We are a Sudbury-inspired Democratic Self-Directed Education community in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Old news from 2017:
July 2017: We are now open for admissions interviews! Yes, our pilot project is growing, and we are ready to set up a full-time venue for 2018. Contact us to find out more.
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I asked one of our newer parents to tell us a bit about what brought her family to our community. This is her answer. The year 2017 is the year our family – my husband, six year old twin girls and I – took the big leap into the world …
R15 per person, under 2s free Come make friends with the horses Collin, Pajero and Nessie the cute little monster Tack up and grooming demonstration Horse show with Jumping Pony rides and horse treat feeding Raffle draw Snacks, Crafts, and Toys on sale Bring donations of dogfood, catfood, chicken …
by Je’anna L Clements Did you know that there has been an ongoing lament that handwriting is a dying art– since 1935? In South Africa today, schools still place a huge emphasis on neat handwriting – and those who struggle to achieve it often suffer as a result. …
The time has finally come! The Riverstone Village admissions process is now open. Riverstone Village is South Africa’s first democratic, self-directed (SDE) learning community. Democratic self-directed education is a cutting-edge best-practice educational model growing fast around the globe, because: it is so effective and gets such great long term results, …
by Je’anna Clements Supporting another person in SDE is a priceless gift. Here’s 7 (of many) ways to bless their process. Let go of your goals for them. Realise that nobody else can know for someone else, what needs to be learned when. To make a success of SDE, each …
Week 1: Two very young people are busy with playdough near the hall door, while three older young people play cards at a table nearby. An all-ages group plays dodgeball in the middle of the same hall. Outside there’s a pirate game happening on a tree platform, and in the …
by Je’anna Clements Here are a few “aha’s” that can help us get our heads around Self Directed Education – how and why it works. Strange = scary, and for those of us who were conventionally schooled, SDE can look strange. But not that strange. If you stop to think, …
By Je’anna L Clements, with thanks to Chris Mercogliano For those of us who grew up with conventional schooling, Self-Directed Education can be scary. Fear can be slippery. It’s not always easy to distinguish real dangers from bogeymen under the bed. I recently had the pleasure of conversing about this …
SDE Learning takes place entirely through self-chosen activities which may or may not include classes and courses, and which may or may not appear ‘educational’ to the outside observer. The goal is not to pass tests or comply with any set curriculum, but rather, to hone the skills needed to …
