Sudbury Schools
This is a video about the Sudbury schools. I always like to show my students this video, because it shocks them silly. The Sudbury school is a completely unstructured school that gives students freedom and allows them to decide what to do with their time each day. There is no curriculum, standards, tests, school goals, grades, and class periods.
Every day they are asked by the teachers there, (which don't do much but inquire about what students are doing), what are you going to do today? As with freedom, some students use the time wisely, others do not.
You will see students reading books, and you will see students playing video games, or sleeping. Students are encouraged to make decisions for their own lives rather than being forced to learn, or sit in a classroom.
This is an interesting idea, and it always sparks great debate in my classes. Many students say how the school is useless, and no one really learns anything. But then others say that this happens anyway, and those students that want to learn in public schools, would learn in a Sudbury school. Those that don't learn in a public school, wouldn't learn in a Sudbury schools.
The person in charge of the school, has some interesting ideas. If you check out their website there are more
articles, and videos trying to justify what they are doing. He links current public schools to the Industrial Revolution, and how we have to treat children like cars, and not human beings.
What are your thoughts? I think of so many students that are dependent on "us" to teach them, and they grow up dependent on "government" to tell them what to think or do. Students aren't really taught how to use their freedom. We keep them busy little bees with homework, activities, sports, jobs, in hopes that they
will be productive members of society, and many become that. But then I wonder what we are missing out on by not allowing students the freedom to choose for themselves what they want to learn.
Link: Sudbury Schools Website
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