STRANGE AND UNIQUE SCHOOLS

FOREST KINDERGARTENS

A forest kindergarten is a type of preschool for children

between ages three and six that is held almost exclusively

outdoors. Whatever the weather, children are encouraged

to play, explore, and learn in a forest or natural environment.

They are also known as Waldkindergarten in Germany

where they are quite popular.

CELEBRATION EDUCATION

In Southern California there’s a school that offers adventure,

creativity, and fun to kids. It allows each child to take the

lead in his or her learning experiences and to enhance

those experiences. The school provides rich learning

opportunities in the form of an inspiring environment,

access to interesting materials, varied classes, and plentiful

field trips—all tied together with exciting themes.

BURGESS HILL SCHOOL

This experimental UK based school that was found back in the

rebellious sixties definitely deserves a mention since it was

one of the most “progressive” schools worldwide, especially if

one takes into account how strict British life was back then.

This school allowed its students to do pretty much whatever they

wanted. Fancy a cigarette during class? No problem.

Plow through the school grounds on a motorbike? Ditto.

BROOKLYN FREE SCHOOL

Brooklyn Free School’s mission is education geared toward

social justice. It engages students and staff in democratic

decision making and problem solving. The school has no

grades, no tests, and no compulsory classes or homework.

Furthermore, students are free to leave classes as they please.

AWAKENING SEED SCHOOL

Founded in a Phoenix, Arizona, garage in 1977, Awakening Seed

wants children of all races, cultures, religions, and ethnic

backgrounds to be honoured for who they truly are (whatever

that means). The school, which runs from preschool to

fifth grade, bans artificial juices and Lunchables, and their

mission statement includes the line “world peace is possible.”

ABO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Abo Elementary School in Artesia, New Mexico, is located

about forty miles south of Roswell and was part of a

pilot program in the 1960’s. The Office of Civil Defence

wanted to see if schools could make good public shelters

and they paid a portion of the total cost of the school.

That’s how we ended up with the first underground

elementary school that doubled as an advanced

Cold War fallout shelter.

WALT DISNEY ELEMENTARY

In the mid-1950’s, some children—who apparently loved

Disney films way too much—at the public elementary

school in Levittown, Pennsylvania, were given the

opportunity to name their school after a public figure.

When Disney found out about this honour, he decided to

send artists to decorate the school. Half a century later this

school is still “all things Disney,” with classrooms

and hallways devoted to Disney characters.

SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE

The Philadelphia School of the Future aims to explore ways to

better prepare students for success in our digital world and

global economy. They accomplish this by forgoing text books

and instead applying technological tools such as computers

for students, OneNote for note taking, and computerized

smart boards for teachers. They even have digital lockers

that uses a student’s ID card as a key.