Would you send your child to this school?

[Marseeya]

http://www.sudval.org/01_abou_01.html

I did a research paper on this school once and I just now had to do a discussion on it for a class of mine.

Would you send your child there? Why or why not?

 

[Poohnatic]

My oldest definitely couldn't go there. He needs a lot of structure to his day.

It's great in theory, but I'd wonder how much my kids were actually learning.

Suzanne

 

[luvmydogs]

I'm pretty sure I would not. I like to think that the structure ds receives in school is helping to prepare him for the real world. I know I can't just do whatever I want in my normal day--I don't think it's too early for him to learn this lesson. He still has plenty of time to choose his own activites, be creative, etc., during the time he's not in school.

This quote: "The school provides a setting in which students are independent, are trusted, and are treated as responsible people; and a community in which students are exposed to the complexities of life in the framework of a participatory democracy..." I like that idea, but as ds has been lucky to have wonderful teachers all his years in school, I would hazard to guess the above quoted environment could be achieved to an extent in a regular classroom.

 

[Daxx]

OK, I'm going to bite the bullet here. First off ... this is MY OPINION ONLY!!!! It has to do w/MY personal decisions.

We have a few schools similar to this in my area. We even looked at one just out of curiousity sake. When I saw no structure in the curriculum, and that not all curriculum was met in the school year, I said no way. I know my child and know that he needs structure. This is JUST ME. I am not saying that my decision is right for everyone ... but you have to know your child.

Some children can take this settting and flourish. Others cannot and need more structure/format/guidelines. Some children can take things and "run" with them ... others need structure/guidelines. In one of the descriptions (under "Learning - Experiencing Life"), it states "Things are almost never quiet, and the atmosphere is electric with enthusiasm, but not chaotic or frenetic." Some children cannot work in an environment that is so charged. Others thrive in it.

I think that my main concern would be that my child learns what he needs to know to succeed in life. While it's great to engage in baking cakes, having heated discussions, poking at pottery in the art class ... are the basics being covered? Seriously -- are they teaching the basics? And, how well are they covered? If someone chooses to rarely participate in Math b/c it's "not what they want to do", then what will happen when it's time to go to high school?

Today, I had a Kdg. student tell me that her mom was going to be mad at me b/c I made her do "lots of work" today. After a few tasks, she said she wasn't going to do any more work. I told her that whatever was not finished in class would become homework b/c she was the only one who had a problem dealing w/working. Well, after a 5 day vacation, of course a regular school day seems like work. I am sure this child would have loved this school to "chill out" and "take the day off" today b/c she didn't feel like working.

I can appreciate a school like this ... but know that it isn't right for MY child. If it's right for your child, then super and I'm honestly thrilled for you! My point is that you have to know your child and know what their needs are, education wise.

 

[hentob]

Hmmmm..I just don't see how it prepares children for life in the real world


It would be funny if on their first day of work if they announced they felt like climbing a tree, but the'll be back when they feel like it

 

[golfgal]

I went to an elementary school similar to this, although with a bit more structure. I got to the part of the FAQ's about a guest at the school tutoring a graduate of the school because they didn't know very much about math and said "no way". It sounds a little too much like "we want everyone to be equal and never hurt anyone's feelings" type of school.

The school I went to was an open concept school where you were divided by colonies, 4 of them, and were promoted to a new colony based on your achievements and not your age. That part of the school was good because it gave the accelerated students a challenge and the kids that needed more time to master things the time to do that. We worked off contracts and each quarter you sat down with your teacher and figured out which things you were going to do that quarter. We did have some classes, mostly math and English, but the rest was self-taught learning. I wouldn't send my kids to that school. My oldest for sure wouldn't survive in that school. The twins would do ok, but would do better in a more traditional classroom.

One of the high school teachers in that district did a study for her masters degree about how the kids from that school compared to the kids from the more traditional schools and found that these kids were no better off then the kids that attended the traditional schools and in some areas were fairly far behind their classmates from the traditional schools. I know a lot of people that I went to school with that had a lot of difficulty reading even as adults. I have never been good in math and I think that some of that comes from not having the repetition in elementary school for the basics. Also, it was pretty easy to not do anything all day there and LOOK like you were working, not that I ever did that .

 

[RadioNate]

Maybe. Sounds quite Montissori-ish.

I'd need to know more about how they mesure learning and how graduates do in the real world.

And I guess I need more time in school because I can't spell or type tonight!

 

[daisyduck123]

I probably would not send my child there, esp. if I knew he/she might transititon to a public school later on. It sounds similar to Montessori programs. I teach first grade in the public school system & almost every child I had who ever came from a Montessori kindergarten had a difficult transition...later on in the year they had adjusted but it was a rough beginning.

 

[Daxx]

had a difficult transition...

I can't imagine that transitioning from a "do what you want" school to a "here's what you do, like it or not" (aka traditional) school would be easy at any grade level!! I can't imagine going from an extremely laid back environment to one that is so structured!

 

[Marseeya]

The book I read on Sudbury said that kids go there and graduate, although not with a typical high school diploma. They seem to all succeed in college.

BUT, what I wonder is if it has such a high success rate because of the types of families who send their kids there? The parents of these kids are more intellectual and involved in their kids' educations, so could that be a main contributor to the high rate of success?

