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
Friday, April 18, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
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:
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
-Dave Soleil
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Uh oh! How do I explain Sudbury to my family at the holidays?!?!
The holidays are coming. It's the most wonderful time of the year! You get to see family you haven't seen in a while, they want to know all about your life and they want to know, "what the heck is a Sudbury School?"
Then, the questions start coming… how do they learn math? How do they get into college? Aunt Martha was a public school teacher for 35 years. What do you mean there are no grades, homework or tests? Students can choose what to do? Well, that's just plain crazy. Pass the cranberries...
In hopes of making your holidays a little less stressful, here are some answers to common questions and tips to help you along in your conversations with skeptical family members.
1. What is Sudbury?
Every Sudbury School describes it a little differently. Here's our take in Atlanta:
2. How do they learn math?
Students manage their own budget through the democratic process. If they want a school pet, say a gerbil, they need to figure out:
3. I've never heard of Sudbury before?
The original Sudbury Valley School opened in Sudbury, Massachusetts in 1968. There are now about 40 Sudbury schools worldwide.
4. How do they get into college?
Most colleges now have an alternative school admissions track. One quarter of all colleges are also "test-optional," meaning that they do not require the SAT or ACT standardized test scores. Universities recognize that test scores are not a valid indicator of student success. As well, statistics from the original Sudbury Valley School tell us that 85% of graduates go on to college and about 80% of those get into their first college of choice.
The Sudbury model is all about empowering students to become independent thinkers, good decision makers and engaged citizens. So, be confident and don't take your family's questions personally. They are learning too. You have found an amazing school that fits your family's needs, goals and aspirations. We hope that every family can find the same fit, regardless of the educational model. Happy holidays to you and your whole family. Please pass the cranberries...
Then, the questions start coming… how do they learn math? How do they get into college? Aunt Martha was a public school teacher for 35 years. What do you mean there are no grades, homework or tests? Students can choose what to do? Well, that's just plain crazy. Pass the cranberries...
In hopes of making your holidays a little less stressful, here are some answers to common questions and tips to help you along in your conversations with skeptical family members.
1. What is Sudbury?
Every Sudbury School describes it a little differently. Here's our take in Atlanta:
- Individualized Education: Traditional schools are moving toward standardized learning where everyone learns the same things and the outcomes are exactly the same. At SSA, we believe that young people are not standardized. They have unique, amazing talents, skills, abilities and passions. The best way to individualize their education is to let them lead the way. Students choose and pursue what interests them.
- Democratic Operating Structure: Every student gets a voice and a vote. They manage their own budget, create all the rules of conduct and manage the judicial process if rules are broken. What better way for students to learn how to be engaged citizens in American democracy than creating and managing a democracy at school? We sure wish Congress went to a K-12 democratically-run school. They might have learned how to negotiate in productive ways so the government wouldn't have shut down!
- Multi-Age Environment: All students learn from each other. It is an organic way of learning for young people that is closed off in traditional schools. We value the contributions of every student in the learning community.
2. How do they learn math?
Students manage their own budget through the democratic process. If they want a school pet, say a gerbil, they need to figure out:
- How much does a gerbil cost?
- How much is a cage, food, bedding, water bottle, toys, vitamins, etc?
- How often do I need to buy additional food, bedding or toys?
- If a gerbil gets sick, how much is it to see a vet?
They learn math through the experience of pursuing their interests and goals. Sudbury begins with the human experience and students gain knowledge through the process of trying to reach their goals. Traditional schools present "subjects" and hope students translate that information to the human experience. Unfortunately, most students in traditional schools don't translate it and just complain, "when am I going to use this in 'real life'?" Sudbury is real life.
3. I've never heard of Sudbury before?
The original Sudbury Valley School opened in Sudbury, Massachusetts in 1968. There are now about 40 Sudbury schools worldwide.
4. How do they get into college?
Most colleges now have an alternative school admissions track. One quarter of all colleges are also "test-optional," meaning that they do not require the SAT or ACT standardized test scores. Universities recognize that test scores are not a valid indicator of student success. As well, statistics from the original Sudbury Valley School tell us that 85% of graduates go on to college and about 80% of those get into their first college of choice.
The Sudbury model is all about empowering students to become independent thinkers, good decision makers and engaged citizens. So, be confident and don't take your family's questions personally. They are learning too. You have found an amazing school that fits your family's needs, goals and aspirations. We hope that every family can find the same fit, regardless of the educational model. Happy holidays to you and your whole family. Please pass the cranberries...
