Saint Louis Sudbury School community members recently had fun with a White Elephant Gift Exchange! It was wonderful spending time with students, staff, volunteers, and parents before our winter break. Here are some photos from the event!
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Q&A with Sudbury parent Kia
Kia Springer is a parent, volunteer, and board member of Saint Louis Sudbury School. We asked her a few questions about why her family chose Sudbury, how her kids have changed since being at Sudbury, what students learn, and more. We appreciate Kia and her family so much!
How long has your family been a part of Saint Louis Sudbury School?
My two children have been at Sudbury for about a year and a half.
There are many education options in the St. Louis region, why did you choose Sudbury?
We started to look for my son’s next step as far as a school. His school really went downhill unfortunately during the pandemic, as many did trying to navigate that. We gave my daughter the same option to look for a different learning environment as her school was starting to give her anxiety with the pandemic restrictions. We wanted to look for a different educational model than we where previously in. After looking at a few places, both children independently choose Sudbury for themselves.
What kinds of changes have you seen in your children since starting at Sudbury?
I have seen changes in my oldest child in the most positive way. He would make himself actually throw up when we pulled up to his old school so he could go home. They would punish him and take away critical social time if things were not handed in. He loves the freedom he feels at Sudbury and the ability to be present and part of meetings when he wants to. He was not interested in attending any meetings at his prior school. He finally feels safe and cared for at Sudbury. With my daughter at Sudbury as well, I have seen her come into her own, stand up for what she wants, sets boundaries, asks for things that are uncomfortable and make friendships in a pure non judgmental way.
Do you feel like you have changed as well?
I feel like I have changed in the way that my kids are finally comfortable and happy in a school so I am happy. I have always been unsure of the traditional school model knowing all children are different. And if you don’t fit in that traditional box, then you struggle. So having a learning environment that my kids are actively involved in, makes me want to be involved as well.
How would you describe Saint Louis Sudbury School to a friend?
I always say Sudbury is self directed learning. Then I emphasize that once again! At Sudbury, the kids are really in charge of their time, wants, need, finances, food, and friends. Being in a self-governing democratic model at a school is also very new and exciting. I love how the children start at a young age speaking up for themselves in what they want and why to their peers. It’s the most community based school I’ve experienced due to no separation of age and where you are academically.
Many people who haven't experienced the Sudbury community, ask how kids at Sudbury will ever learn anything or how they will go to college. How might you respond?
They are learning everyday. With everything they do. Right choices vs. wrong choices, time management, budgeting, what they want and don’t want, social skills, when to rest and when to push it, how to advocate for themselves, and how to run a school. For me, I couldn’t ask for better things to learn for my children. As far as college goes, there is never any security that if you go, you will be successful. In fact some very successful people didn’t go to college. If kids at Sudbury want and choose to apply to college, the Sudbury community can help prepare the students.
When adults first hear about the Sudbury model, they often say, "I wish I had a school like that when I was growing up." Why do you think they say that?
I wish I had a school like this! Many of my friends I explain the model too feel the same way. I think that most of us have been through the classic educational model, it didn’t work for us, and many of us have major trauma from it. It helped us create unfortunately fears, anxiety, depression, self-worth questions, and more… and no one likes those feelings. What we would give to feel free and safe, learn what we what to learn, be social and eat when we want, feel safe and loved and supported. That’s how all children should feel.
Safety Committee
We recently asked Jamal, the current chair of Safety Committee, about the committee’s responsibilities, what he likes about it, some challenges that are part of the job, and more. (Note: the following responses were written by 15 year old Jamal who has not taken any formal writing and/or literature classes for almost 3 years.)
What is Safety Committee and why does Sudbury have one?
Safety Committee is made up of generally two students who are responsible for keeping the students and adults safe at school. There’s a chair, which is me, and a co-chair, which is currently an empty position. We take safety very seriously while also leaving as much room as possible for student’s freedom and will to explore the world.
What do you do?
I do a ton for Safety Committee. A lot of it is just things that no one else wants to do, but here are a few of the things I do on a regular basis for the committee. I text parents about field trips and school cancelations; run Safety Committee meetings where we might make rules/policies regarding safety; help students with scrapes or cuts; hand out off-campus emergency lanyards during our off-campus adventures; attend parent/student conferences regarding safety concerns; and much more.
How do you get to be on it?
Safety Committee is unlike most of the other committees, in that not just any student may be elected to be on Safety Committee at the monthly elections, because Safety Committee members have such high responsibilities. If a student wants to run for the committee at elections, they must first complete the Safety Committee training program which is an apprenticeship with the current committee members. The apprentice will learn the responsibilities of Safety Committee and be trained on how to execute those tasks. If and when we decide the apprentice is ready to be on the committee, they will be allowed to run for the Safety Committee at the next elections.
