Project learn school community: An educational practice meets an educational activity theory

Abstract

Project Learn School community is a unique school coop in Philadelphia Founded 30 years ago, Project Learn was created as a cooperative between teachers, parents and students. The main philosophical principle, derived from J. Dewey?s educational theories is the principle of equality between the parties in the educative process. Other guiding philosophical principles are: the emphasis on the unique constellation of abilities of every student creating opportunities for meaningful personal involvement in the learning process, developing a sense of responsibility in students for themselves and for the larger world, and, finally, educating the whole person rather than just teaching academic skills. Although Cultural Historical Activity theory of L.S. Vygotsky was not very well known in the United States at the time of it?s founding, this school embodies several basic principles of Cultural Historical Activity theory. Among them is the principle of social mediation of the relationship between the subject and the object. The same principle is actualized through the rich use of cultural tools and symbols such as very developed programs in art, music and drama, as well as the frequent use of play and play like activities both to motivate and to create a collaborative learning atmosphere. Furthermore, the unique style of governance, where all families participate without delegation of their decision making powers, provides for a powerful model of human relationships, rules and norms believed to be the most beneficial for individual learning and the over all social development.Project Learn School Community je jedinstven skolski kooperativni projekt u Filadelfiji. Zapocet je pre trideset godina i zamisljen kao saradnja nastavnika, roditelja i ucenika. Zasniva se na filozofskom principu ravnopravnosti ucesnika u procesu obrazovanja, principu koji potice iz Djuieve teorije. Drugi filozofski principi na kojima se projekt zasniva su naglasavanje jedinstvenog sklopa sposobnosti svakog ucenika, stvaranje uslova za smisleno licno ucestvovanje u procesu ucenja, razvijanje osecaja za odgovornost ucenika za sebe i siru okolinu i, konacno, obrazovanje celokupne licnosti umesto samo sticanje akademskih vestina. Iako teorija Vigotskog nije bila narocito poznata u Sjedinjenim drzavama u vreme osnivanja, ova skola otelotvoruje nekoliko osnovnih principa njegove kulturno-istorijske orijentacije. Narocito se istice princip drustvenog posredovanja u odnosu subjekta i objekta. Isti princip se realizuje kroz intenzivno koriscenje kulturnih sredstava i simbola u detaljno razradjenim programima u oblasti umetnosti, muzike i drame, kao i kroz ucestalu upotrebu igre i igrolikih aktivnosti u cilju podsticanja i stvaranja saradnicke atmosfere za ucenje. Jedinstveni nacin rukovodjenja u kome ucestvuju sve porodice, bez delegiranja sopstvene moci za odlucivanje, u velikoj meri doprinosi ovakvom modelu humanizovanih odnosa, pravila i normi za koje se veruje da su najplodotvorniji za individualno ucenje i celokupan drustveni razvoj.