Re: [DSM] Abridged summary of discuss-sudbury-model@googlegroups.com - 3 Messages in 1 Topic

[Karen Locke]

Parental Involvement can mean different things to different people.

 

I have some experience with homeschool group trying to follow a Sudbury model.  For a few years I tried to do that in Minnesota.  There were several problems that showed up:

1. Parents were accustomed to being in charge.  Therefore, it was difficult for them to deal with a student-led disciplinary system.  One parent said to me "I paid the money.  I should get to decide what words they can and can't say".  Parent/child relationship tends to be more dictatorial than staff/student in a democratic school- even if the parent "buys into" the democratic ideal.  If they don't- as you say some aren't in your school- that is very difficult.

 

2. Decision-making especially about money is another thorn.  Parents often want classes, etc.  And students want free time.  So parents will want to spend money one way, students another.

 

3. Even if parents say they want their children to be free, when they are around them all day and see them actually play all day, they are disappointed.  In the case where they don't actually "buy in", they will probably leave. 

Or do what they did in my case- start a coup and take over.  Our democratic 'unschool" became a very parent - led group (and my family left).

 

Good luck!  I would say maybe to start a different group that wants to start a democratic school, and leave the homeschool group functioning while you do that.  Might work :)

On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 4:17 AM, <discuss-su...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

  Today's Topic Summary

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/discuss-sudbury-model/topics

• parental involvement [3 Updates]

 parental involvement

Samuel Parker <mesha...@gmail.com> Nov 27 09:50AM -0700  

Hello all,
 
I taught at the Sego Lily Sudbury school in Utah & I can testify that
parental involvement can be both wonderful & horrible. Since it's hard to
judge which outcome will happen it's ...more

Bruce Smith <cultural...@gmail.com> Nov 27 12:13PM -0600  

> the school lost all progress & can't gain enough enrollment to succeed
> now.
 
 
This statement puzzles me. While I'm not at Sego Lily, and thus have only
second-hand information, everything I ...more

Samuel Parker <mesha...@gmail.com> Nov 27 12:49PM -0700  

I'm sorry, you're right everyone's view of success would be different. By
success I simply mean with numbers, both money & enrollment. My point was
that the more you can let the children take action ...more

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Karen  Locke
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[Karen Hyams]

On Wednesday, November 28, 2012 8:05:42 AM UTC-8, KarenL wrote:

Parental Involvement can mean different things to different people.

Putting the Sego Lily story aside, I think that if 'parental involvement' means letting parents (non school meeting members) make crucial decisions, your group is done for. I hope that's not the kind of parental involvement people here have been talking about.

 

Good luck!  I would say maybe to start a different group that wants to start a democratic school, and leave the homeschool group functioning while you do that.  Might work :)

This is great advice. I think organizing unschoolers sounds like a nearly impossible task, and starting your own thing might be easier and more satisfying. Some of them shouldl follow you.

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Karen  Locke
wsdmn...@gmail.com

[Ingrid Biery]

On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 12:07 PM, Karen Hyams <karen...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Good luck! I would say maybe to start a different group that wants to
>> start a democratic school, and leave the homeschool group functioning while
>> you do that. Might work :)
>
> This is great advice. I think organizing unschoolers sounds like a nearly
> impossible task, and starting your own thing might be easier and more
> satisfying. Some of them shouldl follow you.

Well, I worried about that too before we started our co-op. It's
really successful though, with lots of hands doing all the work.
Still, it was a lot of work to set it up, and more work to help keep
it running. I can't even begin to fathom how much more work would be
involved with starting a school. Especially considering all of the red
tape involved with state approval and owning property. It's a
beautiful dream, and I have a lot of admiration for those of you who
have done it. I can't imagine joining your ranks though!

Ingrid