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The Bumpy Road to Self-Regulation
As parents, we all want our children to find success in managing their lives and interactions. We want them to be kind, to speak up for themselves, to take chances, to know when the risks are too great, to not be afraid to fail and to pick themselves up again if they do. We want them to manage their time so there is a balance between what they want to do and what others may require of them. What we want for our children is self-regulation. It is an incredibly important life skill, particularly as an adult when the stakes of life are higher, i.e. jobs, bills, or caring for family.
So how do children learn self-regulation?
Let's start with the end goal. Self-regulation is about children encountering a situation, new or old, and intentionally translating their past experiences into decision making that provides a more positive outcome than last time. There are many expert definitions, but this is the basic idea.
Other ways to think about this question are, how do children learn to be better decision-makers? How do children learn to trust themselves and their own experience?
The Freedom to Experience
In order for students to be able to translate past experience into decision making that results in more positive outcomes, children must have the freedom to experience life, both in school and out. They must have the freedom to make decisions and to see the results of those decisions.
If we do not give children the freedom to choose, we have robbed them of the learning process.
How can a child reflect on past experiences if he or she has no past experiences of making a choice? Or, imagine that every time a child confronts a puzzling situation, an adult jumps in an solves it for them. The child will not learn to make decisions. They will learn to wait for adults to save them. A child must have the freedom to experience if they are going to have experiences upon which they can reflect.
The Freedom to Fail
The Freedom to Fail
A child must also have the freedom to fail and be supported in taking the risk. If we are not allowing children to fail, we are not allowing them to learn. And isn't that what we want? We want our children to LEARN self-regulation.
So, as parents and as schools, children must be supported in taking risks that they choose and we must support them in the outcome, regardless of whether the outcome is positive or negative.
For the academicians following along here, this is the basis of David Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle.
This is how children learn self-regulation. You'll notice that half the model is experimentation and experience. This is how deep learning happens.
Trusting yourself
In order for students to trust their own experience and trust their judgment, they must be in an environment that trusts them. John Holt expressed this challenge best:
"To trust children, we must first learn to trust ourselves... and most of us were taught as children that we could not be trusted."
Providing a trusting environment for children is essential in order for them to develop the trust in themselves to guide their decision-making.
At the Sudbury School of Atlanta, we know that every child at our school is fully capable of self-regulation. There is no question. We also know that in order to effectively self-regulate, that students must experiment, experience and reflect in order to make sense of their world. Many times that means making decisions that their parents don't like, making decisions that they, as students, don't like, and making decisions that have negative outcomes.
This is the bumpy road to self-regulation. When a child learns to ride a bike, they must fall and scrape their knee to know where the balance point is and where it is not. And through practice in a supportive environment, they improve with every experience.
So, let them try. Let them fail and try again. They are natural learners. Support them in their risk-taking and support them regardless of the outcome. This is how deep learning happens. And we will know that we are successfully supporting our children when they begin to speak the words of Thomas Edison:
"I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
Thursday, June 6, 2013
The Luxury of Time
At the Sudbury School of Atlanta, I've found that one of the most impactful elements of the Sudbury model is the luxury of time for a student to choose and explore and reflect.
If we want our students to become independent thinkers, they must have the time and space to think independently. If we want them to be reflective, they must have time to be reflective. If we want them to dive deep into their passions, they need the time to find out what those passions are and then time to dive into them.
At any traditional school, students are shuffled from one classroom to another and one activity to another without an opportunity to choose or explore or reflect. They are told that whatever the teacher says or does is more important than their interests. No wonder students in the traditional system are not motivated. How can students follow their passions if they are not given the time or choice? How can they learn to be good decision makers if they have no time and no opportunity to make decisions? How can they learn to communicate, mediate and negotiate if they have no time and no opportunity to practice those skills?
As a staff member at SSA, I am often approached by students who seek help with reading or writing. At the moment a student requests help, staff can drop everything and help that student for as long as the student feels the need for help. It may take 30 seconds or an hour. It doesn't matter. What is most critical is that students at SSA get the help they request immediately, for as long as the student feels they want assistance. That's the luxury of time.
No other school model or even the experience of a parent has this luxury. Schools punch the time clock. If you can't keep up, you are labeled as "behind" and sent to an after school tutoring program. As a parent, when your child seeks help, you may be off to soccer practice, buying groceries, on the phone, filling the gas tank, etc.
