These resources have informed our vision. While none of these is definitive of the Open School, any of them will give a sense of our mission. When possible, books are listed with links to Amazon.com and the Monroe County Library System. A portion of your purchase at Amazon.com goes to the Open School of Rochester. Thank you for your support!
For more great reading, visit our Amazon store
John Taylor Gatto:
Dumbing Us Down (buy now; check library)
The Underground History of American Education (buy now; check library; view online)
John Holt:
Freedom and Beyond (buy now; check library)
How Children Learn (buy now; check library)
The Underachieving School (buy now; check library)
Growing Without School (view web site; check library)
A.S. Neill:
Summerhill School (buy now; check library)
Alfie Kohn:
Punished by Rewards (buy now; check library)
Grace Llewellyn:
Teenage Liberation Handbook (buy now; check library)
We had the privilege to talk with Mr. Morley Schloss about his experience with a similar school in the Rochester area. He pointed us to some books...(read more)
A.S. Neill's Summerhill School, England (visit website). There is a drama based on the school (View here)
Hudson Valley Sudbury School, Kingston, NY (visit website)
Sudbury Valley School, Framingham, MA (visit website)
The Free School, Albany, NY (visit website)
Fairhaven School, Upper Marlboro, MD (visit website). There is also a DVD made by the children of this school (view trailer)
The Beach School, Toronto, Canada (visit website). There is a DVD with comments from parents of children at this school (view video)
Arts & Ideas Elementary, Baltimore, MD (visit website)