btw i found this video googling,i hate doing homework :)im in college,and i just dont feel like writing a paper about a work of art.if i wanted to know about a work of art,then i would on my own time.and also for english class, i wrote an argumentative paper on sexual harassment awareness...instead of writing some long paper,which i hate,i couldve talked to the director of diversity department and interviewed him.that wouldve been more effective.i dont think im going to survive for long
Free inexhaustible energy is real!But there are very powerfull forces that want to supress the technology,if you want a real Free energy Magnet Motor, get the blueprints at LT-MAGNET-MOTORdotCOM ,Be the revolution!
Have you ever noticed that when school kids are interviewed (I see this a lot on local news) the way they talk, it's like they only say what they figure they're supposed to say, what they're expected to say, and the way they're expected to say it.
The only way to be successful is to break rules. A friend of mine talked her way into: a master's degree without taking the last year of classes, and numerous jobs at 1/2 time for full pay. She has the the attitude not (snobbishly) that rules don't apply to HER, but that rules are often nothing more than petty logistical problems. Meanwhile sheep-like people pay the price of not asking if they can opt out.
There are some interesting parallels here with a philosophy of education started by Maria Montessori. She was infact the first child psycologist and developed a method of teaching that if implemented in our country would revolutionise our system of gaining knowledge.
I think of this more as an analogy. take for example a young child being forced by his/her parent to learn piano. (ie my little sister & also me) however due to the fact that authoritarian constraints were placed on the child, the child will have a dislike of the piano.
However if they were on their own terms, they may or may not have chosen to play piano, but they would've been happier.
Just me trying to get some thoughts out of my head.
@quinnsans Bravo. I'm a former Sudbury school student too, went to Clearwater in Seattle (now it is in Bothell, it's moved around a few times). Unforturtunately, my parents had a hard time letting a girl make her own descisions, so I only got to go there a year. Still the best year of my life though. I later on took a nanotechnology class at community college because I became interested in the subject while going to this school. I actually became extemely interested in all the sciences
(continued from above comment) while going there, and guess how that happened? By playing a video game. Wish I could have stayed longer.
I am currently attending University for my bachelors. My work as of this point focuses largely on social justice. I have done some world travel, interned with a local art studio and currently am laying the foundation for new non-profits to work with disadvantaged youth and homeless populations. I will attend Amnesty International's US conference in the spring.
Yeah, whatever happend to diversity? For those who want traditional and untraditional I agree with oneother video poster that putting a most 2 hrs in the morning of traditional schooling, then letting them have at it the rest of the day. For the homeschool lovers. You get your fix, and then they get theirs. Best of both worlds.
Democratically-run schools seem like a great way to teach kids to be citizens in democratically-run societies, as people capable of taking responsibility for themselves. As opposed to authoritarian-run schools that prepare them to live in authoritarian societies where the choices are to obey or break the rules in harmful ways.
Its so refreshing to see that there are environments that encourage true learning for young people and are free of the repressive and stifling conformism of public schools. This gives me hope that the mainstream educational revolution isn't far behind these visionaries.
As for people's "bashing" towards the school system we have in place...
School doesn't try to force you into thinking a certain way.
It TEACHES you to LEARN, ANALYZE and COMMUNICATE in different ways.
We have to take certain courses because they are the basis for primary leaning, they give us a different taste of how we can use our brains in different ways. As you get older, you get to choose more and more, start specializing in what you love to do once you have a bit of everything.
"It TEACHES you to LEARN, ANALYZE and COMMUNICATE in different ways."
no it doesn't. in Franco's dictatorship you could question to some extenct, but only to some extenct, and same with the education system. people not only have to be allowed to discuss in between themselves (not just with teachers), but they also have to be motivated to question. the current system teaches you to rely on one authority instead on making decisions for yourself. this kills responsibility.
"give us a different taste of how we can use our brains in different ways."
haven't you ever observed a child? or have you ever observed your own childhood? children question and try different things all the time. they are driven by their curiosity. this curiosity should be allowed to flourish. this creates freedom, followed by knowledge, followed by responsibility, and followed by more kowledge again.
this is the only education system which creates responsibility in freedom.
these schools aren't new, they have been arround since at least the 30s, when they were tested in spain by the anarchists. they seemed to have worked quite well, and they still do. they are appearing again with the growing anarchist movement, and they will grow in number.
it un-alienates people, it teaches them the meaning of freedom, and it teaches them responsibility. it will create the type of people who will revolutionize the world.
although participatory democracy is not fundamental in anarchism, it does play a key role. anarchism requires a mix between participatory democracy and individual freedom. individual freedom is mostly in the mind; it is a consciousness. it implies that the individual is not mentally under the control of the masses or another individual. participatory democracy arises from the necessity of individuals to organize.
if you learn about anarchism i assure you that you will like it.
Try to pass an AP test with this crap! haha I can learn world knowledge in the world, it would suck how many opportunities i would miss going through school like this
AP exams in america are no harder than a normal exam here in Spain, and i'm telling you from personal exprience. there is no multiple choice in spain. but i personally prefer free schooling because it makes you responsible. school right now just fails to enlighten the masses, so it should just be taken out.
well they are basically the same as the college class so you can take a years worth of garbage out of your undergrad. You can also get into the elite colleges by doing well in these courses. Unfortunately, you would have to do this much on your own in a school like this, and things such as AP chemistry which I am taking are absolutely impossible as they have nobody that could teach it, and you need that, and they don't have the equipment. and can't since the school is so small
why do you think they dont have the equipment? it's a private school. once these schools start to play a bigger role in society, there will be schools which merge to do certain projects which one school alone can't do. same with small businesses if they can replace big corporations.
well with the small businesses, when they become big they will become no different than the corporations, there just has to be a greater number of smaller ones. but anyway, rather than doing this, which wouldn't work so well at all in tough areas, they should just allow students to sign up for whatever classes they want and whatever tests they want. That way one could focus more on what they want to, while still getting some required undergrad courses out of the way
looking at it from a buddhist perspective, i think it is necessary to have education systems which make people think for themselves, without masters. it is necessary for people to become responsible and to seek for themselves what is good for them and society.
technological progress is only a means to an ends. it is helpful, but not necessary. individual progress and wisdom should be valued above all things.
well the education system can't be blamed for people not becoming responsible. I mean, we are intelligent beings able to weigh out our options. Thinking for yourself is also independent of most school subjects. the objectives are to learn facts, and learning how to think comes on your own as you complete the assignments
"I mean, we are intelligent beings able to weigh out our options."
apparently not.
