What’s Wrong With This Picture?

When too many…

• children go to school and lose their “spark”
• parents spend hours each week fighting “homework wars” with their children
• adolescents become defiant rebels or other-pleasing conformists
• graduates lack a sense of direction, initiative, and responsibility

…then it’s clear-something’s wrong with a lot of schools today.

That’s because a lot of schools are out of touch with the way people learn, as well as the demands of life in the 21^st century.

A Little Common Sense

If we just take a step back and think about how learning actually works, a few things become clear:

• Children are innately curious and driven to master the world around them. The most effective learning occurs when this drive is respected.
• If we want them to become respectful and responsible, children must be fully respected and given real responsibility.
• Schools should honor all types of intelligence, nurture creativity, and foster mature, responsible people who can think for themselves.
• Immersion in situations requiring decision-making, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills motivates students to master the basics.
• No one has the perspective to decide when (and for how long) someone else should study any particular content or skills. In fact, true growth often requires what might appear to be huge wastes of time.

With all this in mind, we can create schools that are effective and make sense.

The Sudbury Solution

Since 1968, Sudbury schools have demonstrated the power of self-directed learning in fostering effective, responsible, and happy young adults. There are currently more than 30 Sudbury schools all over the globe, over 20 in North America alone.

Sudbury students of all ages decide for themselves how to spend their time, studying what they most need in the manner best suited to them. They learn who they are, how to work with others, and how to overcome obstacles. Every day, students are immersed in situations that demand critical thinking, conflict resolution, decision-making and problem-solving skills. This helps them become resourceful, articulate, and mature.

Sudbury schools are run democratically, so students practice leadership and management skills in meaningful contexts. Respect for both individuality and the community is expected of all. In this scaled-down model of the real world, students learn to take initiative, act responsibly, and follow through. As a result, they explore in depth exactly what they’ll need to master to succeed in life.