Tagged:
Students
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Age mixing is a constant phenomenon at school. We see it so much that it is not remarkable to us any longer. However, at the annual Halloween dance the “mixing” is part of the fun, and is obvious for all to see. For me, it is still amazing to watch… Read more ›
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When we first enrolled our girls in SVS, I thought the emphasis on having both parents and kids sign things was a little silly or forced. The kids were nervous, not about going to SVS, but how they should sign. Was the first name and last name… Read more ›
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During the summer of 2015, I had what for me was an unusual experience. But first, some background.
Back in early 1968, when the school was in the process of formation, the founding group had split up among themselves the various jobs that had to be… Read more ›
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A school without students is not really a school.
While beautiful and quiet, SVS during the summer can be a bit melancholy, like an empty husk. Hot and humid days don’t make it much better. Yes, summer can be a good time to get things done, and it’s… Read more ›
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I am often asked why I keep working at Sudbury Valley after so many years, doing the same things over and over and over. People wonder what sustains my interest in going camping at Nickerson State Park for five days, followed by an overnight at… Read more ›
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I would bet every student at Sudbury Valley has at some point been pushed by someone outside the school’s community to defend the school. As a student, I've gotten used to full-blown interrogations about my school's "effectiveness." It has happened… Read more ›
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As a new staff member, working at this school has been a wonderful learning experience. It has allowed me to notice certain patterns and common occurrences within the school community. Witnessing them first hand is nothing short of spectacular.
My… Read more ›
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Our family moved to Framingham over six years ago, mostly so our children could attend Sudbury Valley School. When we were researching schools, my husband and I read every book we could find about SVS. My favorite is “Kingdom of Childhood,” the one… Read more ›
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Parental involvement is a term that is used frequently in traditional education. It usually consists of things like volunteering in the classroom, participating in the PTO or chaperoning field trips. On a more insidious level, the involvement of… Read more ›
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Last June, I attended the SVS Moving On Ceremony, which is when the community comes together to celebrate the students who are ending their Sudbury Valley education and continuing on to other endeavors. Many have gone through the process to obtain a… Read more ›
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When I was growing up, I cherished every opportunity not to go to school. If I had a cold, I would play up the symptoms to get a day off. Snow days were manna from heaven. And so it was with my own children in public school. As parents with… Read more ›
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Welcome to the new school year. We are more excited than ever about starting school this year and about (okay, I admit it) the incredible quality of the student body. Yes, we have new and visiting students, and yes they may only make it better, but… Read more ›
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In 1850 the noted French economist Frederic Bastiat wrote a famous essay with the same title, and with a very insightful point: lots of times there are situations where we have no trouble seeing their good side, but don’t think about another side,… Read more ›
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This post originally appeared in The Sudbury Valley School Journal, volume 27, no. 5, May 1998.
A young girl of nine or ten asked me to teach her math. I gave her some problems which she enjoyed doing. Next day she came to me with many sheets of… Read more ›
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I was very amused when I heard that my children were "Playing School" at Sudbury Valley. I learned about this one morning when my daughter urgently needed to print out some "worksheets" before we left for school. God forbid, a teacher arrive at… Read more ›