"the objectives are to learn facts, and learning how to think comes on your own as you complete the assignments"
you must have a lot of faith in humanity to think people will think for themselves out of their own free will. especially when you look at the way things are going in the world
well that is those people's own faults and things are made so people have plenty of time to turn their lives around. i just don't want the good to be dragged down, or the lazy waste time and government money doing things they don't want to and won't use
the argument is that somebody can not try their whole lives and then turn things around their senior year and get into community college and turn things around further. there is plenty of time and opportunity to succeed there. on the second point you were saying the government should implement these strategies and that is what i was referring to
there is plenty of time and oportunity, of course. most people in first world countries live 70-80 years.
we don't have to learn everything right now. the problem with this culture is that people are programmed to work when they are young and retire while old. if you life the right lifestyle, you could work when you are 90 years old. did you know that people in ancient greece lived to be about 90 a lot of times?
im sure the saturated fat bit doesn't help so much either. mood is important too though. the thing is that ppl aren't physically active enough any more and that causes atrophy and things leading to an earlier death
and you seek a high school that has ap classes along with, hopefully, and IB or Cambridge program. If you can't take a class, you can't take a class. and this does make a huge difference later on in life. you get an enormous head start along with being able to get into better colleges
have you gone to college? do you have a job? i doubt it. in the current world it might matter what grades you get, but from a revolutionary perspective, it doesnt. there are other systems apart from the system the state has set up. there are other many businesses which dont require you to go to school. i can not go to school and take courses in philosophy alone to teach philosophy to groups, or take courses in psychology to be an independent shrink.
well in the grades it also comes the ability to write well, etc, which allows college success in learning things actually in depth enough to matter. and they save money by scholarships
"well in the grades it also comes the ability to write well, etc, which allows college success in learning things actually in depth enough to matter. and they save money by scholarships"
i think this is taking focus away from what really matters.
no its goal isn't to imitate the world, it is to teach you what is harder to learn yourself and make sure you know those things. It, however, is more like the real world than this school because you have to keep up with the pace of others. i do think this would be a good system for small children though, since i would have actually learned things in elementary school
no this is one reality. it just teaches you a certain range of skills to allow you to be successful in a wide range of jobs. Just as a pilot school doesn't necessarily teach you about the 'real world', you need it to fly well. So far, school hasn't given me any confusions over what the world is like, school is just a place to do work for grades
in Chan buddhism, we use Koans, which are short texts which may seem strange or cnotradictory. if analyzed enough, the person will realize that the Koan is more than just a text, it is the act of analyzing the text.
thinking that school is not the real world is a mistake.
school is within the real world, but is its own independent thing much different from working jobs, which is what is mainly meant by the term 'real world'.
yes, but you can't divide between real world and school world. that creates a lot of illusion. people have to be conscious that the family, neighbourhood, school, workplace, communities based on certain ideas (like churches), etc., are all interconnected. they are all a web, and to destroy this web is dangerous. it is the way to alienation and loss of consciousness.
the church can be a place where you get your education, same with private schools, municipal schools, etc.
the problem is when the state tries to regulate this. the state is very alienated from the web of things, even municipal politics can be quite alienated even though it has the ability to be a grassroots democracy.
the key is to create a community. libertarian communalism.
No education system is perfect. This one is just as flawed as the one we have in place.
Why?
This will not work to educate in masses (when the girl talked about 1 on 1 learning)
This "children learning" relies heavily on the group dynamic. You might end up with a group that just doesn't click.
It's a great idea that may work in some cases, but unfortunately it just isn't practical and there is really no proof that people will be able to keep up with the stresses of the working world.
"This "children learning" relies heavily on the group dynamic. You might end up with a group that just doesn't click.
if you can chose what classes to go to, and if the school is run democratically, then of course you will "click" with the group. you will have to learn to deal with those arround you. it creates a lot of responsibility.
"It's a great idea that may work in some cases, but unfortunately it just isn't practical and there is really no proof that people will be able to keep up with the stresses of the working world."
and how do you know our current system makes people able to deal with the world? it does only relative to itself. you have nothing to compare it to except itself. you have to create something else and see if it works. it needs to be tested a lot before you can reject it.
it's not always one on one learning. you can learn from books and your fellow students as well. keep in mind that there are people from all ages there. you can discuss and reason things out for yourself. if there needs to be more teachers, then there will be more demand for teachers, and there will simply be more.
at 1:25 there is my sister the blonde one and at 1:49 are my friends the one on the left makes really good videos check her out at rreesef you wont regret it!
i go to the school, and we take the SAT or ACT if we want. its just not required. i decided to take the ACT even though my college already accepted me, just to see where i was compared to others.
wow, thats even better! I had always thought that you would go to an outside source to do that, like a COmmunity College or something, but its fantastic to know that your school facilitates your learning to such detail, that it caters for induvidual students who wish to do it.
I have GOT to get the democratic school movement rolling in Australia!
I bought the documentary and loved it. To bad there aren't any school nearby. (Dallas/Fort Worth area).Maybe that will change in the future.Check out the video, you'll enjoy it.
I attend Hudson valley Subury school and it is amazing. Weather its just talking or a 5 year old having the best suggestion in JC. Where is fair haven? Perhaps a will try to arrange a visit there sometime!
You don't know what you're talking about. This model has been tried for forty years. 50% go directly from sudbury schools to college. 89% get into the college of their first choice. 80% graduate from college. 42% become entrepreneurs. Sudbury students never get test scores so your test scores story is invented.
I this is a great concept for mentally healthy kids with good parents. The freedom will create creative responsible minds. On the other hand it can go terribly wrong.
do they go to the other schools for better test scores? better teachers? better accredited schools? or do they go because thats the only way that society will look them as successful. The idea of school as it is now is ridiculous. No these kids may not be the most educated but it is in the right track.
OF COURSE normal schooling is the only way they will be seen as successful. companies aren't run like a democracy; if you are told to do something by your boss by a certain deadline, you do it.
all companies have meetings of course, and people can discuss things with their supervisors, but you can't say "I'll come in to work, but I'll do that report next week instead of this week by the deadline, because I'm not motivated right now. Please pay me anyhow."
All they are doing is inflating these kids' egos (don't tell me that they don't all think they're hot shit), while allowing their reading, writing, and arithmetic abilities to suffer.
thats not really how it ends up working i am a fairhaven alumni and i work for a photography company. fairhaven taught me to adjust to my surroundings. I'm successful in collage and having no problems with productivity. now I have seen the additude that your talking about in some of the students and its a sad thing to watch. they tend to not do anything with their lives and sit around doing nothing. but you know in standard schooling the same effect is seen as the "slackers" who don't put...
When I got to collage I was painfully aware that my writing skills had been comprised and I had to take responsibility for my actions(or inaction as it would seem).but I worked very hard to get to were i am in life. somethings you've pointed out are very true and need to be addressed.fairhaven is a what you make it.
This video is one of my favorites. I love Fairhaven. I love going there. Its amazingness. It works better than most people think. And it prepares kids for the real word more than the public schools do.
It's great and all in theory but in reality the world can't be run by a bunch of kids who can "think" but don't have the practical knowledge to function in a way that benefits society as a whole.
How did you conclude this? These students, run a complex participatory democracy including executive, legislative and judicial functions, manage private businesses and actually run their lives?
How to think? You're damn right. Children do need to be told how to think, or they won't know what is expected of them in real life. How many of them can write well, or do algebra properly, or show you how to set up a lab?