A few months ago, a student said to me, "Can we talk?"
"Sure!" I said.
We sat down right there and talked about life... and nothing in particular. Ten minutes later, when the student said what she had to say, "Thanks! I'm going outside now."
What does a student learn from that? They learn that they matter. They learn that they are an independent person who is respected. They learn that no matter how busy life gets outside of school with parents, friends and activities, that school is a safe space where they can be who they are without judgment or evaluation or postponement.
As I tell our parents:
That is the luxury of time. Only Sudbury offers this and it is an honor to be part of a school that puts students first, foremost and always.
-Dave Soleil
If we want our students to become independent thinkers, they must have the time and space to think independently. If we want them to be reflective, they must have time to be reflective. If we want them to dive deep into their passions, they need the time to find out what those passions are and then time to dive into them.
At any traditional school, students are shuffled from one classroom to another and one activity to another without an opportunity to choose or explore or reflect. They are told that whatever the teacher says or does is more important than their interests. No wonder students in the traditional system are not motivated. How can students follow their passions if they are not given the time or choice? How can they learn to be good decision makers if they have no time and no opportunity to make decisions? How can they learn to communicate, mediate and negotiate if they have no time and no opportunity to practice those skills?
As a staff member at SSA, I am often approached by students who seek help with reading or writing. At the moment a student requests help, staff can drop everything and help that student for as long as the student feels the need for help. It may take 30 seconds or an hour. It doesn't matter. What is most critical is that students at SSA get the help they request immediately, for as long as the student feels they want assistance. That's the luxury of time.
No other school model or even the experience of a parent has this luxury. Schools punch the time clock. If you can't keep up, you are labeled as "behind" and sent to an after school tutoring program. As a parent, when your child seeks help, you may be off to soccer practice, buying groceries, on the phone, filling the gas tank, etc.
What more could a parent want for their child than when, at the moment their child seeks help, there is a supportive caring person ready to help, right away, for as long as they need it?
A few months ago, a student said to me, "Can we talk?"
"Sure!" I said.
We sat down right there and talked about life... and nothing in particular. Ten minutes later, when the student said what she had to say, "Thanks! I'm going outside now."
What does a student learn from that? They learn that they matter. They learn that they are an independent person who is respected. They learn that no matter how busy life gets outside of school with parents, friends and activities, that school is a safe space where they can be who they are without judgment or evaluation or postponement.
As I tell our parents:
Any environment can teach math but not every environment can teach self-worth.
That is the luxury of time. Only Sudbury offers this and it is an honor to be part of a school that puts students first, foremost and always.
-Dave Soleil
Friday, December 14, 2012
Individualized Learning and Trusting Young People
Individuality is lost. So is independent thinking, communication skills and good decision making. Controlling students and the environment becomes paramount because if we do not control every factor, then we might get students who think differently and act differently and they might be interested in things that aren't being taught. They might learn things and develop skills that are not measured by the standards. So, the controls get tighter on students, teachers, performance, standardized tests and public funding because any deviation might result in a flower that looks different from the rest.
At SSA, we prefer an educational environment that creates a field of wild flowers. Every flower is a different size, a different shape, a different color, a different height and blooms at a different time. Flowers don't have to be taught to bloom. Put them in a rich environment and they bloom by themselves, if...
If?
If what?
There is a critical component here of individualized education that polarizes people like oil and water. It causes many people who fled the factory system to go running back. It is also deeply embraced by many and strikes at the heart of these two different models of education. That "if" is:
Trusting young people.
If you believe that every young person is unique and has beliefs, values, thoughts and ideas that should be given a voice and developed, then you will trust young people and embrace individualized education.
If you believe that the beliefs, values, thoughts and ideas of young people have little value, then you will usher them into a system where the predominant message is "don't talk" and "do what you are told." Young people are simply vessels to be filled up with "academic rigor" and they need to be controlled because we don't want to let them think independent thoughts, communicate something outside the curriculum or practice making decisions because that would create wildflowers and not sunflowers. Letting a child choose what they want to do and think is nothing more than glorified babysitting. Why? Because you don't trust that they have beliefs, values, thoughts and ideas that have worth. Education is all input and regurgitation of that input. Save independent thinking for college. Better yet, graduate school.
John Holt hit the nail on the head when he said:
"To trust children, we must first learn to trust ourselves... and most of us were taught as children that we could not be trusted."
