Mel Wasserman
Encyclopedia
Mel Wasserman was a businessman, entrepreneur and founder of CEDU
Education. He was a pioneer in the Therapeutic Boarding School
industry.
, CA and attended Fairfax High School. Wasserman married his wife Brigitte in 1963, after having three children (Mark, Dana, and Stacy) from a previous marriage. They first lived in Palm Springs
, CA and later split their time between Sandpoint, Idaho
and Carmel, California.
He participated in Synanon
. Wasserman and Brigitte helped found The Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County.
Lon Woodbury former admissions director at CEDU and current independent education consultant had this to say about Wasserman. “Mel Wasserman was influenced by Synanon, and so used the confrontation model watered down quite a bit in the founding in CEDU.”
Alice Jackson a San Francisco educational consultant was impressed by what she saw at CEDU in the mid '70's. “I was first of all astounded by the magical personality that (Wasserman) had,” Jackson said. “I had great admiration for his dedication for these kids.”
In his tribute to Mel Wasserman, Dan Earle, founding headmaster of Rocky Mountain Academy and co-president of CEDU Schools, describes his time at CEDU as a “golden age of education”, during which "the idea of a holistic
, integral
education was born", with "an emotional growth curriculum running parallel to an academic, civic and wilderness curriculum
". He believes that this education model was in line with the teachings of Kurt Hahn
, founder of Outward Bound
and John Dewey's views on education. Finally, Dan states "Three decades before the term “Emotional Quotient” would appear acknowledging the importance of emotions, Mel was pioneering the creation of an educational approach that would address equally the development of the individual’s emotional knowledge
, as well as one’s intellectual capacity
, civic participation
, and personal responsibility
." The success of Mel’s ideas for educating troubled teens at CEDU seeded the therapeutic boarding school
industry.
CEDU
CEDU Educational Services, Inc., known simply as CEDU , was founded in 1967 by Mel Wasserman and his wife Brigitta. The company owned and operated several therapeutic boarding schools and behavior modification programs in California and Idaho....
Education. He was a pioneer in the Therapeutic Boarding School
Therapeutic boarding school
A therapeutic boarding school , alternatively known as an emotional growth boarding school, is a boarding school based on the therapeutic community model that offers an educational program together with specialized structure and supervision for students with emotional and behavioral problems,...
industry.
Biography
Wasserman grew up in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CA and attended Fairfax High School. Wasserman married his wife Brigitte in 1963, after having three children (Mark, Dana, and Stacy) from a previous marriage. They first lived in Palm Springs
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
, CA and later split their time between Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Bonner County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 7,365 at the 2010 census.Sandpoint's major economic contributors include forest products and light manufacturing, tourism and recreation and government services...
and Carmel, California.
He participated in Synanon
Synanon
The Synanon organization, initially a drug rehabilitation program, was founded by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich, Sr., in 1958, in Santa Monica, California, United States...
. Wasserman and Brigitte helped found The Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County.
CEDU Education
After starting work with troubled teens in his home in Palm Springs, CA, Mel decided to sell his furniture business and invest in a school to help teenagers. Success of the CEDU program was dramatic and it rapidly expanded into other specialized educational programs. Mel surrounded himself with educators and professionals and educated himself in the field of adolescent behavior. The philosophy he brought to CEDU Education was strict adherence to his set of principles, notably accountability and boundaries. He has been quoted as saying to students and parents, “Take away boundaries and bring in a sewer, a biker society. The magic is not in the building itself, it is in the setting of boundaries, a certain posture and a certain way we act inside them, and then we have something which facilitates what we are trying to do here.”Lon Woodbury former admissions director at CEDU and current independent education consultant had this to say about Wasserman. “Mel Wasserman was influenced by Synanon, and so used the confrontation model watered down quite a bit in the founding in CEDU.”
Alice Jackson a San Francisco educational consultant was impressed by what she saw at CEDU in the mid '70's. “I was first of all astounded by the magical personality that (Wasserman) had,” Jackson said. “I had great admiration for his dedication for these kids.”
In his tribute to Mel Wasserman, Dan Earle, founding headmaster of Rocky Mountain Academy and co-president of CEDU Schools, describes his time at CEDU as a “golden age of education”, during which "the idea of a holistic
Holistic education
Holistic education is a philosophy of education based on the premise that each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose in life through connections to the community, to the natural world, and to humanitarian values such as compassion and peace. Holistic education aims to call forth from people...
, integral
Integral education
Integral education refers to educational theories or institutions which are informed by integral thought.-Development:In the teachings on education of Sri Aurobindo and especially those of his co-worker The Mother, Integral Education is the philosophy and practice of education for the whole child:...
education was born", with "an emotional growth curriculum running parallel to an academic, civic and wilderness curriculum
Wilderness therapy
Wilderness therapy is a subset of adventure-based therapy. It is the use of wilderness expeditions for the purpose of therapeutic intervention. There are a range of different types of wilderness therapy programs, with a range of models and approaches. Some grow out of a survival approach and some...
". He believes that this education model was in line with the teachings of Kurt Hahn
Kurt Hahn
Kurt Martin Hahn was a German educator whose philosophies are considered internationally influential.-Biography:...
, founder of Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
and John Dewey's views on education. Finally, Dan states "Three decades before the term “Emotional Quotient” would appear acknowledging the importance of emotions, Mel was pioneering the creation of an educational approach that would address equally the development of the individual’s emotional knowledge
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is a skill or ability in the case of the trait EI model, a self-perceived ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups. Various models and definitions have been proposed of which the ability and trait EI models are the most...
, as well as one’s intellectual capacity
Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
, civic participation
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
, and personal responsibility
Self-Determination Theory
Self-determination theory is a macro theory of human motivation and personality, concerning people's inherent growth tendencies and their innate psychological needs. It is concerned with the motivation behind the choices that people make without any external influence and interference...
." The success of Mel’s ideas for educating troubled teens at CEDU seeded the therapeutic boarding school
Therapeutic boarding school
A therapeutic boarding school , alternatively known as an emotional growth boarding school, is a boarding school based on the therapeutic community model that offers an educational program together with specialized structure and supervision for students with emotional and behavioral problems,...
industry.