Imagine a school in which children decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn it and who's going to teach it to them.
Picture a 9-year-old studying algebra or woodworking or whatever with 15-year-olds just because they share a common interest. Students aren't grouped according to age or ability in this school.And once students have mastered those or other skills to some degree, don't expect the teacher to give them letter grades on a report card. There's no such thing in this school. Written evaluations are provided only at a student's request.
One would expect a food fight to break out in the lunchroom at any moment.
"We are not talking here about a free-for-all where anyone can do anything despite the effects on others," said Cathy Gileadi. "We believe that people, including children, can choose for themselves what is best for them, and given an environment where that is possible, we trust they will."
Gileadi is among a group of parents, teachers and students working to form a new private school in Utah Valley based on principles of agency and democracy. Organizers, who have met regularly since December, are trying to secure financing and find a building to open this fall. They anticipate hiring 12 staff members and enrolling 180 students ages 4 to 18.
"This is not a bunch of ideas we cooked up and hope they're going to work. We just want to do here what's been successful in another place," said Richard Buonforte, a Brigham Young University anthropology professor. Buonforte and his wife, Jean, have four children.
For 25 years, Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Mass., has operated under the philosophy that the school is a place where "children are free. Their natural curiosity is the starting point for everything that happens at school." Simply, students are responsible for their own education.
"We felt that the only learning that ever counts in life happens when the learner has thrown himself into the subject on his own, without coaxing or bribing or pressure," according to Sudbury's publication "And Now For Something Completely Different."
The parents and educators seeking to form a Sudbury-type school in Utah County embraced its ideals after reading "Free at Last: The Sudbury Valley School," a book written by a Sudbury founder, Daniel Greenberg.
"I read it and I said, `This sounds like I wrote it,' " Buonforte said. The Bounfortes searched years for the ideal education experience for their children, who have attended public schools and were taught at home.
Although the relationship between public and private schools is at times uneasy, one Alpine School District administrator says traditional school could learn from the radical approach.
"I think the ideas are intriguing. I hope they have a chance to try them out," said Kolene Granger, assistant superintendent. "It certainly puts the responsibility where the responsibility ought to be."
Chris Roberts, a teacher at Rees Elementary in Spanish Fork, has tried to get away from what he called the "factory system" by implementing aspects of the Sudbury philosophy.
"The beauty of it is you see the older kids teaching the younger kids, the younger kids even teaching concepts to older kids," he said. "The main difference is you show respect to the human being."
Jean Bounforte likes the fact that the new school would be self-governing. Teachers, parents and students vote on everything from fiscal matters to hiring and firing staff members.
"A 4-year-old has the same rights and equal vote as a teacher," Jean Buonforte.
Richard Buonforte said the dictatorial nature of public schools robs students of their rights. There's no due process, he said.
"What goes on in school is totally illegal in the rest of society. Children have rights. They have intelligence. Children have a sense of what's moral and can be trusted."
Cheri Loveless has tried public, private and home school with her six school-age children. She currently teaches them at home, but lacks educational resources.
"It's hard to provide a well-rounded education," she said. Also, "I was unhappy with the isolation with home school."
If the private school doesn't have a staff member to teach a particular subject, it will temporarily hire an outside specialist.
Loveless said the Sudbury approach appeals to her because her home school parallels it. "This is how I run my home school. This is how I believe. This is how I feel," she said.
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(Additional information)
Meeting Thursday
Organizers of the private school will hold a public meeting Thursday, March 11, at 7 p.m. in the Provo City Council Chambers, 351 W. Center.