What do you like about Safety Committee?
When I first joined Safety Committee, there really wasn’t a ton of structure or specific responsibilities that the committee was in charge of. Since I joined, I’ve built more structure to Safety Committee and a more specific job description. I love how I had the freedom to do that without adults forcing me to follow an already set structure and some responsibilities list. I love how I get to complete most Safety Committee tasks on my own terms without an adult telling me when to do things. I also get to work a lot with Sudbury’s two amazing staff members, and that’s always nice to know they have my back, especially during this time where there is currently no student co-chair on the committee. And lastly, I’ve really enjoyed watching students, especially the really young ones come to me first, more and more, as soon as they’re concerned about something.
What are some aspects of Safety Committee that are challenging?
I’ll often get really busy with Safety Committee responsibilities and it can get overwhelming with how many things I have to complete. I’m not the best at delegating low-stake responsibilities to the other students, because it takes more energy and stress for me to do that instead of just doing the responsibility myself. Usually there’s another member on the committee to help me complete responsibilities and delegate responsibilities to others, but since I’m currently the only member, that makes it a lot more challenging for me.
What have you learned about yourself working on Safety Committee?
I’ve discovered what I want to do for a living one day from working on Safety Committee for so long and enjoying it so much. One day, I want to have a job that involves keeping people safe, specifically young people.
What was one of your favorite Safety Committee memories when you felt that you made a difference?
A lot of my favorite Safety Committee memories contain confidential information that can only be discussed by Staff and Safety Committee Members. So here’s one of my favorite memories that’s not confidential!
One time a student came running over to me and with panic in their voice said, “there’s a wasp in the dance studio!” I grabbed a cup and a piece of paper, and the two of us went over to the dance studio, trapped the wasp in the cup, then let it go out the window. The dance studio was safe. Whew!
**An overview of committees at Saint Louis Sudbury School** (excerpted from our enrollment packet)
Many tasks have to be performed on a regular basis to keep our school running smoothly. Some jobs can be done only by staff members; all other positions can be taken on by willing students.
Committees are groups led by two or more elected School Meeting Members, chair and co-chair(s), that take responsibility for events, materials, tasks, and equipment that support particular student interests and promote the safety of the community. They are formed by School Meeting Members as the need arises.
Some examples of Committees are: Safety Committee, Party Planning Committee, Technology Committee, Hiring Committee, and Judicial Committee.
Many of the committees are responsible for certifying students to use items or do activities that could be dangerous without proper training and guidance. All committee members are voted on by School Meeting at elections which take place on the first Wednesday of every month. Any School Meeting Member may run for almost any of the committee positions.
Safety Committee Meeting during a park day
Helping to keep Sudbury community members safe at the park
What it's like to be a new student
We asked a Saint Louis Sudbury School student who enrolled within the last several months a few questions about what it was like to apply to the school, what helped with the transition, and any advice she might have for a student considering our school.
What did you do to enroll at Sudbury? How did you feel about the process?
My mom took me on the tour because my previous school wasn’t working out for me socially. So we did a tour, and we decided to learn more about Sudbury and then ended up enrolling. We were really excited to get me into a better school. It was a pretty easy process and I was really glad to be getting into a better school. Going over the enrollment interview was pretty simple so that was nice.
What were your first few weeks like at Sudbury as a new student? What kinds of things helped you get used to being at a new school?
Of course some of the things that made it easier were the staff members—everything was a little hectic when I started because I was getting used to the rules and I didn’t know where anything was. Doing Judicial Committee (JC) was really helpful when I was learning how to do things. I really thought JC was helpful because there weren’t punishments, but they gave me support like timers to remind me to clean up my things and helped me establish different spaces for myself that I was able to use instead of just what I wasn’t able to do.
If you were to give advice to a friend who is thinking about attending Sudbury, what would you say to them?
I would probably say that it’s an alternative style of schooling and it strays from the traditional route but it’s very beneficial for being able to learn how to study on your own and choosing the subjects that you want to study.
Dear Sporadic
An intriguing part of the school publication, the Sudbury Sporadic, is the advice column. In Issue #2 we were asked:
"Dear Sporadic: I am part of a small friends group. For years we've done lots of stuff together. In the last year or so, one member has pulled away, declining invitations, never initiating any get togethers, etc. I feel like this person is making it clear that they don't want to be friends any longer. Others in the group seem willing to let this go on longer. AITA if I stop inviting them? Can we move on without a confrontation?" -- Definitely Over Groups
Take a look at the response!
