KarunaNews Story

Walking into Brightworks could be a shock for helicopter parents — there are no rows of desks, no hallway passes and no bells to jolt students from one class to the next. Instead, the San Francisco K-12 school is alive with invention, autonomy and what founder Gever Tulley calls “the energy of a big multi-generational family household.” There are no traditional grades or classes at Brightworks. Students are grouped into “bands” by interest and maturity, not by age. There are no teachers — just “collaborators,” and parents are invited to visit and join as they please. “It might sound futuristic,” says Tulley, “but the idea is for students to be intrinsically motivated. They should learn because they want to, not because someone’s forcing them.” Instead of following a standardized curriculum, Tulley urges his students to create their own “interest plans.” Agency is woven into every part of Brightworks’ ecosystem; the students choose what they want to explore and work on. And everyone, especially the students, are enthusiastic about education.