PROJECTS

A key goal of the work of the Consortium is to develop a network of projects that link urban, suburban, and rural schools together with universities in working to create schools that exemplify the Six Principles of Whole Schooling. We invite to join us in this effort. Email us at Wholeschooling@twmi.rr.com if you'd like to explore collaboration with the Whole Schooling Consortium.

Developing local Whole Schooling projects. We are inviting small groups of people to form a local Whole Schooling consortia -- parents, teachers, university faculty. At best a local group can work together to develop initiatives of local interest, a local network for schools using Whole Schooling principles, and partnerships between schools and universities. Local efforts may start small and engage in a variety of projects that fit their needs and interests. Click HERE for a flyer for the Whole Schooling Consortium that you can print and distribute to interested parties. Contact: Dr. Thomas Neuville for assistance in local organizing. Key is that the school staff agree to work towards implementation of the Six Principles of Whole Schooling at whastever level is possible. Local Whole Schooling Consortia are presently being organized in several states in the United States, Edmonton, Canada, Australia, India, and South Africa.

Whole Schooling Renewal. We have implemented field-tests of components of Whole Schooling Renewal based on the Six Principles of Whole Schooling. We are now developing a network of schools who have adopting the principles of Whole Schooling and who are utilizing this model in practice and contributing to further development the process by of Whole Schooling Renewal. Some schools are being identified as mentor schools. All schools are being encouraged to network with one another for innovations and learning.

Whole Schooling Press. As the information dissemination arm of the Whole Schooling Consortium, the Whole Schooling Press involves the following components:

• Journal of Whole Schooling. An online journal that will debut in the Winter of 2004. Tim Loreman and Billie Jo Clausen
• WS Newsletter.
• Online Whole Schooling Press: free publications available on this website.
• International Inclusive Teaching Video Project (see below).

We welcome authors who may wish to submit materials for any of these purposes. At present, the Whole Schooling Press does not charge for any publications nor pay royalty fees. Contact Lynne Tamor, Managing Editor of the Whole Schooling Press.

International Study of Pre-service Teacher Attitudes towards Inclusive Education. This study involves faculty at universities in Australia, Canada, and the United States.

International Inclusive Teaching Video Project. We are developing an international collaborative network to develop a video, publication, and link library of exemplary educational practices based on the Six Principles of Whole Schooling. We are presently organizing an international project to develop an expanded library of video clips of inclusive teaching practices that we will make available on our website, CD's, and videotapes. Presently, Project Coordinators have been identified in the following locations: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; India; South Africa; and Metro Detroit, Michigan, USA. We invite additional participants in this project. Contact Michael Peterson.

Past projects. The Whole Schooling Consortium has implemented several funded projects designed to improve schools and assist students with special needs.

• Michigan Network for Inclusive Schooling (Mi-NIS). In 2001 some 12 schools came together to form the Michigan Network for Inclusive Schooling. The goals of the Network are three: (1) promote inclusive schooling in Michigan; (2) use Whole Schooling as a frame work so that inclusive schooling becomes part of the culture of the school and an integral part of school improvement.; and (3) learn together by linking schools, teachers, principals, parents, and others. We invite schools and individual teachers, administrators, parents, and university faculty, to join the work of this network.
• Michigan policy action. A coalition of teachers, parents, students, university faculty, and others sponsored collaboratively by the Whole Schooling Consortium and the Rouge Forum has particularly focussed on two issues: (1) the MEAP and its harm to children; and (2) inclusive education, particularly supporting parents trying to have their children with special needs included in regular classes. This group has engaged in numbers of efforts to address these issues -- conferences, providing information on our website about the impact of the MEAP, developed a paper critiquing the MEAP and making alternative policy recommendations, and more.
• Whole Schooling Research Project In this federally funded research project, we studied seven schools in Michigan and eight in Wisconsin who were seeking to implement inclusive education in the context of other exemplary practices associated with Whole Schooling. The final report of this project is now available: Learning well together: Lessons about connecting inclusive education to whole school improvement. 2002.
• Education Summit, 2000. In this year, the Whole Schooling Consortium, the Rouge Forum, and the Whole Language Umbrella collaborated in sponsoring a major international conference that drew progressive educators together representing a wide range of views. This event provides a template for future conferences being planned: program, report.
• The Neighborhood Transition Project sought to link students with disabilities to resources in their schools and communities.
• The Neighborhood-based Personal Supports Project (NBPS) similarly sought to build circles of support and link individuals with disabilities to community resources and connections in their own neighborhood.
• The Eastside Detroit Whole Schooling Cluster was a project that provided support and assistance to 3 elementary schools -- Bellevue, Howe, and Hutchinson in developing and implementing a plan for comprehensive school reform and obtaining funding through the 21st Century Schools Initiative through the Detroit Public Schools.