Sudbury Valley School (est. 1968 in Framingham, MA). Sudbury is a day school (not a boarding school like Summerhill) that was founded on the same principles as Summerhill.
So how does this work out for the children, really? Answer: Amazingly well.
In 1949, the British government sent inspectors to Summerhill School. Here are excerpts from their report, which Neil (founder and first Headmaster of the school) published in his 4-million copy bestseller Summerhill: A radical approach to child-rearing:
The main principle upon which the School is run is freedom . . . . the degree of freedom allowed to the children is very much greater than the inspectors had seen in any other school and the freedom is real. No child, for instance, is obliged to attend any lessons. As will be revealed later, the majority do attend for the most part regularly, but one pupil was actually at this School for 13 years without once attending a lesson and is now an expert toolmaker and precision instrument maker. This extreme case is mentioned to show that the freedom given to children is genuine and is not withdrawn as soon as its results become awkward . . . . The School however, is not run on anarchist principles. Laws are made by a school parliament which meets regularly under the chairmanship of a child and is attended by any staff and child who wish. This assembly has unlimited power of discussion and apparently fairly wide ones of legislation. On one occasion it discussed the dismissal of a teacher, showing, it is understood, excellent judgment in its opinions. But such an event is rare, and normally the parliament is concerned with the day-to-day problems of living in a community.
. . . the children are full of life and zest. Of boredom and apathy there was no sign. An atmosphere of contentment and tolerance pervades the School.
. . . the children's manners are delightful. They may lack, here and there, some of the conventions of manners, but their friendliness, ease and naturalness, and their total lack of shyness and self-consciousness made them very easy, pleasant people to get on with.
. . . initiative, responsibility and integrity are all encouraged by the system and that so far as such things can be judged, they are in fact being developed.
Summerhill education is not necessarily hostile to worldly success.
The report backs up that last point with a list of degrees held and careers followed by former pupils.
Here's some commentary by A. S. Neill, founder and headmaster of Summerhill:
"The politician's stance, 'I speak for the people who elected me,' often suggests a man of no principles and no guts. If one of my old pupils became a prime minister, I should feel that Summerhill had failed him. Politics means compromise, and free people are very bad compromisers."
"It is all so sinister. When I watch, on TV, the national party conventions in the U.S.A with their infantile parades and bands and flags, I feel dejected and hopeless. Behind these silly facades, I see the self-seeking lobbyists and the rat race of capitalism."
"Summerhill aims at a new democracy of free citizens who will not follow any leader. Until children are no longer molded into castrated sheep, democracy remains a fake and a danger. This is no theory; it is founded on long observation of children who have self-government. No child in my school holds up his hand because he sees me doing so when we vote.
My personal belief is that these schools are very close to optimal environments for human beings to grow up in. Freedom and compassion early in life are key elements in creating mature and healthy adults, as is the insistence that children respect others, just as THEY wish to be respected themselves.
Neill pointed out in his writings that very young children have almost no awareness of or concern for protection of property -- such as furniture, lamps, knick-knacks, or anything else. This is how human children are MADE and it's a stage parents and others must learn to live with, in part by keeping valuable and breakable items out of the areas where children spend time. Kids grow out of this stage naturally; trying to punish them out of this stage only harms them and harms the relationship between the children and the adults.
Likewise, chores and other coerced or manipulated behavior is harmful; children (like the young of other animals) are designed to play, which is how they learn about the world, about themselves, and develop their minds and bodies. Children are naturally curious (unless this is crushed out of them with coercive schooling) and begin feeling the need to learn adult knowledge and skills at their own pace. These schools have shown (for a century now, in the case of Summerhill) that this is our true nature, not just theory.
Two observations:
First, it's amazing to me that these schools are still allowed to exist. The British government actually TRIED to shut down or neuter Summerhill several years back, but enough of an outcry was raised that they backed down.
Second: The character of such places can change as the founders and early staff retire -- just as happened in America as the decades wore on. I don't have any reason to believe things have gone downhill at either Summerhill or Sudbury, but it's a potential dynamic worth keeping in mind.
Teach children to respect one another and develop real-world skills.