Learn something. Anything. Even trade skills. But for god's sake, learn something!
Children are perfectly capable of determining what is expected of them with out being told what to think. The point here is they are also capable of examining the situation and deciding whether it's in their best interest to do what is expected of them. To many people in this world do what is expected of them because "it's what everyone else is doing". Children here develop a sense of self. I Graduated here and I am perfectly capable of understanding algebra.
That is the best school ive seen education wise... but its a fucking shack! Get some computers.. and paint on those walls damn!
"babys need to be held and teenagers need to talk to develope properly" Well, if you were held.. and your talking.. you obviously are an exception to the rule, cause you turned out really really wrong. Human interaction is for the weak minded, stop being hive creatures and learn to stop having to validate your existance through others.
I actually like this idea as appose to half of these narrow minded critics. Instead of going to the same school every day, daydreaming,and watching a teacher shove subjects (that barely even pertain to what a kid wants to do in the future,) down their throats.Instead you have this "unschool" that you can choose what you want,when you want,and who teaches it to you. I would only really recommend this to kids 14 to 18 (maybe younger depending on their intelligence and maturity).
also, every technique has its pitfalls, but surprisingly in this video the downfalls were not mentioned. this just adds to its illegitimacy. if the teaching technique really works, the pros should outweigh the cons, and so you shouldn't refrain from stating the cons as well.
I think unschooling is bullshit, but I can accept the fact that it might work for a small percentage of students. however, I would like to see some evidence other than case studies and vivid testimonials before I accept this as fact. so far, I haven't seen any legitimate studies in this area, only testimonials of STUDENTS who SAY they are learning a lot.
@proximateXplatypus i know this is REALLY old but still... i went to this school after 4th grade because the public schooling system "failed to meet my educational needs". i went there for two years and came back to public school for the 7th grade. i took no classes at the school or homeschooling and i still tested into advanced classes and if i chose to, i could have skipped the 7th grade.
@idontliketrees I still stick with my point of view. great that you succeeded, but your results cannot be generalized to the american population. in fact, in studies of discovery learning vs direct instruction, discovery learning produced fewer children who became masterful of the target skill (critical thinking) than direct instruction. these results can be generalized because the children were randomly assigned.
@proximateXplatypus These results mean absolutely nothing because most or all of the research is done with kids who have had a lifetime of traditional schooling and because discovery learning in a traditional setting equals democratic education precisely zero. It's the freedom and not the type of learning that matters. There is data about it, I can't paste links here, just try Sudbury Valley or send me a mail.
also, basic algebra is common curriculum for 11 year olds. I remember learning algebra when I was in elementary school. algebra doesn't have to be a long equation, it can be as simple as x*5=15. how do we know these students are at the LEVEL they should be at?
Thanks so much for your comment on the school model.
Please feel free to add more. I think people would be very interested in hearing from someone with as much direct experience as you (5 years) such as: what age did you first start, how come you weren't interested before in the subjects you now are behind in, what do you do now (what kind of school and why.)
I think a school like this would be very excellent for gifted kids that have quite a bit of drive, and have an idea of what they want to do. However, I think this would be very difficult for certain kids as well.
From what this looks like, It wouldn't be too far fro my experiences in College. Go someplace decide what you want to learn about,, and its your responsibility to get it done. Consider 120 person weed-out courses in Universities, where you either want it, or you don't. Better yet, look up St. John's College in Annapolis. This school might be an excellent lead in to that system.
After deciding whether you like the model or not, consider the aims of education & if this curriculum meets those aims: creating critical thinkers, good workers, future voters, college students, conformists, etc. Irrespective of your personal preferences, such a model does meet Dewey's notions of democratic pedagogy. That said, no single curriculum can meet the needs of every student and alternatives like this are healthy and desirable.
i like this system, but in some ways, it is very unrealistic. there are somethings that EVERYONE should learn. if this system is followed by everyone in the world, i dont think people would have such unity as now since we would all know different things. going to school to talk for a whole day isnt something very reasonable. im all for picking your classes and your times, but theres a limit.
From first impressions I believe this is a great way to intellectually stimulate children, but it lacks academically preparing them for the college and university world. I don't see a child from this school doing very well in higher learning institution.
notjawn, thanks for the initial consideration. Please do check out the 25-year study on just this issue. You'll find students, on the whole, are better academically prepared than most. I would also urge you to view this documentary made by Harvard/Smithsonian/Annenberg: learner dot org slash resources slash series26 dot html
Seeing things like this makes me feel sick as I look at my horribly underfunded high school. Its going to take a long time for education to radically change. I hope I can improve it for future generations so they don't have to suffer my fate.
"The Pursuit of Happiness" 25-year Survey of Alumni - College, Jobs, Life, Social Contribution (the most detailed and comprehensive quantitative analysis of ANY school's outcomes)
Fairhaven School as well as a number of other 'Sudbury' schools is private. You can see tuition information at the various school sites. Tuition tends to be at the middle-low range.
I'm seeing posts with lots of concerns about how well prepared these students are for the real world. Do check out the 20-year study on their graduates - the most in-depth and thorough ever carried out by any school:
sudburyvalleyschool dot com.
Click on "Bookstore" and under "What Becomes of Students"
It was a nice read. Preferably an autodidact myself, I'm quite jealous of the way students guide themselves at Sudbury. Is the school a private school or public school?
This seems to be interesting, although I'm not sure it would work on such a large scale. Keeping it limited, I think, is the key. These kids seem to actually like learning this way. I don't really like my current learning methods.
So how many of those students have graduated from a prestigious college? Or attained any form of higher learning? All I see is a bunch of kids playing sports and gba's. I'm all for a more liberal form of schooling, it's just that what's shown in the video is a bit too liberal.
Brilliant! If schools in the United States don't start looking like this, we're in for a big shock. Because of technology, we have no idea what jobs will look like in 10,20 years. To thrive in the information age, you have to be flexible, adaptable and creative, which is what these kids are. Americans have become fat, lazy, and stupid and take for granted that USA is #1. Think again.
I have some questions. All these kids featured seems like well behaved nice kids, are they all like that? Are there any trouble makers and how are they dealt with?
To the person who posted about this not being a democracy: America is a democracy is it not? How is that working out? Were out there trying to bring democracy to Iraq, when were here being a tyranny.
How is this relivent? Well, lets say that the rules are stretched in every society.
looks pretty cool but i'm not sure if it'd work for everyone... Also, is it just me or do a lot of the children that attend New American Schoolhouse look to be, umm, well "special"?
This is the way education is supposed to be. I am reluctant to bring children into this backward world. however, should that ever happen, all my kids are going to Sudbury.
People should know that Fairhaven is a Sudbury school, where kids enjoy real freedom and democracy! Google Sudbury Schools
How cruel to graduate from a Sudbury school to live in a world where freedom and democracy are mostly PR words. If you want to take the "mock" out of democracy, google ratify national initiative
THe present school system dumbs the students down. The school system is designed to put out "yes men" workers for the big corporations and govt, not educated independent thinkers. Save your kids. google: john taylor gatto
Left and right wing are just abstractions? Complexity? Looks like they teach the big high-level inaccurate ideas there too -- that'll allow them to keep a job on the outside.
