Solutions vs. Punishments

One of the most beautiful things about a Sudbury school is that students have the power to create the kind of environment they want.  They create the rules, the community norms, expectations and they hold each other accountable.  Our Judicial Committee (JC) has gone through an amazing transformation this past year from an obligatory "jury duty" hearing complaints and voting on consequences to a JC that is now collaborative and solution-focused.

What's the difference?  Picture a situation where a student, we'll call him Devin, gets angry and pushes someone down on the playground.  Maybe this happens repeatedly.  A year ago, our students in JC might have doled out some kind of punishment.  It could be an extra chore to do or perhaps it was restricted freedom at the school, like not being able to use the tablet for a day or play with Legos.  Every person at JC, even Devin, had an opportunity to voice their ideas for the consequences of breaking a school rule.  Then, we all hoped that Devin would "learn a lesson" and modify his behavior on the playground.  However, this was not always successful.  Devin gets angry easily and continues to push people down on the playground, even when harsher punishments are doled out by JC.  Now what?

That question of, "now what?" is where our JC began to evolve.  We collectively realized that punishments or "consequences" are not necessarily solutions.  What we want for Devin is for him to find another way to handle his anger.  The JC committee modified procedures to look for solutions instead of punishments.  What was the result?  When Devin got sent to JC again for pushing someone on the playground, every student in attendance gave Devin ideas on something else to do when he gets angry.  He can yell, "I'M ANGRY!"  He can walk away.  He can write up his own JC form.  He can hit a tree.  He can say, "Please don't do that to me!"  Or, he can propose a new rule at School Meeting.

We have also started reenacting situations looking for a different way out.  Discussions are also addressing what the community can do when we see Devin getting angry.  We can mediate.  We can distract Devin.  We can walk away.  We can tell Devin how we feel.  In this way, the community can be part of Devin's solution too.  It reinforces that the Sudbury experience is not just freedom for the individual but it is also being responsible in a community, as a community, and for each other. 

Students used to fear JC "consequences."  Now, students prefer finding solutions and no longer shy away from JC.  Our JC write-ups are even called "solution-request forms."  Looking for solutions is a collaborative effort that respects each person involved.  There is accountability.  There are apologies.  Occasionally, there are outcomes that are punishments, but they are no longer a default.  Our questions have changed from "how do we judge Devin?" to "how can we help Devin?" or "how can we help Devin help himself?" or "is there an underlying issue in our community that is motivating Devin to behave this way?"  

Most importantly, finding solutions brings people back together and provides everyone with tools they can use in the future.  I'm excited to see how our JC process evolves even further in the years to come!  -Dave

Lessons from Charlie Brown's Teacher

Over the holidays, my children were enjoying one of the fun Charlie Brown holiday videos.  And then, Charlie Brown's hilarious teacher came along...

The muted trombone is iconic.  Everyone knows it well because it speaks to a particular truth about learning:

If the messages and information we receive are not personally relevant, they are just noise.

"When am I going to use this in real life?" is a constant refrain heard from students in traditional schools.  The information and messages they receive are not relevant or self-chosen.  That's why it is so important to let students lead the way in their learning.  They will choose things that are exciting, challenging, interesting and relevant to them.  That's when deep learning happens.

People of all ages are constantly filtering messages and information.  Think about how quickly you sort through a Facebook or Twitter feed.  How many billboards do you recall on your drive to work every day?  What is relevant to you, sticks.  What is not relevant is quickly forgotten, whether it is a billboard about used cars or a teacher talking about the War of 1812. 

Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders.  Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."   

At SSA, we create an environment where every student has the opportunity to explore their personal "vast and endless sea."  It makes all the difference between students who are excited about learning and the muted trombone, "wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah."

-Dave Soleil