When I was at primary school (late 70's) we had a school bank. The two best in maths got to be the bank managers, the next 10 or so got to be tellers. We ran it like a proper bank. I was a 9 year old bank manager :D
Also, I was taught how to learn and self motivate based on my interests. Oh, and it was a Christian faith school in the Uk.
We saved kids deposits (real money) and we also allowed them to use cheques in the school tuck shop and for school events etc., the tellers would advise on keeping a budget and me and the other bank manager would basically sit around being all masterful etc :)
There were two classes in each year (small school) about 25 kids in each. At the end of third year (about 9 years old) we had a maths exam at the end of the year and the top student in each class got to be bank manager for the following year, the runners up being the tellers.
By a funny quirk of fate the top at maths in each class were boys (me and this other boy, Neil) and all the runners up were girls. Not a single boy was a teller.
Also, since it was setbup by a proper bank (TSB) it was technically an official branch (we handled real money after all) so I really was a bank manager at 9.
How do you sign your name on checks, legal documents or on a voter registration card? Will future generations be able to read the the Declaration of Independence? Or historical letters? Unless people can read the document itself, how can one trust the future interpretation of these documents. Your argument is foolish IMO.
spent years at preschool/elementary level; think the quickest way for change would be; strict phonics/grammar lessons until ALL students can read & write at least a 5th grade level, then fill their day with readings & discussions of classic literature, incorporating the Bible when possible. you can teach a child to teach themselves...much easier than trying to 'fill' them full of information. it's also the basis of socratic teaching; draw the information out of the student.
I would completely overhaul it. I would add in more civics, so when kids are of voting age, they aren't bumping into walls and asking their parents how to vote. They would know the system, how it works, who is in it, what their role is, and how they can get active and/or into changing it. I would add in entrepreneurial classes. Kids should leave knowing how to start a business, or already have one started. I would add in practical math, things that apply to what they do and will do in life. Whether that's shopping, doing taxes, doing business taxes and math, buying a home, car, whatever. They should know how to budget and do real math. I would also add in teaching to the student, rather than the student having to learn how it's presented. Let them debate, research, and see all points of view. Teach them how to learn for the love of learning, rather than learn for a test. End tests.
I would cut out the extra crap they have taken up, and keep it to these subjects. the school is not responsible for their sexual orientation (or influencing it), sex ed (yes, I know some people say "But the parents won't do it or won't do it right!!!" however the schools teach it SO wrong. I'd rather have no education than a bad one), cut out all the woke crap. Teach gym, but keep your agenda out of it. Let kids play more, talk in their stupid lines, eat better food in the cafeteria, talk without raising their hands (teach them to respect others and they will not be annoying and overtaking people), teach them to talk in front of people, bring back discipline.
Overall, I would homeschool, because this is all the stuff I am doing in our homeschool!
In the U.S. they're requiring primary school children to learn on electronics, like smartphones and tablets, I would eliminate that immediately.
I would also eliminate any sexual education discussion given to primary school aged children.
What would I change? I'd add FREEDOM. To the surprise of many, freedom WORKS in a very positive way for children, and for the adults they become.
Two examples:
Summerhill School in England (est. 1921)
Sudbury Valley School (est. 1968 in Framingham, MA). Sudbury is a day school (not a boarding school like Summerhill) that was founded on the same principles as Summerhill.
So how does this work out for the children, really? Answer: Amazingly well.
In 1949, the British government sent inspectors to Summerhill School. Here are excerpts from their report, which Neil (founder and first Headmaster of the school) published in his 4-million copy bestseller Summerhill: A radical approach to child-rearing:
The report backs up that last point with a list of degrees held and careers followed by former pupils.
That's amazing. Also it's exactly the opposite of what our overlords want, but we can hope.
Here's some commentary by A. S. Neill, founder and headmaster of Summerhill:
I would very much like to live in a world made by Summerhill. Do you have the portal address?
https://www.summerhillschool.co.uk/
and for Sudbury, https://sudburyvalley.org/
My personal belief is that these schools are very close to optimal environments for human beings to grow up in. Freedom and compassion early in life are key elements in creating mature and healthy adults, as is the insistence that children respect others, just as THEY wish to be respected themselves.
