by Jim Rietmulder | Feb 19, 2025 | Ideas, Public policy
DeepSeek, a Chinese company, released its R1 artificial intelligence model last month, causing American tech stocks to crash. Why? Because R1 represents a better way to develop intelligence—by applying an essential Circle School method! R1 caused panic in the American...
by Jim Rietmulder | Jan 26, 2025 | Ideas, Public policy
In the week since Donald Trump’s inauguration, I’ve been musing about democracy, kids, and our roller-coaster world—the ups and downs and twists and turns. I’m comparing America with The Circle School. At two very different scales, both are democratic entities that...
by Jim Rietmulder | Oct 15, 2023 | Daily life, Ideas, Pictures
Drag-alongs, tag-alongs, stumble-ons, and happenings The Circle School describes itself as “self-directed” education, but that term can be misleading. Talking about student freedom, initiative, and self-direction sometimes creates the impression that each student is...
by Jim Rietmulder | Apr 14, 2023 | Ideas, Public policy
I want children in school to find happiness. Not momentary fireworks, but the saturating joy of purpose and meaning in life. Not someday, but now, as children. I’ve noticed that kids who live fulfilling lives as kids tend to build fulfilling lives as adults. I think...
by Jim Rietmulder | Dec 1, 2021 | Stories
With retirement on the horizon, I’m feeling reflective. This morning I’m thinking about how different The Circle School is today from the way it was in its founding years. And how much the same it is. I’m thinking about changes to come, and how the cherished sameness...