I am not convinced. These kids are not necessarily excited about learning per se, as some people have commented, but about doing whatever they want. Stop focusing on making kids want to learn, and make them learn! To suggest that traditional schools do not foster a love of learning is, I think, contradicted by the experience in countries with more traditional school systems that simultaneously have much more vibrant intellectual cultures.
Oddly, I found this video because I've been looking for a school like this for my son. This is exactly what I could have used as a kid growing up myself, and it appears that both of my boys are heading down the same path that I went down. Danny has produced an excellent video, and has only peaked my interest in this school further.
btw i found this video googling,i hate doing homework :)im in college,and i just dont feel like writing a paper about a work of art.if i wanted to know about a work of art,then i would on my own time.and also for english class, i wrote an argumentative paper on sexual harassment awareness...instead of writing some long paper,which i hate,i couldve talked to the director of diversity department and interviewed him.that wouldve been more effective.i dont think im going to survive for long
MusicPlaylistEmail 1 year ago
i dont believe in age, i dont believe in gender. it's great to hear others stating beliefs deviant from conventional wisdom. a breath of fresh air
MusicPlaylistEmail 1 year ago
I'm in love with a youtube playlist.
Great work. Loved the film.
mangoswiss 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
You should go to this school, if you want to be a janitor
whateverg1012 1 year ago
You should go to this school, if you want to be a janitor
whateverg1012 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Free inexhaustible energy is real!But there are very powerfull forces that want to supress the technology,if you want a real Free energy Magnet Motor, get the blueprints at LT-MAGNET-MOTORdotCOM ,Be the revolution!
despinapjr 1 year ago
well a kid's parents should know their kids well enough to know if discovery learning would be beneficial to them or not in the first place.
idontliketrees 1 year ago
I love sudbury schools i'm not sure if you've heard of it but i go to the circle school its great
crapcake813 1 year ago
@hugobossdb They don't take tests...
Treemeadow 1 year ago
This is a wonderful ideal for global thinkers however; linear thinkers will have a real hard time of it.
robb1031 2 years ago
I know this documentary off by heart.
I'm trying to get one started in NSW Australia.
Treemeadow 2 years ago
Have you ever noticed that when school kids are interviewed (I see this a lot on local news) the way they talk, it's like they only say what they figure they're supposed to say, what they're expected to say, and the way they're expected to say it.
interstitialofficial 2 years ago
A billion things to do. You can sit on the couch, you can read, you can talk! :O OMG!
Hazz112112 2 years ago
yeah for unschooling we need more individual learning type schools should have one of these in Victoria Australia
VIV292 2 years ago
We should.
I'm interested in starting one, and at the moment, I don't care where! I just want one to be around by the time I have kids.
Treemeadow 2 years ago
If you live in Australia, especially NSW, get in contact with me, because I am very keen to get one of these schools going down here.
Treemeadow 2 years ago
I want to go to this school...
;-;
I'm doing english homework right now.
insaneforstuff254 2 years ago
The only way to be successful is to break rules. A friend of mine talked her way into: a master's degree without taking the last year of classes, and numerous jobs at 1/2 time for full pay. She has the the attitude not (snobbishly) that rules don't apply to HER, but that rules are often nothing more than petty logistical problems. Meanwhile sheep-like people pay the price of not asking if they can opt out.
brsaunders 2 years ago
There are some interesting parallels here with a philosophy of education started by Maria Montessori. She was infact the first child psycologist and developed a method of teaching that if implemented in our country would revolutionise our system of gaining knowledge.
1sweetmeat 2 years ago
I think of this more as an analogy. take for example a young child being forced by his/her parent to learn piano. (ie my little sister & also me) however due to the fact that authoritarian constraints were placed on the child, the child will have a dislike of the piano.
However if they were on their own terms, they may or may not have chosen to play piano, but they would've been happier.
Just me trying to get some thoughts out of my head.
quinnsans 3 years ago 6
@quinnsans Bravo. I'm a former Sudbury school student too, went to Clearwater in Seattle (now it is in Bothell, it's moved around a few times). Unforturtunately, my parents had a hard time letting a girl make her own descisions, so I only got to go there a year. Still the best year of my life though. I later on took a nanotechnology class at community college because I became interested in the subject while going to this school. I actually became extemely interested in all the sciences
clandestineirony 1 year ago
(continued from above comment) while going there, and guess how that happened? By playing a video game. Wish I could have stayed longer.
I am currently attending University for my bachelors. My work as of this point focuses largely on social justice. I have done some world travel, interned with a local art studio and currently am laying the foundation for new non-profits to work with disadvantaged youth and homeless populations. I will attend Amnesty International's US conference in the spring.
clandestineirony 1 year ago
Yeah, whatever happend to diversity? For those who want traditional and untraditional I agree with oneother video poster that putting a most 2 hrs in the morning of traditional schooling, then letting them have at it the rest of the day. For the homeschool lovers. You get your fix, and then they get theirs. Best of both worlds.
glowingdarkmatter25 3 years ago
This comment assumes that each individual student isn't 'getting their 2 hrs.' I got news for you.
dmydlack 3 years ago
Democratically-run schools seem like a great way to teach kids to be citizens in democratically-run societies, as people capable of taking responsibility for themselves. As opposed to authoritarian-run schools that prepare them to live in authoritarian societies where the choices are to obey or break the rules in harmful ways.
StarchildSF 3 years ago
Its so refreshing to see that there are environments that encourage true learning for young people and are free of the repressive and stifling conformism of public schools. This gives me hope that the mainstream educational revolution isn't far behind these visionaries.
MKSmith81 3 years ago 2
As for people's "bashing" towards the school system we have in place...
School doesn't try to force you into thinking a certain way.
It TEACHES you to LEARN, ANALYZE and COMMUNICATE in different ways.