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

I know my daughter is only 1 1/2, but with the combination of her inquisitiveness and her laid back type personality, I might be able to see it if she continues with those traits as she gets older. Mind you we still haven't hit the two's yet!!!!! But with my son who needs structure, discipline and rules, good lord, no! My son has trouble with the fact that our weekends differ from the other five days!!
As a teacher, I might be a little lost on what to plan each day for the kiddos!

 

[Aidensmom]

Not if you paid me. My opinion, children need, and even thrive on, structure. They are not miniature adults, they are kids. If this was a high school, then I would consider it, depending on my child's personality.

 

[Marseeya]

OK, I'm going to bite the bullet here. First off ... this is MY OPINION ONLY!!!! It has to do w/MY personal decisions.

We have a few schools similar to this in my area. We even looked at one just out of curiousity sake. When I saw no structure in the curriculum, and that not all curriculum was met in the school year, I said no way. I know my child and know that he needs structure. This is JUST ME. I am not saying that my decision is right for everyone ... but you have to know your child.

Some children can take this settting and flourish. Others cannot and need more structure/format/guidelines. Some children can take things and "run" with them ... others need structure/guidelines. In one of the descriptions (under "Learning - Experiencing Life"), it states "Things are almost never quiet, and the atmosphere is electric with enthusiasm, but not chaotic or frenetic." Some children cannot work in an environment that is so charged. Others thrive in it.

I think that my main concern would be that my child learns what he needs to know to succeed in life. While it's great to engage in baking cakes, having heated discussions, poking at pottery in the art class ... are the basics being covered? Seriously -- are they teaching the basics? And, how well are they covered? If someone chooses to rarely participate in Math b/c it's "not what they want to do", then what will happen when it's time to go to high school?

Today, I had a Kdg. student tell me that her mom was going to be mad at me b/c I made her do "lots of work" today. After a few tasks, she said she wasn't going to do any more work. I told her that whatever was not finished in class would become homework b/c she was the only one who had a problem dealing w/working. Well, after a 5 day vacation, of course a regular school day seems like work. I am sure this child would have loved this school to "chill out" and "take the day off" today b/c she didn't feel like working.

I can appreciate a school like this ... but know that it isn't right for MY child. If it's right for your child, then super and I'm honestly thrilled for you! My point is that you have to know your child and know what their needs are, education wise.

Question for you then. Would you like to teach in a school like that? I really think I would! (I'll be teaching language arts)

I don't believe either of my kids would do well in that type of setting either. I think I would, though. Wouldn't you love to have kids coming to you because they WANT to learn what you're teaching???

 

[Beth76]

I'm assumming that it's not Montessori because I'm sure it would have said so. But, it is very similar. I think Montessori (or this method) can work well with younger children. I think once you get to upper elementary it tends to be a bit "flighty" in theory. I definitely don't think a child could start this cold as an older child. He/she would have to be used to this type of cirriculum from an early age.

 

[Marseeya]

Not if you paid me. My opinion, children need, and even thrive on, structure. They are not miniature adults, they are kids. If this was a high school, then I would consider it, depending on my child's personality.

It's for kids age 4-19. According to the book about it, the kids who came into the school later, like from elementary school and junior high, had a very difficult time -- moreso than the kids who started out there.

I talked to a woman who went to a similar school in WV and transitioned to public school and she said it was miserable trying to do that.

I imagine you'd have to keep your kids there the entire time to get the "full effect."

But what happens if they're just not getting it?? You really have to trust that this works, because according to the book, some kids don't get interested in learning until they're in their adolescence. That's a lot of time to lose, isn't it?

 

[the kabuki]

Where were these schools when I was going????

 

[Marseeya]

I know my daughter is only 1 1/2, but with the combination of her inquisitiveness and her laid back type personality, I might be able to see it if she continues with those traits as she gets older. Mind you we still haven't hit the two's yet!!!!! But with my son who needs structure, discipline and rules, good lord, no! My son has trouble with the fact that our weekends differ from the other five days!!
As a teacher, I might be a little lost on what to plan each day for the kiddos!

You don't plan every day really! You leave it up to them!

Here are the basics from what I remember: the teachers are simply there, available to the kids. If the kids want to learn algebra, they'll come to you and you'll make an "appointment" with them -- and it's very important that the kids keep that appointment. Then you teach them in your own way, all the basics they'll need as a foundation to learn algebra. So you could have a class full of kids of varying ages -- 4, 10, 12, 15. Can you imagine?

Supposedly, since they're taking an active interest in their learning, they'll learn the material a whole lot faster than they would in a regular school setting. So, learning the basic math just for algebra could take just a couple of weeks. It's unreal.

 

[Marseeya]

Where were these schools when I was going????

Yeah, really.

I would have been totally wrapped up in music and reading and nothing else.

 

[Aidensmom]

But what happens if they're just not getting it?? You really have to trust that this works, because according to the book, some kids don't get interested in learning until they're in their adolescence. That's a lot of time to lose, isn't it?

I would hope if a parent saw that their child was not getting it, they would put them in a more traditional school. I agree, some kids aren't interested in learning until they are older. And some kids just don't know what to do without structure. My son is like Texan Mousekeeters, he has trouble adjusting to the weekend and then back to going to school for the week. He would not do good at this kind of school.

 

[Marseeya]

Oh, here's the chapter from the book I was talking about with the math example:

http://www.sudval.org/05_onli_11.html