Memorandum CO~ ' \
-l.Ol:rt:Ynch St .
'l'O : fi!ISSISSIPPI FEEEDOM SCHOOL TEACJ"{ERS Jackson, Miss.
FROM: Miss . Summe~ Project Staff ~~y 5
RE : S~JECT : ·overv1e1·1 ot the Freedont Schools
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The p~rpose of the Freedom schools is to provide an ed~oational -
experience for st~dents ~1hcih will rnalre i t possible for them
to challenge the myths of our society, to perceive more clearly
its realities, and to find alternatives , and ultimately, new
directions for action .
Just what forms this educational experience will take 1-dll vary
from school to school and from teacher to teacher . we will not
be able to provide all the facilities, materials and personnel
we would like. This is a fact of our 11hole operation, and we
ar·e used to 1t. But we hope the curric~J.um will be ;flexible
enough to overcome them.
The Freedom Schools will consist of from 5 to 15 teachers and
25 to 50 students . It does not now appea r that \•Fe 1·1111 be able
to secure buildin5s for re31dential schools, so you will be
working in day schools in ohul'ches, store fronts, homes, etc .
The kinds of activities you will be developing will fa 11 into
three general areas : 1) academia worl{, 2•) reoreat.ion and
cultural activite s, 3) leadership developnent . It is our ·
hope that these three I·Till be integrated into one learning
experience, rather than being the kind of fragmented lea·rning
• and living that characterize much of contemporary education .
How this integration can occur 1~i l l be suggested by the materials
we will be sendi.ng -you and by the orientiltion period .
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'Since the students aondemic experiences should rela·~e directly
to their real life in Mississippi, and since learning that
involved real l:U'e experiences ·1 .s, we think, most meaninGful,
\·re hope that the students :1111 be involveD in the political
life of t)1e1r communities . As the <Jay's schedule belol•T
i.ndicatll!s, the students \·Tll.l "l•rork in various l..'inds of political
~ctivity in the exening s . The •,;ay st"Udents \dll ·work in V81'10US
kinds of politiea1 activity in the evenings. The way students
can pa~ticipate in local vot~r registration should be worked
out by the teachers and local COFO voter regist~tion staff
at- a meeting before the opening of school. The teachers ~.-:!.11
be free to participate in these activities ~litb the stuuents,
althoue;h you may need the time to prepare lessons, etc . , and
thus Wlll want the local staff to supervise the students•
canvassin~, etc . r t may nlso be the case that- on some evenings
the teachers or students trill plan a specia 1 event- and thus
the students 1·1ill not do politica l worJ-: on that night. Or it
may happen that the need for canvassing for a special event
w.Lll cause local staff to a sit for part: of the ~;~tudents' day
for this purpose . Lt is lmportant that voter reg1strat1on•staff
and teachers stay in close touch ~nth each other so these things
can be worked out . An average day•s schedule might look like
this : Ear l~ morning (7 -9): Con centra, ted individual worl< on
areas of stu ants ' particular 1.nterest or need . f-tor>n:lng
(9-12 or l) : Acacleuu.c curriculum M:'ternoon~ ·1. (l!!~!t ·or.., 5) :.;;-;;.:_--.
Nothncademio.,cUilrtculum· . (recrea-tion, cultur~il ao.tiVites and
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some tutoring). You ~rill h::ve to bear in mind that it is too
~ot in the afternoon ror much concentrated v;ork . Evening. (7-9
or so) : work with voter re:p .stration act~vi ties, or special events
like a vtsitin6 folk singer) on evening s when no political work
1s needed .
The development of a 1·1aekly saheclule and a clllily lesson plan ~rill
be left to the teacheps and students of the school. All teachers
w1.11 be at their school's site at least a week before the schools
open July 7 . Thi.s 1~eelc should be used priJr.al'ily for planning by
the teaching group, as well as recruiting students and making
community contacts. we 1·rill tcy to balance tbe schools 1 pe,..sonnel
so that vaP~oua skills w1.ll be represented by different members of
the teaching teem.
The fact that you will do the actual development of .a plan for
each day means that you 1-<111 have t-o be creative, resourceful,
and flex1.ble'. To aid you ill your task, we 1·rill be supplying you
wi.th the folloNing Jll!l,terial, either in the mail or at orientation :
1 . Curriculum Guide foi' Freedom Schools, by Noel Day. This dOc·
cument will be "your Msic teaching TOOtGrial. It contains six
units of stuoy centered around va luas and social change. Each
unit contains suggested content materials and teaching methods.
It will be possible for you to center some of 'the ~rr:i.tina; and
reading teaching around the subJect mattov of the units, .and
di.scussion l'l-111 help stuaents grow in public speaking ability.
2. Case stut:Ues are being prepared by various people. some o.f
tnese will rel:::~te (li.rectly to tho curriculum suggested by the
Curricu1.um Gu1de, some can be usud '·as supplementary material.
The Oase Study OUtl:Lne will explain hov; to use these studies of
various problems reliitecl to civil rigl"lts and politJ.cal chcinge .
3. Papers on the teaching of science, math an(l remed!Dl reading
anci wri ting (also short popers on t.eaohJ.ng arts and crafts,
dramatios, etc. ) ·
Science wi~l not relate directly to the sutject matter of the
curriculum guide, nut it Ls importa nt th~ t student~ receive
both a :feeling for•whdt real scl.en~e is (which they do not
receive in school) and tutorir. l help in specific scientific
are~s of st~1dy if they sho1~ interest. /,ny teachers who Jmov1
thi s area -should come prepered to do some special work with
a few f).tudenbs and to ha ndle a class sess1.on or two on a
gener·a 1 "Honders of Science" theme . The paper you 1~111 receive
~1111 give !'urther ideas.
t.: th is an aren of real d1.!'f1cuJ.ty for many students. T1•y to
secure 11th und 12th gr•ade- ( <mel ear her) ooth texts for UJJe
in tutoring It ~11 be difficult t-o develop class sessions
oround thjs subject, s i nce students' abilities will vary
g1•eatly. 'l'he paper on teaching of tb i s subject ~1ill help
you see an approach for a elassroom situation .
Ramedifll !'eccling and wr1ti!J!l; 1-IOrk will be needed by nearly •
all students. Raading e!ouois sug~ested in the Curriculum
~. (}e.ido eB..;i.lro eoneqtJ.bUI:iO• t()pics. Students should be enooura3ed
and guided in dOinG outsielc rea diTlf". Writing should be discussed
~rith studants indiVidually vt~th tutorial help directed toward
writing improver.~nt .
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4 , A paper on Leadership Dcvelopn~nt by Charlie Cobb will contain
suggeations of the lcl:nds of skills students shoul{j develop and
suggest how these can be inte<:;rated into daily ac~ivities .
5. A paper suggesting recreational and cultural activitieB for
students ~rill be available .
IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TH.~T YOU STUDY THESE t•!ATERIJILS
CAREFULLY AND BRING THE~! SOUTH WITH YOTJ. THEY 1·/ILf" BE YOUR
GUIDE FOR THE S'UlliMER, YOUR TIME HERE IS LIHITED AND YOU !·lUST
PREl>ARE AHEAD OF TIME AS NUCH AS POSSIBLE. l~e 1•r1ll NO'll be aDle
to replace currtculun r..ater1als if you f'ail t o bring them with
you.
\•le are glad you will be l'fitb the ~1iss1ssippi I4ovement and hope
that you share our exciteqent about the possibilities eh3t the
s1.unmer holds for real growth fo» you and Mississippi ' s young
people .
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