Posted on Nov 16, 2009 - 01:09 PM
Welcome to IDEA! We’re very excited that you’re here.
IDEA is a national effort to unite education with our nation’s democratic values. We believe that young people ought to be active co-creators of their own learning and valued participants in a vibrant learning community. This is democratic education in action, which as you know is sharply different from the reality experienced by most young people and educators throughout the country. Yet we know there are countless teachers, young people, parents, education leaders, youth workers, policy-makers and others who believe in the power of democratic education to transform the lives of young people and help build a more vibrant, just, and sustainable society.
We have created IDEA to build off the insight and energy of this diverse national community, creating ways for YOU to join the conversation, contribute and gain valuable skills and resources, and work together with others around the country to create real changes in our schools and communities.
IDEA is currently in Soft Launch mode, actively gearing up for a full launch in early 2010. Similar to the Beta versions of new software or the pre-Grand Opening stage of a new restaurant, IDEA’s Soft Launch period is a chance for you to learn about what we do, participate in our interactive community, and share with us your feedback and questions. It’s also a chance for us to learn about you and your ideas, start building a community of participants and supporters, and create some buzz out there about IDEA and democratic education.
(And yes, we admit it—using the term “Beta” does reveal our geeky tendency toward social media and new technology).
Check out our current and upcoming projects. Visit our Get Involved page to find out ways to connect with us and the democratic education community.
We’ll be in touch as we make progress toward our Grand Opening Launch. If you’d like to help us out with the Launch or our other efforts, send us a note and let us know. IDEA will only be as strong as our community.
Thanks, and welcome to IDEA. We’re excited to work with you to build an organization that can drive educational change in this country.
Dana Bennis, Executive Director
comments
