We all know the curiosity of young children has no bounds. In the first few years of life, they imitate those around them and learn to walk and talk "all on their own". Their sharp eyes spot every detail, finding every potential toy on the floor to explore with their tongues when they are young, and wondering at the workings of the world, asking "Why? Why? Why?" when they get a bit older. Young children know what they want to learn, know what they need to learn, and know instinctively how to learn it. No child takes official walking or talking lessons, yet almost all children learn to balance themselves while placing one foot in front of the other and figure out the intricacies of human communication.
Although our society generally discourages this kind of self-initiated learning once children reach 'school age', there are many alternatives to mainstream schools which strive to build on, not discourage, a child's intrinsically motivated learning. One of the more radical alternatives, although one of the lesser known, is the Sudbury philosophy, which brings the curricular freedom of unschooling into a democratic community setting.
There are currently only two schools in Canada which follow the philosophy first put into practice by the original Sudbury Valley School which has been operating in Framingham, Massachusetts since 1968. The Fairfield School in Wolfeville, Nova Scotia and the Indigo Sudbury Campus in Edmonton, Alberta will be joined next September by The Beach School in the east end of Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The Beach School, like other Sudbury schools, is founded on the concept of trust. This type of education asks only that students take responsibility for themselves-for their actions, their participation in the school community, and for their own education. There is no set curriculum at a Sudbury school. Students pursue whatever interests they like while at school. And at a school like The Beach School, whatever really means whatever. Tree climbing is seen at such a school as just as valuable a pursuit as calculus. The goal of such an education is not for students to learn a prescribed set of facts and skills, which may soon be forgotten if they don't truly care about and use them. The goal of The Beach School is for students to learn how they learn-what they enjoy, what they need to know to pursue their goals, and how they can best go about acquiring this knowledge. Students are trusted to continue to use the learning skills they possessed even as young babies. For some students, especially those who have come from more structured backgrounds, the freedom inherent in this self-directed curriculum can lead to initial boredom. Without direction they need to truly figure out what they want to do, just as they did as young children and as they will need to do as adults. But studies have shown that Sudbury graduates generally emerge as resourceful, goal-oriented adults who feel the confidence to pursue their dreams.
The second important aspect of a school like The Beach School is its democratic structure. This is where it differs from an unschooling approach, and from many other forms of child-centred education. A Sudbury school is truly student-centred. As the majority members of the day-to-day school community, and the prime beneficiaries of its services, Sudbury students are trusted to help make meaningful decisions about the functioning of the school. This includes making the school rules, dealing with rule-breakers, and even submitting the school budget and hiring staff. All these responsibilities are carried out in a regular democratic meeting of all students and staff where each person present gets one vote. Sudbury schools believe children best learn responsibility by being given responsibility.
Another important aspect of a Sudbury school like The Beach School is that in it all ages mix together, just like in the larger world. The school welcomes students from ages 4 to 18, and does not group children by age or in any other way. As well, staff members do not have any special authority-they are simply members of the school community just like the students. Staff function as models of responsible adult behaviour and life-long learning, but otherwise mix with the students as equals. The school community allows old and young to learn from each other, and fosters a sense of sharing and resourcefulness. The school also sees itself as an extension of the larger community and strives to integrate community resources into the school, whether it be through volunteers and internships, or just using the local library or pool. The Beach School, like most Sudbury schools, has a form of open campus policy which allows members of the school to benefit from community resources.
The Beach School opens in September in the east end of Toronto, where students will be able to take advantage of the experiences a big city has to offer-museums, libraries, parks, and recreational facilities, as well as a vast richness of people from different backgrounds. Its founders look forward to seeing children free to explore and follow their passions.