School of Many Questions

Since the beginning, SOMQ has been wrestling with the problem of money. We have explored various models of popular 'payment structures.' But ultimately, no matter which way you shake the bananas out of the tree, exchanging money for classes is both discordant with our philosophy of education and, more importantly, it acts as an objective barrier to our goals.

So, SOMQ is now a free school.

But this is not a free world. We have bills to pay but we will attempt to fund these expenses by less objectionable means. We plan to have object sales, special events to raise revenue, for example. But more generally, we are asking for donations, too. The truth of the matter is that some people who visit the school have more money than others. We ask that those interested in attending classes who have disposable income should, as a matter of principle, donate money.

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Benjamin's Clock

This is a day-and-a-half long clock making class where students will paint, collage, do some light woodworking, and chat about the past through a collective storytelling exercise (in candlelight). Prior to the first evening, participants will be asked to select what we call a 'social-memory' - an historical event from the past that they were not present for but has meaning to them. In class, students will be transported into their social memory with the help of the group and then translate their recollection into colors, shapes, and imagery for their clock. The ultimate aim? To spend a reflective but leisurely day creating a unique and functional timekeeper that is also a document of history - one that is able to remind us of our ongoing commitment to our memories and their commitment to us.

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Details

Dates:

~April 7th from 6pm - 9pm through April 8th from 10am - 4pm

Class size: 5

Suggested Donation:

$200 (minimum requested if you make >$40,000/yr)

$150 (requested if you make $35,000-$40,000/yr)

$100 (requested if you make <$35,000/yr)

To register (even if you have no money), email us at questions@schoolofmanyquestions.com

Nine Acts (of education)

This is a one-day class in which we will gather around a table and participate in the creation of nine experimental learning exercises meant to challenge and critique what we are generally socialized to understand as "school". We will use a revolving set of exercises that have been developed or are in-development by us and our collaborators in the spirit of making the whole world a school. These exercises can be used in a formal classroom setting but also with your book club, on lunch break with your co-workers, while you wait for the bus with your friend, during a union meeting, or at a curious dinner party you organize.

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Details

~Slots:

~Saturday, February 18th, 10 AM - 1 PM (FULL)

~Saturday, March 25th, 10 AM - 1 PM (FULL)

New dates soon: email us to be put on the waitlist!

~Class size: 6

~Suggested Donation: $85

~To register (even if you have no money) , email us at questions@schoolofmanyquestions.com

The Caning Circle

This is a two-day class where we will sit in a circle, have discussions, play games and, if we get to it, weave the seat of a stool together using the traditional methods in natural strand cane (“rattan peel”). Students will leave with the stool and the ability to repair hand-woven cane seats, or weave new ones of their own design.

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Details

~Dates:

February 4th + 5th, 10 - 4 pm (FULL)

February 25th - 26th, 10 - 4 pm (FULL)

New dates soon: email us to be put on the waitlist

~Class size: 5

~Suggested Donation

$300 (minimum requested if you make >$40,000/yr)

$250 (requested if you make $35,000-$40,000/yr)

$150 (requested if you make <$35,000/yr)

~Tools covered: hands

~To register (even if you have no money), email us at questions@schoolofmanyquestions.com