Dear ______:
Dates and location of the forum planned… The main goal of this Self-Directed Education (SDE) Forum is to organize and deepen the understanding of Self-Directed Education based on existing, rich practices. It aims to guide further practice and encourage more people to join the movement for educational change. Below are key modules of Self-Directed Education in theory and practice, initially outlined by the forum’s preparation team. We hope that educators from across the country will come together to share their practical experiences, reflect and communicate with each other, and explore through Self-Directed Education to develop a better understanding and actionable direction for both Self-Directed Education and human education as a whole.
Self-Directed Education Theory
Self-Directed Learning
Proposed discussion time: day 1 (Morning) First and foremost, learning is an inherent ability in all living beings. Can children learn everything they need through free play? What exactly needs to be learned? And how can educators help children in their learning? Many domestic Self-Directed Education communities may offer answers to these questions.Self-Assessment
Proposed discussion time: Saturday, day 1 (Afternoon) Intrinsic motivation is the most important factor in learning, not external evaluations. Self-assessment is the most fundamental and essential evaluation for learners. Why is self-assessment so important? Is external evaluation still necessary? Can learners who grew up in Self-Directed Education communities adapt to a society filled with external assessments?Boundaries of Rights and Responsibilities, Community Building, and Protection Mechanisms
Proposed discussion time: day 1 (Afternoon) Compared to other industries, most educators in traditional education lack the necessary professional qualities and management experience, especially in understanding rights and responsibilities. However, Self-Directed Education must fully respect the rights minors have in both learning and community management. If educators themselves lack awareness and practical experience in these areas, they cannot serve as role models in community building, nor help minors navigate rights and responsibilities or become independent, collaborative individuals. This may instead lead to confusion and boundary issues for minors. Therefore, understanding and practicing the boundaries of rights and responsibilities is a core element of Self-Directed Education. The Sudbury model takes this further by granting both minors and adults equal community management rights, ensuring that minors’ learning rights are not interfered with by adults. The Sudbury Valley School(SVS)’s 57 years of educational practice have proven not only that children have the ability to self-direct their learning, but also that they have the capacity to participate in community management and development. They actively contribute to building and maintaining protective mechanisms (of children’s rights), gaining valuable learning and growth in the process.Life Education
Proposed discussion time: day 1 (Afternoon) At its core, education is life education. Education is a complex life system. We must return to the level of life to understand all aspects of education in a new light. Only when we return to life, play, and love, can we experience true flexibility and richness in education.What is Knowledge?
Proposed discussion time: day 1 (Evening) Innovative education is a reflection and breakthrough of modern, compulsory education, but different educational practices treat the place of knowledge in learning in various ways. Some advocate abandoning the concept of knowledge entirely in favor of cultivating skills, while others still categorize knowledge within traditional educational systems without recognizing that knowledge is something each individual creates based on their own experiences. Do we still need to learn knowledge? What commonalities exist across different fields of knowledge? How can we bridge the gap between knowledge and skills? How do we learn and master the vast body of human knowledge? Can we cultivate a modern-day Da Vinci? And how do we confront the challenges posed by artificial intelligence?Self-Directed Education Practice
The educational philosophy and relevant modules outlined above form the foundation. In practice, Self-Directed Education is equally comprehensive.Full-Time Learning Communities for Minors
Proposed discussion time: day 2 (Morning) Full-time learning communities provide children with a safe environment where they can freely play and participate in community building with adults. This is an important aspect of Self-Directed Education practice.Family Education
Proposed discussion time: day 2 (Morning) Before Self-Directed Education becomes mainstream, most minors are still educated in traditional, compulsory environments. Therefore, non-full-time family education aimed at minors can reach a wider group of children, allowing many families to experience Self-Directed Education. This is essential for the development of Self-Directed Education. By practicing Self-Directed Education in areas like reading, writing, English, programming, and sports—fields that families are more likely to accept—children are given the freedom to learn in self-directed ways, while parents actively participate and experience Self-Directed Education beyond just books and verbal teaching. This is an important step forward in family-based Self-Directed Education. We, as Self-Directed Educators, encounter many children and families in need of support. Many great mothers and fathers, especially mothers, are ready to give everything for their children at any opportunity. They deeply need the support of Self-Directed Educators! Family education is the first environment each person encounters and has a lifelong impact. How can we best implement family education? Let’s explore this together.Self-Directed Education for Adults
Proposed discussion time: day 2 (Morning) We know that barriers to children’s education often come from adults, who block children’s autonomy in learning and strip them of their right to learn. Therefore, understanding how adults view learning and education is critical to changing the educational landscape. Many educational practices aimed at adults, such as Slow School, help adults reawaken their understanding of learning through socialized learning, both online and offline. Only by re-understanding learning can true educational transformation occur. Slow School, in particular, emphasizes creating personal knowledge through awareness of life, bridging the gap between life awareness and knowledge acquisition. Through online and offline community building, it serves as one example of Self-Directed Education for adults and has significant impact for transforming adult perceptions of learning and education.Self-Directed Education in Traditional Schools
Proposed discussion time: day 2 (Afternoon) Self-Directed Education is life education, and it exists wherever life exists. Even in the most barren places, as long as there is a little soil, life can sprout. Even under heavy stones, if there is a small gap, life can grow. Traditional schools are also places where Self-Directed Education can be practiced. How can we practice Self-Directed Education to its fullest within the current compulsory educational system? Even in traditional schools, most people have encountered one or more exceptional teachers who teach with passion and commitment. Among those entering the education industry for profit, there are companies with a long-term vision, striving for true educational value and working towards the future of education. These forces are trying to loosen the rigid educational system, remove obstacles, and give life some room to breathe, minimizing the harm caused by compulsory education.Self-Directed Education in Corporate Management
Proposed discussion time: day 2 (Afternoon) In the future, every company must become a learning organization, with learning ability being its greatest competitive advantage. Self-Directed Education will redefine corporate management and become its core. A strong team is made up of strong individuals, and these teams will continually create new life, solve social problems, and serve the real needs of society.Post-Forum Immediate Review
All speakers and VIPs will participate.Proposed discussion time: day 2 (Afternoon) Above is an initial overview of Self-Directed Education as outlined by the forum preparation team. We hope that the first National Self-Directed Education Forum will bring together efforts from all directions—both theory and practice—forming a collective understanding and sharing it with the public. This will help guide society, including a wide range of educational innovators and families, to push forward in these directions and lead humanity toward the future of education! Education is first and foremost a public service, and those involved in education should have a strong sense of public responsibility. We hope that education change makers will remain open-minded, actively share and collaborate on their educational discoveries and designs. Through “Open Source Education,” our local explorations can become replicable educational models for others. Together, we create a “PlayGround” for Self-Directed Education. We are all part of a larger organization—a true “teal organization.” How we collaborate openly will determine whether we can bring about large-scale educational change and make Self-Directed Education the future of learning. What we aim to flip is not just the classroom, but the entire educational system! Let’s work together! Based on this understanding and your outstanding work in the field of Self-Directed Education, we sincerely invite you to participate in this forum and look forward to exchanging ideas with you! Please note, this forum will also be a grand experience of Self-Directed Education, with numerous self-learning activities and designs integrated into the entire forum.