The Circle School Blog
An occasional thingThe Circle School Blog
“Get to” vs “Have to”
When I was 13 years old, I didn't want to attend The Circle School. My mom and stepdad...
Chickens with missions
Concealed in a shipping container, six secret agents arrived in April -- unarmed,...
From Founding Furnace to Post-Curricular
With retirement on the horizon, I’m feeling reflective. This morning I’m thinking about...
I feel peaceful here, Mommy
Hello Circle School Family! I became interested in the school many years ago when I...
No, Kids Don’t Rule the School
At first glance, you might get the wrong idea from the title of my book, When Kids Rule...
Marina’s cardboard spinning wheel
Sometime back in March, I made a cardboard spinning wheel at school. If any of you are...
Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech
One of the most popular human figures to come out of Greek mythology is, arguably,...
Gratitude in an Upside Down Year
Jim's 2014 blog post "I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came" was...
What Cool Things Outside means to me
My name is Lily Compton and I started the Cool Things Outside Corporation at The Circle...
Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools
I’m disappointed by America’s dysfunctional politics. And I bet you are, too. What...
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By category
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By author
Daily life
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Jim Rietmulder]
- It's the process, not the content[Cody Unger]
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Cody Unger]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Chickens with missions[ 007]
- Marina's cardboard spinning wheel[Marina Reinford]
- Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech[EvaMarie Adame]
- Gratitude in an Upside Down Year[Ellen Abbott]
- Circle School mornings again[Ellen Abbott]
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Kimberlie Hawkins]
- Trained at 12, saved a life at 15[Cheyenne Malarz]
- Camping in the Schoolyard[Ann Sipe]
- Circle School Graduates in College[Jim Rietmulder]
- I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came[Jim Rietmulder]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Jim Rietmulder]
- All About Anarchy[Julia James]
- A History of Snow[Julia James]
- Homework[Julia James]
- Forts & fights & thirty years[Julia James]
- The Year in Pictures[Julia James]
- Weaving justice[Jim Rietmulder]
- A Regular Person[Jim Rietmulder]
- THE CI_CLE SCHOOL[Julia James]
Ideas
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Jim Rietmulder]
- Tech Stocks Crash, Proving Circle School Theory[Jim Rietmulder]
- Democracy, Kids, and Roller Coasters[Jim Rietmulder]
- It's the process, not the content[Cody Unger]
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Cody Unger]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Finding Happiness In School[Jim Rietmulder]
- No, Kids Don't Rule the School[Jim Rietmulder]
- Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools[Jim Rietmulder]
- Explaining The Circle School Made Easy (or Less Hard)[Beth Stone]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Jim Rietmulder]
- Fanning a Flame at Millersville University[Jim Rietmulder]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Jim Rietmulder]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Jim Rietmulder]
- All About Anarchy[Julia James]
- Connor's List[Julia James]
- Musings on Forced Apologies[Beth Stone]
- Another note about test scores[Julia James]
- Agency and coercion in several kinds of schools, Part 1[Jim Rietmulder]
- Agency, attention, mistakes, and school[Jim Rietmulder]
- Infinity and the backyard bell tower[Jim Rietmulder]
- Freedom & creativity[Julia James]
- How Children Succeed[JD Stillwater]
Parenting
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why We Chose The Circle School[Scott Cooper]
- I feel peaceful here, Mommy[Faith Brooks-Carr]
- Silver Linings: What the pandemic is teaching us about schooling[Beth Stone]
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Kimberlie Hawkins]
- Kids taking the lead[Molly Rahe-Randall]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Jim Rietmulder]
- Circle School Grandparents[Joan Cramer]
- Cracking the Ice Cream Maker Whip[Joan Cramer]
- Musings on Forced Apologies[Beth Stone]