Let's look beyond school for a moment. Imagine the same factory-style environment in the workplace where your boss does not trust you, empower you or give you a voice. Your boss dictates every minute of every day for you, what you do, how you do it and if you did it exactly to the standard. Then, if you do not comply, you are punished or given "quiet lunch" where you can't talk to your co-workers or maybe you have to go to a remedial skills after-work program. This is a micro-managing nightmare in a professional workforce situation. Let's set aside the life-and-death scenarios of military combat and brain surgery. On the whole, dysfunctional and ineffective teams in the workforce come from management that is distrustful, controlling, hierarchical and tone-deaf to interpersonal and team dynamics. In fact, a 2011 study on behalf of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools found that that top skills desired by employers across sectors are:
1. Interpersonal skills
2. Teamwork
3. Problem solving
4. Job-specific knowledge
5. Written communication skills
6. Work experience
7. Technical ability
8. Education
9. Personal references
10. Business savvy
11. Math capability
The top three skills sought by employers have nothing to do with "academics" and cannot be taught well in a traditional educational system because they require trusting young people.
Traditional notions of rigor, like education and math skills, are #8 and #11 - not even close to the top. It is a false assumption by parents that "academic rigor" and "advanced math" lead to students becoming competitive in the workforce after they graduate. Parents wrap themselves in the cozy blanket of "rigor" because the thing that produces the top skills employers want requires trust, which produces situations that are unpredictable, unfamiliar, and downright frightening for parents and teachers alike. It forces you to see a young person as a fully capable human being with independent thoughts, independent values and beliefs that are not your own.
Trusting children not only means giving them a voice, it means giving up much of your power and authority as an "adult." It means giving up control to let their intellectual DNA determine what kind of wildflower they are to become. It means giving them the same respect that others give you and letting them make choices even when you don't agree with them or understand them. It means letting your child pursue their own passions and define their own standards for success.
For many parents trying to make life decisions about their child, trust is REALLY scary. There is a lot at stake as we try to give our child the best shot at a success, however we define that success. So, many parents want to control rather than empower. They want others to control their child when they are not present. Hence, it is no mystery why our predominant educational model is based on control.
However, there are those like me and others who want their child to be an independent thinker, good communicator and good decision maker. We respect and trust that young people can find their best path to learning if we simply give them the freedom. Is there any more important message that we can give to a child than, "You are worthy?" "You are trusted and respected." "What you say has meaning and value."
Albert Einstein said, "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid."
Any environment can teach math, but not every environment can teach self-worth. Trusting and respecting young people speaks volumes to them that can never be communicated through textbooks and five-paragraph essays. Trust is the fertile soil, warm sun and gentle rain that gives rise to the beautiful wildflowers that are our children.
-Dave Soleil
Friday, November 30, 2012
Sudbury Assignment: Learn Math, Reading, Writing and More
Many parents want to know what their child is learning at the Sudbury School of Atlanta. "Sudbury Assignment:" is a series of articles that
help parents recognize what sorts of things their children are learning
and the depth of experience their child gets at our Sudbury school.
Sudbury Assignment #4: Learn Math, Reading, Writing and More
In understanding how students learn "the basics" at Sudbury, like reading, writing and math, let's begin with an analogy.
If your child wants to learn Spanish, you might sign her up for a traditional class in Spanish. A Spanish teacher guides children through a text book and workbook in Spanish. They conjugate verbs, learn vocabulary and do graded worksheets and quizzes. In the end, you hope that a good report card means that your child can speak, read and write Spanish.
Or, you take your daughter to Spain where every interaction of daily life teaches her another component of the Spanish language. In addition, she learns the culture, customs and expectations of a person growing up in Spain. She may learn other languages too by playing with a child who speaks Spanish but whose family is from Portugal or France. Your child might also learn about the politics, monetary system, art, music, cuisine and architecture of Spain. Living in Spain provides a much richer and deeper learning experience that goes far beyond the simple goal of "learning Spanish."
For learning the basics of reading, writing and math, the Sudbury experience is like the immersion experience of living in Spain. We don't break subjects down into worksheets, quizzes and vocab lists because deep learning is multi-disciplinary. It spans many "subjects" and we want students to follow their interests wherever they may lead. Here's a real-life example from our school:
A Tale of Two Gerbils
The students loved the idea of having a school pet from the first day of school. What kind of pet? Big or small? And how much care would it need? How much would it cost to buy? How much would it cost to continue to buy the supplies for it? What is our budget and what is a budget and what is the procedure to appropriate funds within the school? They wanted to form a School Pet Committee but first needed to learn parliamentary procedure to propose the motion and vote the committee into existence. They started discussing what is an agenda for a meeting and how to get an item on it for the School Meeting. How many people have to be present for a quorum and what is a quorum?
