Reggio Emilia is an Italian education framework based around a dialectic of theory and praxis. Or, in Reggio terms "observation and provocation." It is radically democratic as all classroom materials are made accessible, our notes on the kids are accessible, and the curriculum is based on child interest. It was created by the community in the famously red Reggio Amelia using post WWII reconstruction money, and based on the ideas of a Marxist educator and theater critic. If any of you teach or have young children, this shit is worth checking out.
I've taught in conventional, Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio and Quaker classrooms, and let me tell you, this and Quaker approaches are easily the best.
Im interested, why do you find these methods the best?
Because I think both prepare kids to self govern, and to navigate unfree life under capitalism in a healthy way.
Reggio because it gets kids everything they need, while also getting them to think of themselves as participants (as well as observers and shapers) in a society.
Quaker because it puts a huge emphasis on nature, self sufficiency, building concensus, and navigating conflict peacefully.
I don't know anything about any of these programs so this helps as a start.
To be clear, Quaker isn't a specific program. It's a religion, but their religious schools tend to look a certain way just due to their faith (lots of concensus, student participation in admin, lots of nature stuff, emphasis on growing as a person in all capacities.)
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I'd work at a Waldorf in a heartbeat, I love the nature, I love the child direction, i love the emphasis on practical skills.
It just has a lot of... quirks. The curriculum has absolutely wack psuedo science in it (depending on how closely the school adheres), the stuff about adults not interacting with kids as much as possible... I think counterproductive, and it fails to expose kids to an institution resembling anything they will ever interact with as an adult.