We have to take certain courses because they are the basis for primary leaning, they give us a different taste of how we can use our brains in different ways. As you get older, you get to choose more and more, start specializing in what you love to do once you have a bit of everything.
taknu2skule 3 years ago
"It TEACHES you to LEARN, ANALYZE and COMMUNICATE in different ways."
no it doesn't. in Franco's dictatorship you could question to some extenct, but only to some extenct, and same with the education system. people not only have to be allowed to discuss in between themselves (not just with teachers), but they also have to be motivated to question. the current system teaches you to rely on one authority instead on making decisions for yourself. this kills responsibility.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
"give us a different taste of how we can use our brains in different ways."
haven't you ever observed a child? or have you ever observed your own childhood? children question and try different things all the time. they are driven by their curiosity. this curiosity should be allowed to flourish. this creates freedom, followed by knowledge, followed by responsibility, and followed by more kowledge again.
this is the only education system which creates responsibility in freedom.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
these schools aren't new, they have been arround since at least the 30s, when they were tested in spain by the anarchists. they seemed to have worked quite well, and they still do. they are appearing again with the growing anarchist movement, and they will grow in number.
it un-alienates people, it teaches them the meaning of freedom, and it teaches them responsibility. it will create the type of people who will revolutionize the world.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
Important to note: these are the most internally and externally lawful schools around. Anarchy does not reign; participatory democracy does.
dmydlack 3 years ago
although participatory democracy is not fundamental in anarchism, it does play a key role. anarchism requires a mix between participatory democracy and individual freedom. individual freedom is mostly in the mind; it is a consciousness. it implies that the individual is not mentally under the control of the masses or another individual. participatory democracy arises from the necessity of individuals to organize.
if you learn about anarchism i assure you that you will like it.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
Try to pass an AP test with this crap! haha I can learn world knowledge in the world, it would suck how many opportunities i would miss going through school like this
parquar 3 years ago
why would you miss opportunities?
AP exams in america are no harder than a normal exam here in Spain, and i'm telling you from personal exprience. there is no multiple choice in spain. but i personally prefer free schooling because it makes you responsible. school right now just fails to enlighten the masses, so it should just be taken out.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
well they are basically the same as the college class so you can take a years worth of garbage out of your undergrad. You can also get into the elite colleges by doing well in these courses. Unfortunately, you would have to do this much on your own in a school like this, and things such as AP chemistry which I am taking are absolutely impossible as they have nobody that could teach it, and you need that, and they don't have the equipment. and can't since the school is so small
parquar 3 years ago
why do you think they dont have the equipment? it's a private school. once these schools start to play a bigger role in society, there will be schools which merge to do certain projects which one school alone can't do. same with small businesses if they can replace big corporations.
this is a very important thing in mutualism
god0fmusic 3 years ago
well with the small businesses, when they become big they will become no different than the corporations, there just has to be a greater number of smaller ones. but anyway, rather than doing this, which wouldn't work so well at all in tough areas, they should just allow students to sign up for whatever classes they want and whatever tests they want. That way one could focus more on what they want to, while still getting some required undergrad courses out of the way
parquar 3 years ago
well, that'd be a huge step forward no doubt. but it has to be thought about carefully. i think both things need to be experimented with.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
looking at it from a buddhist perspective, i think it is necessary to have education systems which make people think for themselves, without masters. it is necessary for people to become responsible and to seek for themselves what is good for them and society.
technological progress is only a means to an ends. it is helpful, but not necessary. individual progress and wisdom should be valued above all things.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
well the education system can't be blamed for people not becoming responsible. I mean, we are intelligent beings able to weigh out our options. Thinking for yourself is also independent of most school subjects. the objectives are to learn facts, and learning how to think comes on your own as you complete the assignments
parquar 3 years ago
"I mean, we are intelligent beings able to weigh out our options."
apparently not.
"the objectives are to learn facts, and learning how to think comes on your own as you complete the assignments"
you must have a lot of faith in humanity to think people will think for themselves out of their own free will. especially when you look at the way things are going in the world
god0fmusic 3 years ago
well that is those people's own faults and things are made so people have plenty of time to turn their lives around. i just don't want the good to be dragged down, or the lazy waste time and government money doing things they don't want to and won't use
parquar 3 years ago
"well that is those people's own faults and things are made so people have plenty of time to turn their lives around"
that's not an argument, that's a rant. next time come up with an argument.
"i just don't want the good to be dragged down, or the lazy waste time and government money doing things they don't want to and won't use"
i believe this school is private.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
the argument is that somebody can not try their whole lives and then turn things around their senior year and get into community college and turn things around further. there is plenty of time and opportunity to succeed there. on the second point you were saying the government should implement these strategies and that is what i was referring to
parquar 3 years ago
there is plenty of time and oportunity, of course. most people in first world countries live 70-80 years.
we don't have to learn everything right now. the problem with this culture is that people are programmed to work when they are young and retire while old. if you life the right lifestyle, you could work when you are 90 years old. did you know that people in ancient greece lived to be about 90 a lot of times?
god0fmusic 3 years ago
maybe we dont live to be 90 because we are not really happy.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
im sure the saturated fat bit doesn't help so much either. mood is important too though. the thing is that ppl aren't physically active enough any more and that causes atrophy and things leading to an earlier death
parquar 3 years ago
opportunities are not to be given and accepted, parquar, but rather sought and seized.
solara12345678 3 years ago
and you seek a high school that has ap classes along with, hopefully, and IB or Cambridge program. If you can't take a class, you can't take a class. and this does make a huge difference later on in life. you get an enormous head start along with being able to get into better colleges
parquar 3 years ago
have you gone to college? do you have a job? i doubt it. in the current world it might matter what grades you get, but from a revolutionary perspective, it doesnt. there are other systems apart from the system the state has set up. there are other many businesses which dont require you to go to school. i can not go to school and take courses in philosophy alone to teach philosophy to groups, or take courses in psychology to be an independent shrink.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
well in the grades it also comes the ability to write well, etc, which allows college success in learning things actually in depth enough to matter. and they save money by scholarships
parquar 3 years ago
"well in the grades it also comes the ability to write well, etc, which allows college success in learning things actually in depth enough to matter. and they save money by scholarships"
i think this is taking focus away from what really matters.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
'what really matters' people can learn themselves. if they needed help, nobody could have learned it to teach it in the first place
parquar 3 years ago
"'what really matters' people can learn themselves."
is that an argument for free-schooling?
god0fmusic 3 years ago
its saying that people can learn real world skills in the real world alone. that is all
parquar 3 years ago
like school is a fake world, right?
god0fmusic 3 years ago
no its goal isn't to imitate the world, it is to teach you what is harder to learn yourself and make sure you know those things. It, however, is more like the real world than this school because you have to keep up with the pace of others. i do think this would be a good system for small children though, since i would have actually learned things in elementary school
parquar 3 years ago
i dont think you have answered my question. is school a different reality? is it in the world of platonic forms? is it... in heaven or in hell?
if it were, wouldn't that still be the real world?
standard schooling doesnt seem to teach you that you are always in the real world.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
no this is one reality. it just teaches you a certain range of skills to allow you to be successful in a wide range of jobs. Just as a pilot school doesn't necessarily teach you about the 'real world', you need it to fly well. So far, school hasn't given me any confusions over what the world is like, school is just a place to do work for grades
parquar 3 years ago
in Chan buddhism, we use Koans, which are short texts which may seem strange or cnotradictory. if analyzed enough, the person will realize that the Koan is more than just a text, it is the act of analyzing the text.
thinking that school is not the real world is a mistake.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
school is within the real world, but is its own independent thing much different from working jobs, which is what is mainly meant by the term 'real world'.
parquar 3 years ago
yes, but you can't divide between real world and school world. that creates a lot of illusion. people have to be conscious that the family, neighbourhood, school, workplace, communities based on certain ideas (like churches), etc., are all interconnected. they are all a web, and to destroy this web is dangerous. it is the way to alienation and loss of consciousness.
the church can be a place where you get your education, same with private schools, municipal schools, etc.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
the problem is when the state tries to regulate this. the state is very alienated from the web of things, even municipal politics can be quite alienated even though it has the ability to be a grassroots democracy.
the key is to create a community. libertarian communalism.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
No education system is perfect. This one is just as flawed as the one we have in place.
