A Parental Perspective

"I chose this school because...I wanted [my son] to know what makes him happy, and to follow his interests. I didn't want his natural curiosity dulled by school, and it hasn't been."

Clearwater School parent Amanda Klein just posted to the Offbeat Mama blog a post entitled Trusting my child to choose his own adventure: democratic unschooling in action. In a relatively short space, Klein paints a clear, vivid portrait of what Sudbury schooling looks like from a parent's point of view.

"When G was elementary-school age, people were often surprised to hear he spent his school days doing whatever he chose, but there is more mainstream acceptance of the value of play for younger kids. Now that he is 13, their surprise borders on alarm."

In his nine years (and counting) at Clearwater, Klein's son has focused on computer and role-playing games, ultimate frisbee and soccer, He's in an acting class and serves on Computer Committee. He's gone from rarely attending School Meeting to showing up every week. So much for a school where kids do nothing.

Being involved in this community has shown me how much children are capable of, and recently I realized I’ve come to look at adults differently, too. I haven’t just learned to profoundly respect children — I’ve learned a lot about respect, period, and taking people as they come.

It's sometimes said that you don't just enroll a student in a Sudbury school, that the whole family is affected. When children spend their days in an environment in which respect and responsibility are cornerstone values, in which each individual is empowered and given a voice, that can't help but spill over into other spheres of those children's lives.

The level of respect and trust I have for my son and his choices may seem radical, but to me it has become second nature. My confidence in this model of education has only grown as I’ve watched how it has helped G become the knowledgeable, eloquent, sensitive person he is.

This powerful, wide-ranging, and yet ordinary account of how one family has benefited from Sudbury schooling deserves a full read. I encourage you to check out the original post, and to share it with your friends and family.