- Wedding democracy[Jim Rietmulder]
- A view from a new family[Julia James]
- Staying Calm[Beth Stone]
Pictures
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Cody Unger]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Chickens with missions[ 007]
- A History of Snow[Julia James]
- Forts & fights & thirty years[Julia James]
Play
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Jim Rietmulder]
- A History of Snow[Julia James]
- Cracking the Ice Cream Maker Whip[Joan Cramer]
- Seven sins of forced education[Jim Rietmulder]
- The benefits of play[Julia James]
Public policy
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Tech Stocks Crash, Proving Circle School Theory[Jim Rietmulder]
- Democracy, Kids, and Roller Coasters[Jim Rietmulder]
- Finding Happiness In School[Jim Rietmulder]
- Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools[Jim Rietmulder]
- Silver Linings: What the pandemic is teaching us about schooling[Beth Stone]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Jim Rietmulder]
- Circle School Graduates in College[Jim Rietmulder]
- Fanning a Flame at Millersville University[Jim Rietmulder]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Jim Rietmulder]
- What would you change about public school?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Seven sins of forced education[Jim Rietmulder]
- Another note about test scores[Julia James]
- Agency and coercion in several kinds of schools, Part 1[Jim Rietmulder]
- The benefits of play[Julia James]
- Washington gridlock and democratic schools[Jim Rietmulder]
- Low Test Scores Are Not The Problem[Jim Rietmulder]
Stories
- Why We Chose The Circle School[Scott Cooper]
- It's the process, not the content[Cody Unger]
- "Get to" vs "Have to"[Cody Unger]
- From Founding Furnace to Post-Curricular[Jim Rietmulder]
- I feel peaceful here, Mommy[Faith Brooks-Carr]
- Marina's cardboard spinning wheel[Marina Reinford]
- Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech[EvaMarie Adame]
- Gratitude in an Upside Down Year[Ellen Abbott]
- What Cool Things Outside means to me[Lily Compton]
- I walked into my new life[Caitlyn Hensey]
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Kimberlie Hawkins]
- Community near and far away[Lily Jordan]
- Kids taking the lead[Molly Rahe-Randall]
- Explaining The Circle School Made Easy (or Less Hard)[Beth Stone]
- Trained at 12, saved a life at 15[Cheyenne Malarz]
- Camping in the Schoolyard[Ann Sipe]
- I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came[Jim Rietmulder]
- What would you change about public school?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Jim Rietmulder]
- All About Anarchy[Julia James]
- Connor's List[Julia James]
- Homework[Julia James]
- Wedding democracy[Jim Rietmulder]
- A view from a new family[Julia James]
007
- Chickens with missions[Daily life, Pictures]
Ann Sipe
- Camping in the Schoolyard[Daily life, Stories]
Beth Stone
- Silver Linings: What the pandemic is teaching us about schooling[Parenting, Public policy]
- Explaining The Circle School Made Easy (or Less Hard)[Ideas, Stories]
- Musings on Forced Apologies[Ideas, Parenting]
- Staying Calm[Parenting]
Caitlyn Hensey
- I walked into my new life[Stories]
Cheyenne Malarz
- Trained at 12, saved a life at 15[Daily life, Stories]
Cody Unger
- It's the process, not the content[Daily life, Ideas, Stories]
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Daily life, Ideas, Pictures, Play]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Daily life, Ideas, Pictures]
- "Get to" vs "Have to"[Stories]
Ellen Abbott
- Gratitude in an Upside Down Year[Daily life, Stories]
- Circle School mornings again[Daily life]
EvaMarie Adame
- Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech[Daily life, Stories]
Faith Brooks-Carr
- I feel peaceful here, Mommy[Parenting, Stories]
JD Stillwater
- How Children Succeed[Ideas]
Jim Rietmulder
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Daily life, Ideas, Public policy]
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Daily life, Ideas, Parenting]
- Tech Stocks Crash, Proving Circle School Theory[Ideas, Public policy]
- Democracy, Kids, and Roller Coasters[Ideas, Public policy]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Daily life, Ideas, Pictures]
- Finding Happiness In School[Ideas, Public policy]
- From Founding Furnace to Post-Curricular[Stories]
