What is it we want all students to learn?How will we know when they have learned it?How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty?How will we respond when a student has already demonstrated understanding?
A small, independent K-6 school in Massachusetts focuses on collaborative learning with students working at group tables rather than desks, and teachers acting as facilitators rather than lecturers. There is no homework at Anova, the Massachusetts School for Science, Creativity and Leadership, where there are rules against repetition and busywork. "We're about progressive education," said Courtney Dickinson, the school's founder.