Why?
This will not work to educate in masses (when the girl talked about 1 on 1 learning)
This "children learning" relies heavily on the group dynamic. You might end up with a group that just doesn't click.
It's a great idea that may work in some cases, but unfortunately it just isn't practical and there is really no proof that people will be able to keep up with the stresses of the working world.
taknu2skule 3 years ago
"This "children learning" relies heavily on the group dynamic. You might end up with a group that just doesn't click.
if you can chose what classes to go to, and if the school is run democratically, then of course you will "click" with the group. you will have to learn to deal with those arround you. it creates a lot of responsibility.
god0fmusic 3 years ago 2
"It's a great idea that may work in some cases, but unfortunately it just isn't practical and there is really no proof that people will be able to keep up with the stresses of the working world."
and how do you know our current system makes people able to deal with the world? it does only relative to itself. you have nothing to compare it to except itself. you have to create something else and see if it works. it needs to be tested a lot before you can reject it.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
"This will not work to educate in masses"
it's not always one on one learning. you can learn from books and your fellow students as well. keep in mind that there are people from all ages there. you can discuss and reason things out for yourself. if there needs to be more teachers, then there will be more demand for teachers, and there will simply be more.
god0fmusic 3 years ago
I hate my school. GCSE's are really stressfull, and theres so many stuck up people in my school.... =/
thorpeparkfanatic 3 years ago
What does it take to 'teach' here?
wikedawesome 3 years ago
at 1:25 there is my sister the blonde one and at 1:49 are my friends the one on the left makes really good videos check her out at rreesef you wont regret it!
americangirljulie 3 years ago
hi danny its emma
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gronaldo62 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
This is aload of bolocks....
EmoicSuicide 3 years ago
Nope- these kids are educated and motivated to a far superior standard than "traditional schools"
(sppf, standard? we're humans! Why do we have to have EVERYONE meet the same standard?)
Treemeadow 3 years ago 2
Sudbury schools don't have tests- they don't get test scores!
They don't even do SATs! You made that up.
Treemeadow 3 years ago
i go to the school, and we take the SAT or ACT if we want. its just not required. i decided to take the ACT even though my college already accepted me, just to see where i was compared to others.
ProfessorLonghair90 3 years ago
wow, thats even better! I had always thought that you would go to an outside source to do that, like a COmmunity College or something, but its fantastic to know that your school facilitates your learning to such detail, that it caters for induvidual students who wish to do it.
I have GOT to get the democratic school movement rolling in Australia!
Treemeadow 3 years ago 2
I bought the documentary and loved it. To bad there aren't any school nearby. (Dallas/Fort Worth area).Maybe that will change in the future.Check out the video, you'll enjoy it.
extremelibrary 3 years ago 2
why dont you start one? if you want something, take initiative to get it done.
ProfessorLonghair90 3 years ago
great video.
I attend Hudson valley Subury school and it is amazing. Weather its just talking or a 5 year old having the best suggestion in JC. Where is fair haven? Perhaps a will try to arrange a visit there sometime!
bswidestance 3 years ago
You don't know what you're talking about. This model has been tried for forty years. 50% go directly from sudbury schools to college. 89% get into the college of their first choice. 80% graduate from college. 42% become entrepreneurs. Sudbury students never get test scores so your test scores story is invented.
RfrancisR 3 years ago
its great
if youve got $7280 to spend
jerms246 3 years ago
rubbish to ours part.
milennio 3 years ago
I am happy to see that the American school proceeds well.
Italy is disgusting.
I hate our society, where they live solo animal and it feels him every day someone whom beats to died some other... we are always aimed at.
iS A Shame.
you look for The Word '' BULLISMO '' And you See The Fifth Video Under.
and Also The Others.
you look at italy equal is to spazatura but in the schools.
Hate.
milennio 3 years ago
I this is a great concept for mentally healthy kids with good parents. The freedom will create creative responsible minds. On the other hand it can go terribly wrong.
F00dTube 4 years ago
so can normal schooling.
Treemeadow 3 years ago
do they go to the other schools for better test scores? better teachers? better accredited schools? or do they go because thats the only way that society will look them as successful. The idea of school as it is now is ridiculous. No these kids may not be the most educated but it is in the right track.
RyanMcB123 4 years ago
OF COURSE normal schooling is the only way they will be seen as successful. companies aren't run like a democracy; if you are told to do something by your boss by a certain deadline, you do it.
proximateXplatypus 3 years ago
(continued)
all companies have meetings of course, and people can discuss things with their supervisors, but you can't say "I'll come in to work, but I'll do that report next week instead of this week by the deadline, because I'm not motivated right now. Please pay me anyhow."
All they are doing is inflating these kids' egos (don't tell me that they don't all think they're hot shit), while allowing their reading, writing, and arithmetic abilities to suffer.
proximateXplatypus 3 years ago
thats not really how it ends up working i am a fairhaven alumni and i work for a photography company. fairhaven taught me to adjust to my surroundings. I'm successful in collage and having no problems with productivity. now I have seen the additude that your talking about in some of the students and its a sad thing to watch. they tend to not do anything with their lives and sit around doing nothing. but you know in standard schooling the same effect is seen as the "slackers" who don't put...
ladybluerose 3 years ago
(continued)any effort into their education.
When I got to collage I was painfully aware that my writing skills had been comprised and I had to take responsibility for my actions(or inaction as it would seem).but I worked very hard to get to were i am in life. somethings you've pointed out are very true and need to be addressed.fairhaven is a what you make it.
ladybluerose 3 years ago
This video is one of my favorites. I love Fairhaven. I love going there. Its amazingness. It works better than most people think. And it prepares kids for the real word more than the public schools do.
actress91 4 years ago
lol u think these kids will last after a while they'll get bored and run off to do other stuff
bugie666 4 years ago
Hi,
Where the heck did you get ur info??? What test scores???
dmydlack 4 years ago
It's great and all in theory but in reality the world can't be run by a bunch of kids who can "think" but don't have the practical knowledge to function in a way that benefits society as a whole.
skitzophr3ak 4 years ago
skitzophr3ak,
How did you conclude this? These students, run a complex participatory democracy including executive, legislative and judicial functions, manage private businesses and actually run their lives?
dmydlack 4 years ago
I agree. Traditional schools are pumping out poorly educated students. The US ranks near the very bottom of western schools.
bones1947 3 years ago
All right, they get hugs. Yay for them.
How to think? You're damn right. Children do need to be told how to think, or they won't know what is expected of them in real life. How many of them can write well, or do algebra properly, or show you how to set up a lab?