- No, Kids Don't Rule the School[Ideas]
- Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools[Ideas, Public policy]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Ideas, Play, Public policy]
- Circle School Graduates in College[Daily life, Public policy]
- Fanning a Flame at Millersville University[Ideas, Public policy]
- I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came[Daily life, Stories]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Ideas, Parenting, Public policy]
- What would you change about public school?[Public policy, Stories]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Daily life, Ideas, Stories]
- Wedding democracy[Parenting, Stories]
- Seven sins of forced education[Play, Public policy]
- Agency and coercion in several kinds of schools, Part 1[Ideas, Public policy]
- Weaving justice[Daily life]
- Agency, attention, mistakes, and school[Ideas]
- Infinity and the backyard bell tower[Ideas]
- Washington gridlock and democratic schools[Public policy]
- Low Test Scores Are Not The Problem[Public policy]
- A Regular Person[Daily life]
Joan Cramer
- Circle School Grandparents[Parenting]
- Cracking the Ice Cream Maker Whip[Parenting, Play]
Julia James
- All About Anarchy[Daily life, Ideas, Stories]
- A History of Snow[Daily life, Pictures, Play]
- Connor's List[Ideas, Stories]
- Homework[Daily life, Stories]
- Forts & fights & thirty years[Daily life, Pictures]
- The Year in Pictures[Daily life]
- Another note about test scores[Ideas, Public policy]
- A view from a new family[Parenting, Stories]
- The benefits of play[Play, Public policy]
- Freedom & creativity[Ideas]
- THE CI_CLE SCHOOL[Daily life]
Kimberlie Hawkins
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Daily life, Parenting, Stories]
Lily Jordan
- Community near and far away[Stories]
Marina Reinford
- Marina's cardboard spinning wheel[Daily life, Stories]
Molly Rahe-Randall
- Kids taking the lead[Parenting, Stories]
Scott Cooper
- Why We Chose The Circle School[Parenting, Stories]
Wedding democracy
I don't know whether to call it democratic, or maybe crowd-sourced. Either way, I have...
The Year in Pictures
The 2012-13 "Year in Pictures" slideshow, for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!...
Seven sins of forced education
"Children are biologically predisposed to take charge of their own education." So...
Another note about test scores
Peter Gray's latest post over at Psychology Today, Be Glad for Our Failure to Catch Up...
A view from a new family
A new-to-The-Circle-School mom wrote a post on her blog about their journey from Kansas...
Agency and coercion in several kinds of schools, Part 1
As a teenager in the 1970s, I wanted to be a fifth-grade teacher—an impulse that remains...
Weaving justice
Last night our judicial team demonstrated for the school community how the wheels of...
Agency, attention, mistakes, and school
Agency is the capacity to choose and act on your own behalf, and may be a hallmark of...
The benefits of play
Play is a hot topic these days, and every article I read on the subject reinforces for...
Infinity and the backyard bell tower
Nature impels us to avoid death and seek infinity. Call the first a biological...
Washington gridlock and democratic schools
Tomorrow we Americans elect a president. Two days ago we Circle Schoolers hosted a group...
Low Test Scores Are Not The Problem
Of course all this talk of assessment and global competition treats children as raw materials in a government-run factory, rather than human beings with their own hopes, interests, and talents. Education policy should be centered on children and families, not money and power. Public funding should promote innovation and variety in schools, rather than uniformity and standards. It's good for children, families, society and, yes, a thriving global economy.
Staying Calm
I was glad to come across this article reminding me how helpful it is to stay calm when...
Freedom & creativity
I don't have a lot to say about this article by Peter Gray except to recommend it. Dr...
A Regular Person
A few days ago I experienced my 29th first-day-of-school at The Circle School, and I...
THE CI_CLE SCHOOL
There is something about the spray bottle -- and maybe the missing "r" -- that makes...
How Children Succeed
I heard most of this radio interview the other morning, with Paul Tough, author of How...