosophy (A.S. Neill) Historical context: In November 1918, the “war to end all wars” has just finished. 18,000,000 people had died in combat and a further 23,000,000 had been wounded, including civilians from coming raids, displacement and disease in combat zones. Therefore, there was a mood that was anti-military, instead wanting freedom from tyranny and the old social order. The first version of Summerhill School was set up in 1921 in Hellerau, Dresden, Germany as part of a neue schedule. However, A.S Neill became put off by idealists who did not believe that children should smoke, go dancing or go to the cinema. He, therefore, moved the school to Austria before settling at Lyme Regis, Devon, England in 1923.

A.S Neill: • Born in Forfar in 1883 • Grew up in a strict Calvanist family (one of eight surviving children) • Parents were both teachers, father was the local dominie or headteacher. Here Neill learned to be a ‘pupil-teacher’ which he later said he hated. • Rejected the use of the Tawse or Lochgelly - corporal punishment • Aged 25, studied agriculture and then English Literature at Edinburgh University • Served as an officer in World War One • Moved Summerhill school from Lyme Regis in 1924 to Leiston, Suffolk, England in 1924

The Curriculum • As such, there are no formal school structures within Summerhill • Each term, students sign up to the lessons they think they will enjoy • Younger students are given some guidance around their choices, but if there are one or two strong choices, then the teacher will plan around these instead.

• All aspects of the curriculum must follow the law, eg. Health and Safety in laboratories and workshop, equalities legislation.

Conflict Solution: • It would be easy to think of Summerhill as a school without rules, where children can do as they please. • Whilst it is true that students can choose whether to go to classes or not, they are held responsible for their actions. • If an issue is not resolved immeduately, then a whole school meeting is called, with everyone having a single vote on the issue (including Neill). The outcome is binding on all. • Behavioural matters are managed through the Tribunal System. • Other conflict are resolved through the Ombudsman System.

AS Neill Philosophy: • Freedom, not licence • AS Neill described this as being the freedom to do as you please as long as you do no harm to anyone else • Children learn best when they are not being coached into education • Neill was not so interested in classroom pedagogy (how we teach our subjects) more in developing the whole child • However, the school has developed staff review processes so that students can review teachers as well as teachers reviewing students.

Criticisms: • Because Summerhill does not follow a strict timetable, with taught lessons, it has been subject to much criticisms • OFSTED inspection 1999 - Summerhill appealed against OFSTED decisions and forced the government to inspect school on the basis of their philosophy and values • Inappropriate behaviour between students and staff

• Unfavourable media reporting- focussing on the lack of attendance in lessons, rather than the democratic values of the school.

Similar philosophies: • USA: Sudbury Schools (1960) - Neill distanced himself from some of these as they did not follow this “Freedom, not licence” philosophy • Italy: Reggio Emilia - following World War Two, RE was founded on the idea of students leaning through symbolic meaning: Four Principles • Children must have some control over the direction of their learning • Children must be able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening and observing • Children have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world that they must be allowed to explore • Children must have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves. • Germany: Steiner (Waldorf) Schools (1919) based around the use of imagination in the child’s education. - Age based in three bands (0-7, 7-14, 14-21) • Italy: Montessori Schools (1907) the child is eager for knowledge which is offered in a carefully prepared manner, developing the child physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively. Mixed age classrooms or three year age bands starting at 0-3 years old.

Youth movements: Boys Scouts and Girls Guides: • Robert Baden Powell founded the Boy Scouts as an offshoot of the Boys Brigade in 1907 • Agnes Baden Powell founded the Girl Guides in 1910 Woodcraft Folk: • Founded in 1925 as an alternative to scouting which was seen as militaristic

• Developed skills in woodcraft, healthy living and being part of society • Often seen as being paganistic in their approach...