The Children's School, USD Soles and The Grauer School Co-Host An Evening With Alfie Kohn

SAN DIEGO, CA, December 22, 2011 (Press-News.org) The University of San Diego's School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES), The Grauer School in Encinitas, and The Children's School in La Jolla are co-hosting, "An Evening with Alfie Kohn" on Thursday, January 12, 2012 beginning at 7:00 pm at the Shiley Theatre on the campus of the University of San Diego. An optional reception and book signing precedes the lecture at 5:30 p.m. Kohn's visit to San Diego is the result of a collaboration among these three area schools.

In his January 12, 2012 lecture titled, "The Schools Our Children Deserve", Kohn challenges traditional educational norms, including fierce competition, reward incentives, standardized testing, excessive homework, and grading systems. He will share research-based alternatives to these practices and discuss models of education designed to develop children's critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Kohn, a renowned Boston-based expert on education, human behavior and parenting is the author of twelve books, including several books leveraging social science research on the topic of education. His most recent work, Feel Bad Education, establishes the notion that the current U.S. educational system robs students' learning of both meaning and pleasure. He has been featured in print publications such as Time magazine and the Washington Post, along with guest appearances on the "Today" and "Oprah."

According to Grauer School Advancement Director, Chela Gonzalez, "We're honored to participate in bringing Alfie Kohn to San Diego to share his philosophy on education, which is very much in keeping with The Grauer School's mission and philosophy. This approach has provided our students with a balanced education, enabling the school to provide the pathway to top colleges available."

Brian Oliphant, Head of School at The Children's School, says, "For forty years, The Children's School has been offering a deeply engaging, progressive, project-based education for students from toddlers through eighth grade. Having Alfie Kohn come to San Diego is a tremendous opportunity to share the merits of this methodology, which we believe is the optimal model for education."

And Dr. Helene Mandell, USD SOLES Director of Field Experiences, asserts that "Progressive education has been proven by years of research to be an effective means of teaching students to think critically, to understand material thoroughly and personally, and to have great potential for success in higher education and in life. Our program embraces this model and we are delighted to bring Alfie Kohn to San Diego to endorse its efficacy and importance." Tickets to the event are $10.00 per person and space is limited. For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.tcslj.org/alfiekohn or call 760-944-6777.

About The Grauer School
The Grauer School (TGS) is an independent grades 6 -12 college preparatory day school in Encinitas accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The school serves as a successful educational model for hundreds of private schools around the world through the Coalition of Small Preparatory Schools established by Founding Director, Stuart Grauer, Ed.D. The school will be hosting an Open House for prospective students for the 2012 academic year on January 8, 2012, from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm, with tours offered every 20 minutes. To learn more about The Grauer School experience, the Alfie Kohn event or upcoming Open House, visit http://www.grauerschool.com or call 760/944-6777.

About The Children's School

The Children's School (TCS) is a co-ed, private, progressive school in La Jolla serving students from 20 months - Grade 8. Since 1972, The Children's School has been developing children's intellect, creativity, character and compassion through a project-based, hands-on, real-world academic and social curriculum. TCS is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Applications are now being accepted for the 2012-13 school year, with Open House events being held on January 12, 2012 and January 19, 2012. For additional information about The Children's School or to schedule a tour, visit http://www.tcslj.org or call 858/454-0184.

About USD School of Leadership and Education Sciences

The University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) have over 700 students at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. Representing nations from across the globe, SOLES students and faculty are culturally and ethnically diverse. The University of San Diego is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). SOLES programs are accredited by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). For further information, log onto http://www.sandiego.edu/soles or call 619/260-4600.