Neill pointed out in his writings that very young children have almost no awareness of or concern for protection of property -- such as furniture, lamps, knick-knacks, or anything else. This is how human children are MADE and it's a stage parents and others must learn to live with, in part by keeping valuable and breakable items out of the areas where children spend time. Kids grow out of this stage naturally; trying to punish them out of this stage only harms them and harms the relationship between the children and the adults.
Likewise, chores and other coerced or manipulated behavior is harmful; children (like the young of other animals) are designed to play, which is how they learn about the world, about themselves, and develop their minds and bodies. Children are naturally curious (unless this is crushed out of them with coercive schooling) and begin feeling the need to learn adult knowledge and skills at their own pace. These schools have shown (for a century now, in the case of Summerhill) that this is our true nature, not just theory.
Two observations:
First, it's amazing to me that these schools are still allowed to exist. The British government actually TRIED to shut down or neuter Summerhill several years back, but enough of an outcry was raised that they backed down.
Second: The character of such places can change as the founders and early staff retire -- just as happened in America as the decades wore on. I don't have any reason to believe things have gone downhill at either Summerhill or Sudbury, but it's a potential dynamic worth keeping in mind.
Teach children to respect one another and develop real-world skills.
When I was at primary school (late 70's) we had a school bank. The two best in maths got to be the bank managers, the next 10 or so got to be tellers. We ran it like a proper bank. I was a 9 year old bank manager :D
Also, I was taught how to learn and self motivate based on my interests. Oh, and it was a Christian faith school in the Uk.
We saved kids deposits (real money) and we also allowed them to use cheques in the school tuck shop and for school events etc., the tellers would advise on keeping a budget and me and the other bank manager would basically sit around being all masterful etc :)
There were two classes in each year (small school) about 25 kids in each. At the end of third year (about 9 years old) we had a maths exam at the end of the year and the top student in each class got to be bank manager for the following year, the runners up being the tellers.
By a funny quirk of fate the top at maths in each class were boys (me and this other boy, Neil) and all the runners up were girls. Not a single boy was a teller.
Also, since it was setbup by a proper bank (TSB) it was technically an official branch (we handled real money after all) so I really was a bank manager at 9.
Reading & writing cursive.
How do you sign your name on checks, legal documents or on a voter registration card? Will future generations be able to read the the Declaration of Independence? Or historical letters? Unless people can read the document itself, how can one trust the future interpretation of these documents. Your argument is foolish IMO.
The greatest idea yet!
Parental involvement from both a mother and a father.
Ditch the tablets.
go back to k thru 6 grade - 7,8,9 for middle school and 10,11,12 for high school - and bring back corporal punishment for those who are disruptive
Teach them about personal finance and that alone will inoculate them from becoming socialists.
We need more moral instruction from the Bible and basic teachings about how free markets work.
spent years at preschool/elementary level; think the quickest way for change would be; strict phonics/grammar lessons until ALL students can read & write at least a 5th grade level, then fill their day with readings & discussions of classic literature, incorporating the Bible when possible. you can teach a child to teach themselves...much easier than trying to 'fill' them full of information. it's also the basis of socratic teaching; draw the information out of the student.
I would completely overhaul it. I would add in more civics, so when kids are of voting age, they aren't bumping into walls and asking their parents how to vote. They would know the system, how it works, who is in it, what their role is, and how they can get active and/or into changing it. I would add in entrepreneurial classes. Kids should leave knowing how to start a business, or already have one started. I would add in practical math, things that apply to what they do and will do in life. Whether that's shopping, doing taxes, doing business taxes and math, buying a home, car, whatever. They should know how to budget and do real math. I would also add in teaching to the student, rather than the student having to learn how it's presented. Let them debate, research, and see all points of view. Teach them how to learn for the love of learning, rather than learn for a test. End tests.
I would cut out the extra crap they have taken up, and keep it to these subjects. the school is not responsible for their sexual orientation (or influencing it), sex ed (yes, I know some people say "But the parents won't do it or won't do it right!!!" however the schools teach it SO wrong. I'd rather have no education than a bad one), cut out all the woke crap. Teach gym, but keep your agenda out of it. Let kids play more, talk in their stupid lines, eat better food in the cafeteria, talk without raising their hands (teach them to respect others and they will not be annoying and overtaking people), teach them to talk in front of people, bring back discipline.
Overall, I would homeschool, because this is all the stuff I am doing in our homeschool!