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Friday, September 11
Opening & Welcome – welcome from AERO & the IDEC community, logistics, etc.
Opening, connections & logistics
Leadership for Educational Liberation: Bridging Peace Practices with Youth
In 2023, two nonprofit organizations based in New Jersey implemented the second iteration of the “Leadership for Educational Liberation,” a paid virtual program with…
The Science of Learning for Educators
The Science of Learning Academy was founded in 2025 by the presenter to promote evidence-based education and teaching methods around the world. As more…
Exploring the implementation of democratic education in conventional schools
The goal is to collectively explore the possibilities and challenges of implementing dem edu in conventional learning environments. Participants are encouraged to bring up…
Why Our Rules (Don’t) Work
In this session, we’ll share our experiences at Slobodná škola – how rules are created and how to keep following them, what rules have…
Break
Break
Using Circles for Collaborative Learning
During this hands-on session, participants will learn about Restorative Practices in Education by experiencing a process known as Circle. Structural elements of Circle –…
The Unseen Chains: Mental Colonization in Education
The short film “The Unseen Chains: Mental Colonization in Education” explores how education has been used to erase local identities and re-educate generations on…
Open Networking Time. Meet with Groups, Activities, Etc
Time for networking, meeting in groups, fun activities
In Spanish -Jóvenes diseñando espacios para jóvenes: Democracia, Juego y Aprendizaje Descolonizador
En esta sesión realizaremos un ejercicio horizontal y dinámico entre participantes y presentadores para dialogar sobre juventudes que diseñan espacios para juventudes. Reflexionaremos sobre…
Famli: Deepening Democracy at Home
Famli, developed by Zahra Lightway, M.Ed., is a family practice of consent-based democracy designed to help children and adults share voice, claim agency, responsibility,…
Do You KNOW MY NAME?
Do you KNOW MY NAME - Education as Women’s Work?Women in Democratic Education & IDEC .Updated by Olivia Loria & Cecelia Bradley (2026) In…
Democracy in Action: How Your Student’s Passion Is the Best Curriculum
Democracy requires citizens who can think, not just students who can repeat. In this hands-on workshop, Personal Interest Projects (PIPs) will be described as…
From Democratic Schools to Democratic Lives
Joann and Angela grew up in democratic education settings in Taiwan. In this session, they will share how their experiences shaped their views on…
The Courses of Japanese Democratic School Graduates
First Japanese democratic schools were founded in 1985. Since then, it has been the big theme for graduates and the students who think their…
Break
Break
IDEC in Thailand: Liberating Learning& Living
This session begins with a short film exploring why Democratic Education matters deeply in Thailand and the wider Southeast Asian region—where education has long…
Myth about managing a Democratic School / Hub
I want to hold a space to learn more about why people wants to start and join a D.E. school/ hub, how do they…
Saturday, September 12
“The Unseen Chains: Mental Colonization in Education”
The short film “The Unseen Chains: Mental Colonization in Education” explores how education has been used to erase local identities and re-educate generations on…
Wolrdschooling Hub: Learning Without Borders
We will present the Worldschooling Hub in Eastern Slovakia, a new space for homeschoolers, communities and families to connect, share experiences, and explore self-directed…
Check In, Set Intentions
Check In, set intetions for the rest day
Democratic Education in the Context of War
We will share our experience of sustaining a democratic community in the context of war and present key insights into what helped the school…
Self-Directed Education as Activism
This will be a forum to discuss whether democratic education is a political action. Does being a facilitator, participant, or family member involved with…
Democracy in Action: How a Public School Operationalizes Liberation Through Structure, Pedagogy, and Shared Power
This conversation presents H-B Woodlawn, a 50-year public democratic school outside Washington, D.C., as a case study in Democratic Education for Action and Liberation.…
Democratic Education Then & Now
This session will focus on the history of democratic education and where we are now.
The Four Is – an Exercise about the Dimensions of Discrimination
The exercise and the reflection about its outcome open the eyes to the dimensions of discrimination and its normalization. Participants will understand the system…
Open Networking time, meet with groups, etc
Time to network, meet with groups, etc.
Unschooling To University: How Children Learn Without Direct Instruction and Massive Funding
In this session, participants will define what self-directed education is, and identify the 3 components necessary for a successful SDE program, that do not…
Indigenising Pedagogy & Curriculum at our Democratic School
Because Democratic education is purposed to support authentic self and learning rather than to perpetuate the political and economic status quo, there are many…
Unschooling To University: How Children Learn Without Direct Instruction and Massive Funding
In this session, participants will define what self-directed education is, and identify the 3 components necessary for a successful SDE program, that do not…
In Spanish – ¿Cómo generar redes entre diversos territorios para enriquecernos mutuamente? ¿Y cuáles podrían ser los aportes de Latinoamérica a la Educación Democrática?
La propuesta implica una breve introducción sobre el Colectivo Pluriversidad Latinoamericana. Luego generar una conversación a partir de las preguntas expuestas en el título.
Break
Break time
Let’s Redefine PDA! (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
Move beyond the label of Pathological Demand Avoidance and discover the nervous system's role in the pervasive desire for autonomy. We will explore how…
Democracy in Action: How a Public School Operationalizes Liberation Through Structure, Pedagogy, and Shared Power
This conversation presents H-B Woodlawn, a 50-year public democratic school outside Washington, D.C., as a case study in Democratic Education for Action and Liberation.…
Reflections from first 2 Days – Networking, Pop up Discussions
A chance for impromptu reflection, continuing discussion, etc.
Sunday, September 13
Check In & Set Intention For The Day
Check In, Set Intentions
How mainstream education violates human rights law and what we can do about it
The session will provide evidence that conventional schooling violates international human rights law and make the case that adopting more democratic approaches to education…
In Spanish – A propósito del fin ultimo de la educación: ¿Qué clase de criaturas somos?
¿Cual seria el impacto de reconocernos como entidades espiritualmente animadas? My purpose is to share experiences which are a results of my long research…
IDEC Meeting
IDEC meeting, What's next, etc.
Democratic education and the global crises. Democratic education could change everything
but chances may be low. - I will propose some issues that could be addressed. But we have to get real - the world…
Challenges and Opportunities of Adolescence in Democratic Schools
This session looks at how democratic schools talk with families. We will explore how to explain that students make their own decisions, handle parents’…
Break
Break
From Pilot to Policy: Scaling Experimental Democratic School to Legal Framework
This session explores how experimental democratic schools can influence formal education systems. We focus on creating conflict-resolution procedures, participatory governance models, and methods for…
Finding Agency in a Traditional School System
In this session, Christopher will share his journey on how he came to develop a portfolio-based, collaborative assessment model with students and offer resources…
Prevention Through Belonging: Creating the Conditions for Democratic Education
Belonging is often viewed as an outcome of democratic education, but what if it is one of the conditions that makes democratic education possible?…
Documenting Self-Directed Learning: Making the Invisible Visible
How do we capture the academics and skills embedded in a child's self-directed interests—and communicate them to the outside world? Too often, learners and…
Break
Break
Democratic School for Adults
Creating a Self-Sufficient Community Where People of All Ages Can Enjoy the Same Freedom We Give Our Kids - I will be sharing my…
Engaging the Community in Budget Decisions
In this session, we will share the journey of participatory budgeting at Slobodná škola – how it started, evolved, and the lessons learned along…
Reflections, Wrap Up, What’s Next
Reflections, wrap up, staying connected.
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