Do you remember the first time you you stopped feeling totally free?  I do...I was in kindergarten (mind you, this was a long time ago, but I still remember it vividly!)  We had to to pass all these skills and do them in a certain way, or we would not be allowed to move on to first grade. I was very nervous and stressed...what if I wanted to tie my shoe a different way...nope...had to do it a certain way!  Why was this losing my freedom...because I was being pushed to do something in a certain way whether I was ready or not.  This is often what state standards are doing to today's children.

How we can FREELY educate children when things like state standards and testing exist?  Thank goodness new ideas like E.P.I.C. are being created!