Sudbury: Schools that Work, Part 2

[Sudbury Schools advocate Bruce Smith continues his series. See earlier posts here.]

My previous post launched a two-part overview of Sudbury schools, the most compelling model I've encountered in nearly twenty years as an educator. In this second half of my Sudbury primer, the emphasis will shift from basic features to an inventory closer to the title of these posts: why these schools work.

For work they most certainly do. With a track record of 40 years (and counting), the success of Sudbury schools in transforming lives is indisputable. A fuller account will have to wait for future installments, but for now I can at least hint at the outlines. Sudbury alumni thrive in college (80 percent pursue higher education, including every student who has sought this path), as well as in business (over 60 percent become entrepreneurs). As the pioneer of this model, Sudbury Valley School has done a number of in-depth alumni studies that I cannot recommend highly enough (see https://sudval.powweb.com/bookstore/02_book_06.html and http://www.sudval.org/05_alumni.html for starters).

To explore why Sudbury schools work, let's first consider the context. In the name of nurturing children, most schools treat them as immature, not to be trusted with the big decisions. That may sound harsh, but honestly, aren't students' days pretty much stuffed and controlled by adults for years? Schedules and agendas, rules and grading - virtually everything of import is decided by adults, leaving students only the option of figuring out how (and whether) to play along. Instead of letting children practice life, we rationalize our control by saying they aren't ready to do so, or need to get used to a world where they don't call the shots. The problem is, children live up or down to our expectations; they imprint on our vision. Consequently, society reaps the passivity and immaturity that its schools sow. Good intentions notwithstanding, education that is laced with disrespect and disempowerment creates young adults inexperienced at making their way in life.  (Click "Read more" below for the rest...)

In contrast, Sudbury takes a pragmatic approach consistent with common-sense wisdom. By making students' innate curiosity a top priority, Sudbury schools work with, rather than against, human nature. Allowed wide latitude to explore and master various environments, these students come to see life as full of things to be enjoyed - with inevitable obstacles and frustrations, yes, but nothing that can't be handled. Because Sudbury students are treated as full-fledged individuals capable of directing their own learning - because they practice making decisions and facing the consequences - they grow up respectful and responsible, developing maturity, initiative, and persistence. Sudbury schools show that when empowered and held to high standards of character, students will rise to the challenge.

On an institutional level, Sudbury schools exhibit unparalleled efficiency. For one thing, the need to keep tuition affordable and budgets viable requires streamlined operations. Indeed, Sudbury per-pupil expenditures tend to be half (or less) those of nearby schools. What's more, the Sudbury model allows schools to be highly flexible and responsive: in fact, their very survival depends on attracting and retaining families. Here the power of democracy comes into play, as Sudbury students vote on budgets, rules, and staff hiring, while their parents vote on over-arching policies like tuition. Wouldn't it be nice if more schools were so open to family input, so cost-effective and flexible? Wouldn't the ability to adjust on the fly - to meet needs as they arise with the participation of all involved - go a long way toward creating schools families could feel proud of and invested in?

This flexibility extends to learning as well, with Sudbury schools offering arguably the most individualized, customized education imaginable. Students learn what they need in the manner and at the pace most appropriate for them. This degree of individualization - a major reason Sudbury schools work - rests on the power of randomness and spontaneity. To draw a geopolitical parallel, the collapse of Communist states in the late 20th century demonstrated the non-viability of large-scale, centralized planning. Again, this may sound harsh - but what makes us think planned curricula could fare much better? Are people significantly less complex in classrooms? Personally, I've witnessed the amazing power of what might be called the invisible hand of education for over a decade. My Sudbury experience underscores the truth that surrendering the illusion of control facilitates learning far more effectively than the most careful planning could ever accomplish.

Sudbury schools work, in short, because they work with what we know about human nature and the way both learning and institutions function. They recognize that freedom and responsibility are two sides of the same coin, and that democratic structures are not only effective and responsive, but humane as well. Sudbury schools unleash the power of curiosity and creativity, while balancing individual desires against the well-being of the larger community. Their streamlined, flexible structure can be modified as needed, and their students are well-equipped to take on the challenges of 21st-century life with enthusiasm. Philosophically, institutionally and personally, Sudbury schools provide a valuable example of how learning can and ought to work.

Bruce L. Smith is a Denver-based educator and freelance writer. After starting his career in the public schools of Columbia, Missouri, he went on to work at schools following the Sudbury model of education. On staff at Alpine Valley School since late 1998, he became the founding director of the Center for Advancing Sudbury Education (www.sudburyschooling.com) in 2006. CASE promotes awareness of the Sudbury model and provides support to Sudbury schools around the world.