Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Sudbury School for GT kids?

Hello all

Are any of you familiar with the Sudbury School experience/philosophy?

http://www.sudval.org/

We're relocating, and are very interested in exploring the Sudbury School

http://www.clearwaterschool.com/

Any opinions? I think our particular DS's 9 and 6 would absolutely thrive.

Thanks!

Barbara,

We used to live nearby (the Sudbury Valley school in MA). Friends sent their kids there. A few people I know have checked it out (and kids spent day--or was it week?). Keep in mind that Sudbury Valley tends to have two distinct populations and there is very little guiding by the adult staff. (A few parents have told me of bad experiences their young kids have had with the older kids. Not all of the teenagers there are the role model type.)

Definitely check it out. It's worth the energy to send your child for the visiting week.

Good luck.

I would ask how long has the school been running, and how stable the numbers of kids attending is. Find out how long the majority of kids have been there.

My understanding is that the child's personality is very key to what they will make of the experience. Plus the schools vary so much.

For example - are video games or TV watching allowed? It can get very boring for GT kids if everyone else is content to focus on the screen.

Key thing is to met the kids and meet the parents of the kids.
Best Wishes,
Grinity

All good questions! We will be visiting the school for the first time next week and will get a better "feel" after that.

I can't for the life of me figure out what "grade" Ds9 is "supposed" to be in at this point and he is VERY self directed when it comes to learning - so this model is quite appealing. The specific school? It's been around for 12-13 years and again, we'll know more after next week.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

In some ways it's just like any other school. Look at the pleasure books and text books the kids are reading and learning from. Try to witness one of their 'group meetings' when the kids actually have to decide something, if they will let you. The model is fasinating, but for our kids there is a world of difference between the theory and the practice. Are the adults there (and the dominant kids, in this case) able to concieve that a child might have a need to learn, and an ability to learn at the level your kids do?
Try to engage the staff in some conversations about 'far out there in the smarts department' kids. Have they ever loved a giftie before? Ask about their experience with school as a young person.

good luck,
Grinity

I visited one Sudbury School and to be honest I really didn't like it. The school was way too chaotic for our son. It lucked structure and even though I think kids need some freedom this was too much for me. Our son would be lost there.

There were other things which bothered me. The space the school was using looked old and not well taken care off. I would go as far as saying that it was quite dirty and disorganized.

As with every program the philosophy may be good but it all depends on the particular school and teacher.