School Philosophy
Spring Valley School (founded 1997) is modeled after Sudbury Valley School (1968) and adheres to the Sudbury model of education. Students at Sudbury Schools are given complete freedom to choose how to spend their time, as long as they follow the laws of the school and keep up with their school responsibilities. This means that there is no curriculum, formal teaching, age separation, grading or mandatory classes. The purpose of staff is to lead the operations of the school, provide expertise to students and act as role models within the school community.
The school’s philosophy and design is based on the idea that children are naturally curious and driven to learn the things that interest them and that no amount of coercion will lead to mastery of a subject they don’t care about. In fact, forcing or enticing children to learn makes them less likely to seek out subjects they are passionate about.
Giving children the freedom to learn also puts the responsibility for learning on them. Sudbury students come to understand that they are personally responsible for outcomes in their life. Students at Sudbury Schools develop strong “executive function”, the ability to direct themselves and make decisions. This may explain why students from Sudbury School are more likely to become entrepreneurs than their counterparts in traditional schools.
Finally, the school is run as a democracy, with each student and staff having an equal vote in determining everything from school laws, to allocation of funds to staff hiring. Disputes between members of the school are handled by the Judicial Committee, which consists of a panel of both students and staff. This system gives students at Spring Valley control of their environment, which they greatly value and care for.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will my child learn to read, do math … etc.?
It’s normal to wonder how your child will learn academic skills.
Take reading, for example… all children at Sudbury schools eventually learn to read without being forced to do so. The source of the inspiration to read is different for every student. Some see others reading books, school announcements … etc. and want to be able to do the same. Gamers learn to read because it’s necessary to master the game, so they learn very quickly! Others want to read text messages from friends. The bottom line is that motivated and enthusiastic students not only learn skills quickly, they learn them deeply and remember them for a lifetime.
Learning other subjects occurs no differently. Just like adults, Sudbury students delve into a topic when they are genuinely interested in it or they need to understand it to accomplish something. For instance, few students learn math for fun, but many learn it to start a business at school, play video or board games or just to prove to themselves that they can do it. Students applying to college have to learn math. Since they’re highly motivated, they often learn years of math in mere months.
At Sudbury schools, students learn in the way that they will continue to for the rest of their lives: they choose the subject matter and methods.
What if my child isn’t motivated to do anything?
Children are naturally enthusiastic about life and learning. Unfortunately, many lose their spark along the way. Sudbury schools provide a place that these students can “detox” from whatever took away their motivation to learn. After a period of recovery, these students usually regain their zest for life.
Can I send schoolwork?
Sudbury students direct their own education. Sending schoolwork is discouraged if initiated by parents, not students.
Do you accommodate students with special needs or behavioral issues?
Students at Sudbury Schools must be able to be safe in an unsupervised environment without disrupting the activities of other students. Students with special needs or behavioral issues that can meet these requirements are welcome.
What if my child plays video games all day?
Many new students can’t believe they have the freedom to spend their time as they please and sometimes test this by playing video games day after day. Over time, they often become bored with gaming and naturally move on to other things. However, some students that truly have a passion for gaming continue to make it the focus of their time.
In rare cases, gaming does become a problem for students. If a student isn’t performing their duties at school (eg. missing School Meeting, Judicial Committee, Helping Hands) or isn’t following the school laws, they will be written up and will appear before the Judicial Committee. This may result in loss of the freedom to play video games for a period of time.
It’s important to understand that enthusiastic gamers are not playing purely for entertainment or as a way of avoiding the community. They have a real desire to master the games they play and approach it as a serious pursuit. Also, gaming often leads to interest in other fields such as programming, history, astronomy … etc.
How will my child get into college?
A study of Sudbury Valley graduates found that they were accepted into college (including the most selective colleges) at the same rate as their peers from local traditional schools.
Most colleges require a high school diploma or GED, a transcript, an essay, recommendations and possibly standardized test scores.
Spring Valley can’t provide a transcript of grades but we do offer a diploma to students that have attended for at least 3 years. Students that wish to graduate and receive a diploma from Spring Valley must write and defend a thesis in front of a committee that explains how they’re prepared to leave Spring Valley and become a responsible adult in society.
To satisfy the transcript requirement, many students applying to colleges and universities take college courses online or at the local community college. This allows them to demonstrate their ability to succeed in a traditional academic setting. In addition, some students create a portfolio of their work and accomplishments that are accepted in lieu of a transcript.
Students often find that Sudbury schools provide them an advantage when it comes to their essay, as their unique experience sets them apart from other candidates.
Finally, Sudbury school students that decide to go to college often perform better than many of their peers. They understand that they are personally responsible for the outcomes in their lives. They have vast experience managing their own time, unlike their classmates who have simply learned to take direction from adults. Sudbury students intentionally decide to go to college for a specific purpose, often to pursue a true passion, whereas most other college students are there because it’s expected of them.
Attending college for the right reasons not only leads to better outcomes while there, it also leads to better outcomes in life.
What does the staff do?
The purpose of staff is to lead the operations of the school, provide expertise to students and act as a role model within the school community. While staff will gladly teach students a subject that the students asked them to, they will not push students to learn any specific subject.
For instance, a staff member would tutor a student who asked for help preparing for the math portion of the SAT, but would never try to persuade a student to learn math who didn’t ask for help.
The staff do not hold any power that isn’t also granted to students. Staff and students have equal votes in School Meeting, Judicial Committee, corporations and committees. Students can outvote the staff on any issue, which sometimes happens! Usually, the students follow the lead of the staff. Not because staff has unique authority, but because the students respect their experience, judgment and arguments. They trust that the staff has the best interests of the school and community in mind.
Where can I learn more about Sudbury School philosophy?
Sudbury Valley, the first Sudbury school, has been in existence since 1968 and has been creating content describing the model from the start. Reading Free at Last by Daniel Greenberg is probably the best way to learn more about Sudbury schools and to decide if they are the right choice for your family.
Here are some other Sudbury Valley resources that might be helpful:
The Alliance for Self-Directed Education is a good resource for the concept of self-directed learning in general. The founder, Peter Gray, has an excellent book on the topic, has given a number of talks available on YouTube and also writes a column at Psychology Today.
ADMISSIONS PROCESS
1. Apply for a Tour
The first step in the admissions process is the submission of an application for a tour. The school has an Admissions Committee consisting of students and staff that reviews all tour applications. Once the tour application is submitted, candidates are contacted to schedule a tour. Tours occur on Wednesdays during school and are limited to 1 hour.
2. Visiting Week
After the tour, the Admissions Committee meets again to discuss an invitation for a Visiting Week. Once approved, candidates are contacted to schedule a Visiting Week. During the Visiting Week, prospective students will attend school for five consecutive days.
3. Enrollment
After the Visiting Week, the Admissions Committee will meet for a final time to discuss an invitation for enrollment. If a space is available, invited students will be able to start immediately. If there is no space available, the prospective student will be added to our waiting list.
Waiting List
If the school is at maximum capacity, prospective students that have been invited for enrollment are added to the waiting list. When a space opens, the Admissions Committee meets to discuss which student to admit from the waiting list. We try to balance the student body based on age and other factors, but all else equal, the students that have been waiting the longest will be invited to enroll.