by Ken Danford | Feb 15, 2020 | self-directed learning
Shawn Achor giving his TED Talk, “The Happy Secret to Better Work” at TEDxBloomington in 2011. Following up on my previous blog about The January Blues, I thought I might share a bit about how we respond at North Star to teens who arrive with low spirits....
by Ken Danford | Feb 1, 2020 | self-directed learning
Full disclosure: before this week, I had never heard of Billie Eilish. In case you missed it, Billie Eilish swept the four major Grammy Awards last week. She is 18 years old, and an unabashed, proud homeschooler. In a video interview with Pitchfork Magazine, she...
by Ken Danford | Jan 15, 2020 | self-directed learning
In my previous blog, I celebrated the news that many adults are working to make self-directed learning an option in their communities. From democratic schools to Agile Learning Centers to our network of Liberated Learners, I am enthused for the dramatic increase in...
by Ken Danford | Jan 1, 2020 | self-directed learning
Sarah Tavernetti with North Star alum Ben Rosser in Brooklyn, NY. Research! Happy New Year! While we are in celebrating a new year, I would like to share my joy and optimism for the wide range of educational experiments involving self-directed learning...
by Ken Danford | Dec 15, 2019 | self-directed learning
Current North Star member Leigh Collins, age 16, won first place in this fall’s Mathematics Competition at Holyoke Community College. Congratulations to Leigh, and congratulations to everyone who has supported Leigh over the past four years. Still, this...
by Ken Danford | Nov 28, 2019 | self-directed learning
This week we are hosting our Annual Alumni Party, and we welcome our entire community to celebrate our longevity and success. While serving as our “alumni fund drive” on Giving Tuesday, the party also offers a chance for current families to meet some of the...
by Ken Danford | Nov 16, 2019 | self-directed learning
I’m mildly out of commission with a broken fibula, so this blog is a high quality shortcut, the pdf of our just-printed North Star newsletter called Liberated Learners. This publication includes profiles of teens, staff members, photos, and our general...
by Ken Danford | Nov 1, 2019 | self-directed learning
Many of our members are creative artists. Some of them in their exuberance choose to share their work by hanging it on the walls at North Star. Sometimes they decide to liven up a room with stickers. These teens are well-intentioned, but when we told them...
by Ken Danford | Oct 16, 2019 | self-directed learning
Our current political drama involving a courageous whistleblower reporting on the President of the United States of America offers a powerful teaching moment for all of us who work with young people. Over the years, we have always encouraged our teen...
