Re: DSM: about Sudbury model
Wed, 28 Mar 2001 08:32:34 EST

Dear Folks,

Yes practive trumps theory
But the practice has been done
For 33 years, in the cold and snow,
Staff and students and parents got up
And did it. They created it, or solved it, or
invented it, or discovered it. And the thing is, it works,
An operational definition of "live and let live".
Pass out the party hats. This thing is solved.

Only the small remaining question for us now:
What is it?

Theory One is that it is a school that allows students to mature into capable
and responsible adults. This theory basically holds that it is tremendously
powerful education. Turbo charged pedagogy. The highwater mark of this
theory is when the child, striving for the diploma, labels and characterizes
his/her own self, and defends the thesis that he/she is responsible. Theory
One's central message is that the child is an improver.

Theory Two holds that in every moment, moment by moment, the child is not
maturing or becoming anything. The child already is something. There is no
expectation, no agenda, no hope of fruition. The highwater mark of Theory
Two, is the gracious and kind offering of nothing, as explained in "The Art
of Doing Nothing". Theory Two's central message is that the child is not an

So dear Sudbury Valley,
What are you?

Deep Regard,
Bill Richardson

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