Once voted into existence, the committee began a six-week negotiation about what kind of animal to get.
Students talked to each other and to their parents about what sorts of animals they all would be willing to care for, even on weekends away from the school. Some students and staff were allergic to some animals. This started discussions about what is an allergy? What happens if a person has an allergic reaction? What animals cause allergies for people and why? Physiology, biology and medical discussions ensued. Students submitted a motion for the School Meeting agenda, "No frogs, lizards or cats due to allergies." The motion passed. Progress had been made.
So what kind of animals might be feasible for the school? The School Pet Committee had to schedule meetings to negotiate the next steps. Gerbils were proposed but who knew about gerbils? What kind of habitat do they need? What kind of food? What kind of bedding? How much does it cost? Can they be picked up? How do you pick them up? How do you build trust with animals so they are friendly? One student had experience with gerbils as did one staff member. They shared their experiences but had to negotiate with others to persuade them that gerbils would be a worthwhile pet. And what about the parents that just see gerbils as rodents and don't want them in their home? And what about the cats people have at home? How can we ensure that the gerbils are safe from cats at home?
Older students on the School Pet Committee did research at home on the internet about gerbil care, wrote it down and presented it to the other students. Note here that active reading and writing happened for students, unprompted. It was not an assignment. It was not a suggestion. Younger students who did not have the ability to read and write, looked at what the older students had written and picked out words they knew. They also wanted to write words just like the older students. All students progressed in reading and writing.
The School Pet Committee voted to buy two gerbils but they had to get the School Meeting to vote to approve the funds. Students and staff consulted the budget... about two-hundred dollars for that month. What would the gerbils need? How much would it cost? What would be the ongoing costs? Multiply everything by two for two gerbils. Or do we? And how do you multiply? What non-gerbil-related items would the school want to purchase with that two-hundred dollars? How do we prioritize? What is a priority? How do we persuade others that buying gerbils is worth it? Math ensued to see what it might all cost. Reading ensued to figure out what equipment was needed for gerbils. Writing ensued to remember the results of the research. Again, older students showed younger students the results bringing them along on the reading, writing and arithmetic bandwagon.
The School Meeting approved up to $100 for initial supplies and $40 for each month after. Any funds not spent would revert back to the general School Meeting fund. Students then spent the better part of a week negotiating with other students, parents and staff about when and where the gerbils would be purchased.
At the pet store, students had not anticipated a choice of habitat colors and different food choices. Do we have enough people for a vote to count? Motions were presented and votes were taken smack in the middle of the gerbil supply aisle. Students furiously read labels, added figures so as not to exceed the budget and wrote down notes so as not to forget what information they had gathered.
Students eventually walked out of the store with two gerbils and all the needed equipment, all within budget. Then the ongoing care negotiations began. Who can hold the gerbils and for how long? How should they be held and who should be the ones to hold them? Who will clean the habitat, refill food and water? How much food and water? Who will care for them on weekends?
More reading. More writing. More math. More negotiating. More questions. More motions. More votes. More decisions. More progress leading to more questions, more reading, more writing and more math.
In a supportive immersion environment where students are given great freedom and great responsibility, "the basics" come naturally in much the same way that Spanish comes naturally to students living in Spain yet never taking a Spanish class.
The question is, which form of learning math is going to be more exciting, useful and memorable for students? Worksheets with math drills? Or collectively working toward a common goal and applying math principles to real-life situations?
Perhaps we should ask the two gerbils who live at the Sudbury School of Atlanta.
Sudbury Assignment #4: Learn Math, Reading, Writing and More
In understanding how students learn "the basics" at Sudbury, like reading, writing and math, let's begin with an analogy.
If your child wants to learn Spanish, you might sign her up for a traditional class in Spanish. A Spanish teacher guides children through a text book and workbook in Spanish. They conjugate verbs, learn vocabulary and do graded worksheets and quizzes. In the end, you hope that a good report card means that your child can speak, read and write Spanish.
Or, you take your daughter to Spain where every interaction of daily life teaches her another component of the Spanish language. In addition, she learns the culture, customs and expectations of a person growing up in Spain. She may learn other languages too by playing with a child who speaks Spanish but whose family is from Portugal or France. Your child might also learn about the politics, monetary system, art, music, cuisine and architecture of Spain. Living in Spain provides a much richer and deeper learning experience that goes far beyond the simple goal of "learning Spanish."