Learn something. Anything. Even trade skills. But for god's sake, learn something!
radiofan6872 4 years ago
Children are perfectly capable of determining what is expected of them with out being told what to think. The point here is they are also capable of examining the situation and deciding whether it's in their best interest to do what is expected of them. To many people in this world do what is expected of them because "it's what everyone else is doing". Children here develop a sense of self. I Graduated here and I am perfectly capable of understanding algebra.
alibug2u 2 years ago 9
(continued) I have never gotten less than a 97% on a paper and I can set up a lab.
alibug2u 2 years ago
@alibug2u Yay a janitor who knows algebra
whateverg1012 1 year ago
That is the best school ive seen education wise... but its a fucking shack! Get some computers.. and paint on those walls damn!
"babys need to be held and teenagers need to talk to develope properly" Well, if you were held.. and your talking.. you obviously are an exception to the rule, cause you turned out really really wrong. Human interaction is for the weak minded, stop being hive creatures and learn to stop having to validate your existance through others.
ReviewedComic 4 years ago
I actually like this idea as appose to half of these narrow minded critics. Instead of going to the same school every day, daydreaming,and watching a teacher shove subjects (that barely even pertain to what a kid wants to do in the future,) down their throats.Instead you have this "unschool" that you can choose what you want,when you want,and who teaches it to you. I would only really recommend this to kids 14 to 18 (maybe younger depending on their intelligence and maturity).
JeeprzCreepers56 4 years ago
13thwarrior: what does "These kids have remedial vocabulary skills." mean?
remedial:
--adjective
1. affording remedy; tending to remedy something.
2. intended to correct or improve one's skill in a specified field: remedial math.
dmydlack 4 years ago
These kids can't effectively describe their experiences.
They need tools that will allow them the opportunity to succeed.
Mucking around pretending to acquire these skills does not constitute real-life effectiveness.
I didn't so much look at this video as I listened to it.
These kids have remedial vocabulary skills.
the13thwarrior 4 years ago
also, every technique has its pitfalls, but surprisingly in this video the downfalls were not mentioned. this just adds to its illegitimacy. if the teaching technique really works, the pros should outweigh the cons, and so you shouldn't refrain from stating the cons as well.
proximateXplatypus 4 years ago
I think unschooling is bullshit, but I can accept the fact that it might work for a small percentage of students. however, I would like to see some evidence other than case studies and vivid testimonials before I accept this as fact. so far, I haven't seen any legitimate studies in this area, only testimonials of STUDENTS who SAY they are learning a lot.
proximateXplatypus 4 years ago
who would know what theyre learning and doing all day better then the students?
ProfessorLonghair90 4 years ago
@proximateXplatypus i know this is REALLY old but still... i went to this school after 4th grade because the public schooling system "failed to meet my educational needs". i went there for two years and came back to public school for the 7th grade. i took no classes at the school or homeschooling and i still tested into advanced classes and if i chose to, i could have skipped the 7th grade.
idontliketrees 1 year ago
@idontliketrees I still stick with my point of view. great that you succeeded, but your results cannot be generalized to the american population. in fact, in studies of discovery learning vs direct instruction, discovery learning produced fewer children who became masterful of the target skill (critical thinking) than direct instruction. these results can be generalized because the children were randomly assigned.
proximateXplatypus 1 year ago
@proximateXplatypus These results mean absolutely nothing because most or all of the research is done with kids who have had a lifetime of traditional schooling and because discovery learning in a traditional setting equals democratic education precisely zero. It's the freedom and not the type of learning that matters. There is data about it, I can't paste links here, just try Sudbury Valley or send me a mail.
youteacher78 1 year ago
@idontliketrees continued.--obviously discovery learning DOES work for some children, but not all or a majority.
proximateXplatypus 1 year ago
(continued)
also, basic algebra is common curriculum for 11 year olds. I remember learning algebra when I was in elementary school. algebra doesn't have to be a long equation, it can be as simple as x*5=15. how do we know these students are at the LEVEL they should be at?
proximateXplatypus 4 years ago
post this as a video response to MWesch's new video on students :)
zackwolk 4 years ago
WTF
ToxiicTiiger 4 years ago
If any of these kids become great theoretical physicists. Then Ill be impressed.
dragoonthief 4 years ago
this excites me.
rilezone 4 years ago
I went to a sudbury school for 5 years
It teaches great life skills. But at 7-12 yrs old
kids need to be told what to do. I knew kids that were
10 and could not read.I am also behind in math
and other places because of this school .
ebluedemon20 4 years ago
Thanks so much for your comment on the school model.
Please feel free to add more. I think people would be very interested in hearing from someone with as much direct experience as you (5 years) such as: what age did you first start, how come you weren't interested before in the subjects you now are behind in, what do you do now (what kind of school and why.)
Thanks again for you care to write.
Danny (the filmmaker)
dmydlack 4 years ago
Man, I've seen some nerds before, but...
russellziske 4 years ago
hey thats my school your talking about russellziske and yes we are nerd and bloody proud of it
ladybluerose 4 years ago
This is fantastic... Equal to "Unschooling" in the single family...
I absolutely AGREE with this philosophy and have seen it work over and over again.
kastnmagic 4 years ago
holly crap, back when i was 12, i looked retarded
UndyingSilentm 4 years ago
this is amazing, it teaches kids personal responsibility and really prepares them for being an adult.
thedailyd 4 years ago 2
WHAT THE HELL?!
camilovesyoux 4 years ago
what's so impressive about doing algebra at 11? i thought regular kids do them at that age?
silverfiery 4 years ago
Generally, pre-algebra 8th grade (13 years old,) Algebra proper 9th (14 years old.)
dmydlack 4 years ago
yea thats when I learned algebra.(dmydlack)
JeeprzCreepers56 4 years ago
I think a school like this would be very excellent for gifted kids that have quite a bit of drive, and have an idea of what they want to do. However, I think this would be very difficult for certain kids as well.
supremespleen 4 years ago
From what this looks like, It wouldn't be too far fro my experiences in College. Go someplace decide what you want to learn about,, and its your responsibility to get it done. Consider 120 person weed-out courses in Universities, where you either want it, or you don't. Better yet, look up St. John's College in Annapolis. This school might be an excellent lead in to that system.
CesiumKitty 4 years ago
After deciding whether you like the model or not, consider the aims of education & if this curriculum meets those aims: creating critical thinkers, good workers, future voters, college students, conformists, etc. Irrespective of your personal preferences, such a model does meet Dewey's notions of democratic pedagogy. That said, no single curriculum can meet the needs of every student and alternatives like this are healthy and desirable.
SixPantsMaloney 4 years ago
I think it's a great idea to have this system
untill Jr High School, but once the kids go
to High School they need to leard the learning system
of most college and university.
Mourtaz 4 years ago
Mourtaz but when you think of it not every kid goes to college.
