Writing by:

Scott David Gray

Blog post |
The phrase “self-directed learning” is used in education circles all over the Internet, and it is often applied to Sudbury Valley. But the term is misleading, and is misapplied. Sudbury Valley has nothing to do with self-directed learning. In the… Read more ›
Blog post |
There is a stigma against people who are perceived to be “doing nothing". The greatest fear that most adults have, vis-a-vis children enrolled in Sudbury Valley, is that those children will do nothing. These fears arise from the failure to see… Read more ›
Blog post |
How can every person be above average? It sounds impossible, but it is a given in the community at Sudbury Valley. Living life with a measuring stick, watching to be certain that you are doing OK by others’ standards, and getting a thumbs up that… Read more ›
Blog post |
When talking about the school, we all find others confused about what we believe, and about what we do. As with most confusion, much of the confusion can be reduced to language. People casually use certain terms loosely and interchangeably as a… Read more ›
Blog post |
Children are born with one overriding drive. They seek to grow up and to gain mastery over their own lives. Any child who grows up in a wider culture that values freedom is naturally jealous of what s/he feels to be her/his right to pursue happiness… Read more ›
Essay post |
I am frequently asked, "Can students in Sudbury schools get sufficient exposure to different ideas?" Exposure in Sudbury Schools In a Sudbury school there are scores of different people, with different interests, from all walks of life, together in… Read more ›
Blog post |
From the point of view of a brand new student, the school is an astonishing (if sometimes overwhelming) place. The freedom to manage one’s own time is generally the first aspect of the school noticed, and it is what attracts a new student first. The… Read more ›
Essay post |
This presentation took place at Jerusalem Sudbury School, on April 18, 2013. Every infant is, at birth, a complete person. An inexperienced person, yes; but complete. Each has wants and needs and desires peculiar to him. Some are more comfortable… Read more ›
Blog post |
Sudbury Valley is an incredible place. Literally so, in that many people just don’t believe that any school could be so pleasant and well-functioning. At least not until they have seen us in action. The aspect of our culture that surprises and… Read more ›
Blog post |
Conversation is a key component of any culture, of how we develop and test our understanding of the world, and it is vital to working in concert with those around us. In 2001, Michael Greenberg presented a compelling description of the role of… Read more ›
Blog post |
Most educators profess, as one of their goals, a desire to change the world. This has been trumpeted as a goal of educators for hundreds or even thousands of years, and is virtually a defining goal of modern education. The very words “change the… Read more ›

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