For learning the basics of reading, writing and math, the Sudbury experience is like the immersion experience of living in Spain. We don't break subjects down into worksheets, quizzes and vocab lists because deep learning is multi-disciplinary. It spans many "subjects" and we want students to follow their interests wherever they may lead. Here's a real-life example from our school:
A Tale of Two Gerbils
The students loved the idea of having a school pet from the first day of school. What kind of pet? Big or small? And how much care would it need? How much would it cost to buy? How much would it cost to continue to buy the supplies for it? What is our budget and what is a budget and what is the procedure to appropriate funds within the school? They wanted to form a School Pet Committee but first needed to learn parliamentary procedure to propose the motion and vote the committee into existence. They started discussing what is an agenda for a meeting and how to get an item on it for the School Meeting. How many people have to be present for a quorum and what is a quorum?
Once voted into existence, the committee began a six-week negotiation about what kind of animal to get.
Students talked to each other and to their parents about what sorts of animals they all would be willing to care for, even on weekends away from the school. Some students and staff were allergic to some animals. This started discussions about what is an allergy? What happens if a person has an allergic reaction? What animals cause allergies for people and why? Physiology, biology and medical discussions ensued. Students submitted a motion for the School Meeting agenda, "No frogs, lizards or cats due to allergies." The motion passed. Progress had been made.
So what kind of animals might be feasible for the school? The School Pet Committee had to schedule meetings to negotiate the next steps. Gerbils were proposed but who knew about gerbils? What kind of habitat do they need? What kind of food? What kind of bedding? How much does it cost? Can they be picked up? How do you pick them up? How do you build trust with animals so they are friendly? One student had experience with gerbils as did one staff member. They shared their experiences but had to negotiate with others to persuade them that gerbils would be a worthwhile pet. And what about the parents that just see gerbils as rodents and don't want them in their home? And what about the cats people have at home? How can we ensure that the gerbils are safe from cats at home?
Older students on the School Pet Committee did research at home on the internet about gerbil care, wrote it down and presented it to the other students. Note here that active reading and writing happened for students, unprompted. It was not an assignment. It was not a suggestion. Younger students who did not have the ability to read and write, looked at what the older students had written and picked out words they knew. They also wanted to write words just like the older students. All students progressed in reading and writing.
The School Pet Committee voted to buy two gerbils but they had to get the School Meeting to vote to approve the funds. Students and staff consulted the budget... about two-hundred dollars for that month. What would the gerbils need? How much would it cost? What would be the ongoing costs? Multiply everything by two for two gerbils. Or do we? And how do you multiply? What non-gerbil-related items would the school want to purchase with that two-hundred dollars? How do we prioritize? What is a priority? How do we persuade others that buying gerbils is worth it? Math ensued to see what it might all cost. Reading ensued to figure out what equipment was needed for gerbils. Writing ensued to remember the results of the research. Again, older students showed younger students the results bringing them along on the reading, writing and arithmetic bandwagon.
The School Meeting approved up to $100 for initial supplies and $40 for each month after. Any funds not spent would revert back to the general School Meeting fund. Students then spent the better part of a week negotiating with other students, parents and staff about when and where the gerbils would be purchased.
At the pet store, students had not anticipated a choice of habitat colors and different food choices. Do we have enough people for a vote to count? Motions were presented and votes were taken smack in the middle of the gerbil supply aisle. Students furiously read labels, added figures so as not to exceed the budget and wrote down notes so as not to forget what information they had gathered.
Students eventually walked out of the store with two gerbils and all the needed equipment, all within budget. Then the ongoing care negotiations began. Who can hold the gerbils and for how long? How should they be held and who should be the ones to hold them? Who will clean the habitat, refill food and water? How much food and water? Who will care for them on weekends?
More reading. More writing. More math. More negotiating. More questions. More motions. More votes. More decisions. More progress leading to more questions, more reading, more writing and more math.
In a supportive immersion environment where students are given great freedom and great responsibility, "the basics" come naturally in much the same way that Spanish comes naturally to students living in Spain yet never taking a Spanish class.
The question is, which form of learning math is going to be more exciting, useful and memorable for students? Worksheets with math drills? Or collectively working toward a common goal and applying math principles to real-life situations?
Perhaps we should ask the two gerbils who live at the Sudbury School of Atlanta.
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