JeeprzCreepers56 4 years ago
i like this system, but in some ways, it is very unrealistic. there are somethings that EVERYONE should learn. if this system is followed by everyone in the world, i dont think people would have such unity as now since we would all know different things. going to school to talk for a whole day isnt something very reasonable. im all for picking your classes and your times, but theres a limit.
YummyBubbyStickyGum 4 years ago
From first impressions I believe this is a great way to intellectually stimulate children, but it lacks academically preparing them for the college and university world. I don't see a child from this school doing very well in higher learning institution.
notjawn 4 years ago
notjawn, thanks for the initial consideration. Please do check out the 25-year study on just this issue. You'll find students, on the whole, are better academically prepared than most. I would also urge you to view this documentary made by Harvard/Smithsonian/Annenberg: learner dot org slash resources slash series26 dot html
dmydlack 4 years ago
Seeing things like this makes me feel sick as I look at my horribly underfunded high school. Its going to take a long time for education to radically change. I hope I can improve it for future generations so they don't have to suffer my fate.
BlackCow99 4 years ago
"The Pursuit of Happiness" 25-year Survey of Alumni - College, Jobs, Life, Social Contribution (the most detailed and comprehensive quantitative analysis of ANY school's outcomes)
newamericanschoolhouse dot com
dmydlack 4 years ago
Newamericanschoolhouse site back up (9:06 am est)
dmydlack 4 years ago
newamericanschoolhouse server undergoing a momentary hiccup (Tuesday, May 29, 8:50 am est)
dmydlack 4 years ago
Yeah, I found out about this on Digg.
Thorpe 4 years ago
Thanks for watching.
Danny
dmydlack 4 years ago
Fairhaven School as well as a number of other 'Sudbury' schools is private. You can see tuition information at the various school sites. Tuition tends to be at the middle-low range.
dmydlack 4 years ago
The concept is good and the kids seem pretty well adjusted and rounded individuals. However this is oly going to work for certain types of child.
for me i dont think how this school is run would have worked for me, whilst i like the ideas.
Jetpac3 4 years ago
I'm seeing posts with lots of concerns about how well prepared these students are for the real world. Do check out the 20-year study on their graduates - the most in-depth and thorough ever carried out by any school:
sudburyvalleyschool dot com.
Click on "Bookstore" and under "What Becomes of Students"
dmydlack 4 years ago
It was a nice read. Preferably an autodidact myself, I'm quite jealous of the way students guide themselves at Sudbury. Is the school a private school or public school?
G33kz0r 4 years ago
this is a private school
catlover96 4 years ago
thats some max max style education.
without the richness and care of a public school education these kids are destined to be outcasts and eventually form the real life battle dome.
don't say i didn't warn you
spliffsly 4 years ago
This kinda like homeschooling except different...and looser.
The thing that concerns me is what happens with these kids once they graduate? The world is cruel - it's got its structures and standards...
Whatev I'm glad I graduated grade school & high school...
kublakhan 4 years ago
This seems to be interesting, although I'm not sure it would work on such a large scale. Keeping it limited, I think, is the key. These kids seem to actually like learning this way. I don't really like my current learning methods.
neveryoumind24 4 years ago
So how many of those students have graduated from a prestigious college? Or attained any form of higher learning? All I see is a bunch of kids playing sports and gba's. I'm all for a more liberal form of schooling, it's just that what's shown in the video is a bit too liberal.
G33kz0r 4 years ago
Brilliant! If schools in the United States don't start looking like this, we're in for a big shock. Because of technology, we have no idea what jobs will look like in 10,20 years. To thrive in the information age, you have to be flexible, adaptable and creative, which is what these kids are. Americans have become fat, lazy, and stupid and take for granted that USA is #1. Think again.
cybersmarty 4 years ago
that made me cry. pretty sweet.
masterofunicycles 4 years ago
not 1 hot female in the bunch
Zaii 4 years ago
I have some questions. All these kids featured seems like well behaved nice kids, are they all like that? Are there any trouble makers and how are they dealt with?
sponki 4 years ago
Do see the clip titled "JC." It's the chapter on the Judicial Council. THAT's how discipline is handled five days a week.
dmydlack 4 years ago
so they CAN be thrown out? or what?
sponki 4 years ago
Read some more at sudburyvalleyschool dot com. Check out their link to articles.
dmydlack 4 years ago
Do they smoke weed there too?
xxSetxx 4 years ago
Why all this 'weed' stuff? Straight school is such a deep meme in our culture that obviously any other way has got to be 'far out' and 'wacky!'
dmydlack 4 years ago
I'm jealous thats all. How does the internet work there?
xxSetxx 4 years ago
Filmmaker here. Go to
newamericanschoolhouse to find out more including links, transcripts to the full 80-minute doc. and pictures.
Danny
dmydlack 4 years ago
Anyone else kinda notice that they're all geeks?
gadimus 4 years ago
You gotta be kidding! Geeks. On the net. No way...
dmydlack 4 years ago
To the person who posted about this not being a democracy: America is a democracy is it not? How is that working out? Were out there trying to bring democracy to Iraq, when were here being a tyranny.
How is this relivent? Well, lets say that the rules are stretched in every society.
aPpiknik 4 years ago
America isn't a democracy, its a constitutional Republic.
PowerGoldGuides 4 years ago
Dude I swear that kid in the beginning looks like a 1940s stereotypical Japanese person!
Mooseman7 4 years ago
looks pretty cool but i'm not sure if it'd work for everyone... Also, is it just me or do a lot of the children that attend New American Schoolhouse look to be, umm, well "special"?
iangomes 4 years ago
must be expen$ive!
emoneytrain 4 years ago
This is the way education is supposed to be. I am reluctant to bring children into this backward world. however, should that ever happen, all my kids are going to Sudbury.
viviwanu 4 years ago
People should know that Fairhaven is a Sudbury school, where kids enjoy real freedom and democracy! Google Sudbury Schools
How cruel to graduate from a Sudbury school to live in a world where freedom and democracy are mostly PR words. If you want to take the "mock" out of democracy, google ratify national initiative
Evan Ravitz
EvanRavitz 4 years ago
THe present school system dumbs the students down. The school system is designed to put out "yes men" workers for the big corporations and govt, not educated independent thinkers. Save your kids. google: john taylor gatto
aBookADay 4 years ago
Left and right wing are just abstractions? Complexity? Looks like they teach the big high-level inaccurate ideas there too -- that'll allow them to keep a job on the outside.
ChristianPecaut 4 years ago
I am not convinced. These kids are not necessarily excited about learning per se, as some people have commented, but about doing whatever they want. Stop focusing on making kids want to learn, and make them learn! To suggest that traditional schools do not foster a love of learning is, I think, contradicted by the experience in countries with more traditional school systems that simultaneously have much more vibrant intellectual cultures.
thisisfudd 4 years ago
Oddly, I found this video because I've been looking for a school like this for my son. This is exactly what I could have used as a kid growing up myself, and it appears that both of my boys are heading down the same path that I went down. Danny has produced an excellent video, and has only peaked my interest in this school further.
CesiumKitty 4 years ago