Comments on: Eye on the Street

By: Beverly

Beverly — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:35:22 +0000

By: At Home in Decatur

At Home in Decatur — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:13:41 +0000

Cool. And I didn’t mean to imply that Sudbury cherrypicks ruthlessly although there are private schools that DO do that. But parents with special needs children will be aware that your average small private school does not have the kind of support programs, imperfect as they are, that public schools are required to provide by law. And any children and families that do not abide by the Sudbury rule books and philosophy would probably be counseled that they belong somewhere else. I actually know a wonderful family whose very young daughter was not deemed a good fit for a Montessori school in our area. I’m sure that the school didn’t officially kick the child out but they more subtly advised the parents to transfer her to public school (where she thrived!). And the cost, volunteering, fundraising, and carpooling necessary for a small private school usually selects out struggling or dysfunctional families.

Having said all this, I agree with the other commenters that said that this sounds like a nice option for the community. It is true in real life as well as at school that a democracy does not mean an absence of rules–it’s about how decisions are made, not anarchy. While I am not in favor of some of the political agendas behind the charter school movement, I do understand the desire of parents to have a greater voice in education which can become quite bureaucratic and autocratic if not balanced by the input of parents, teachers, and the community.

By: DecaturMom

DecaturMom — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 14:54:54 +0000

As a public school teacher myself, I applaud this alternative to the traditional approach. From my experience, children only learn when they WANT to learn. So letting them guide their learning within a safe community sounds like a wonderful option. I’m sure there would have to be some rules, like following the laws of society and not infringing on others rights and freedoms. I look forward to finding out more about this option and how it impacts our community.

By: Bee

Bee — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 13:12:00 +0000

I’ve been a public school educator for 12 years and I am fascinated by this model.

Democracy doesn’t mean anarchy. Quite the opposite. It means that everyone has a voice. It means that students do what’s right because it was agreed on by the community, instead of just avoiding being “caught” by a teacher. Students are held accountable by staff and each other to be good citizens.

Generally the Sudbury rule books are quite extensive and the social expectations are deeply rooted in respect for each other and the school.

Parents know the natural curiosity kids have- they don’t have to be forced to learn. They just have to be in a rich environment. A lot of behavior problems at school are really power struggles and are because kids need choice.

Check out some videos on the original Sudbury Valley School. My husband and I considered moving to Mass for our son to attend. It was THAT inspirational.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200809/the-natural-environment-children-s-self-education-how-the-sudbury-valley-s

By: DecaturDad

DecaturDad — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 12:43:22 +0000

I’m thrilled that there are options like Sudbury here. Every family has different needs and every child learns differently. The more independent school options we have here, the better. Parents have been wanting and talking about Sudbury online for years. I say, welcome to the neighborhood!