Field Trip
Saint Louis Sudbury School had fun exploring the Missouri Botanical Garden's Japanese Festival on Labor Day! (Yes, the students voted to have school on Labor Day. ) We walked, fed the koi, visited market booths, experienced the Climatron, talked, and snacked! Can you imagine? A school field trip without a set schedule, worksheets, or reports? For the Sudbury community, learning happens naturally, is lasting, and is unique every day.
Marine Biology
One of our students has begun teaching a class about marine biology! After the class, students shared, "It's pretty great! She's a really smart kid..." and "It was good! I learned the scientific names for a lot of animals."
Saint Louis Sudbury School community members can offer to teach a class and students can sign up to be a part of the experience. We love this sharing of knowledge and ideas!
Volunteer & Artist: Nate
Meet Saint Louis Sudbury School volunteer Nate Grundmann! We asked him a few questions recently about his work with the school, what he thinks about the Sudbury model, and more.
How did you get involved as a volunteer with Saint Louis Sudbury School?
I have some friends whose children attend. When I learned the school was looking for volunteers and substitute teachers I decided to apply because I have always enjoyed teaching, and I was curious about the Sudbury model.
What do you enjoy about volunteering at Sudbury?
I enjoy being in an environment where everyone is treated with dignity. No matter the age or role of the person, when you’re in the school there’s no hierarchy and no subordination. Everyone is equal. It’s a really good feeling.
Could you describe some of your favorite experiences at Sudbury?
I teach drawing at the school every Wednesday. Some students are mostly interested in drawing for fun without any specific learning goal, and I enjoy seeing their work and talking about it with them. Others have some specific goals, and it's been fun to see their progress.
I also enjoy seeing the School Meetings because the students get to vote on the decisions that directly affect the experience they will have at the school. It’s cool to see them being empowered like that. Their experience of the world matters as much as anyone else’s, and what better way to show that than to give them that influence?
What do you think of the Sudbury model?
I think the Sudbury model fills a really important niche in the educational system. The curriculum (or lack thereof) offers a great opportunity for students to individualize their education. I also really appreciate the democratic decision making, the lack of grading, and the rule creation/enforcement.
Curriculum
From the perspective of curriculum, I think the Sudbury model is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, while conventional models use a one-size-fits-all approach, at Sudbury the students are free to tailor their education to their needs and interests. I believe that students are more likely to enjoy their lives, be more engaged, and learn more, when they get to choose what they learn, how they learn it, and when.
On the other hand, the freedom at Sudbury makes it easier for students to disengage, to avoid exploration and challenging themselves. This can happen for many reasons: sometimes students may not see the value of learning something, or they may be intimidated by a subject, or they may think it will be boring (as a student I avoided subjects I thought I wouldn’t like, only to learn later that I enjoyed them and had missed an opportunity). So that is a real risk that should not be ignored.
You can take this last point as justification for an educational system that force-feeds students information. But it can also be seen as an invitation to help students overcome their tendencies to avoid being proactive and engaged. It’s important to note, though, that this help is not an inherent part of the Sudbury model, so this help may have to come from outside the school.
Grading
At Sudbury, students’ performance is not graded. While some students may thrive in a model that grades their performance, for others grades can have a damaging effect. For many students, grades are experienced as a source of approval and disapproval (which are internalized as pride and shame) to coerce them into learning subjects they aren’t motivated to learn. This approval/disapproval dynamic can reinforce the idea that one’s self-worth comes from outside of themselves (other’s opinions, accomplishments, etc.). The belief that self-worth is extrinsic has damaging emotional and psychological consequences.
Consider the person that believes their self-worth is extrinsic. When they risk failure or rejection it feels like they are risking their self-worth, and when they make a mistake (a necessary part of learning) it feels like their worth is diminished. This makes risking failure and rejection an anxiety-inducing experience. That’s a real problem, because people avoid things that cause anxiety and pain, so this person is more likely to avoid taking the risks they will need to take in order to learn and to create the lives they want. What’s more, when they do take these risks they are likely to perform more poorly because anxiety erodes performance (as many students experience when taking tests).
Alternatively, consider the person that believes their self-worth is intrinsic. Their self-worth is not at all in jeopardy when they risk failure and rejection. To them, their mistakes are simply opportunities for growth, and rejections are just speed bumps along the way. These students have greater levels of confidence and emotional resilience, and in general they perform better and are more satisfied in life.
Ironically, much of this satisfaction is rooted not in their improved performance, but rather in healthy core beliefs, such as the belief that they deserve to feel good no matter what they accomplish or who approves of them. Any external accomplishments or approval are just icing on the cake. But for the person who sees their self-worth as extrinsic, they will always be in pursuit of a deeper sense of satisfaction that can never be accessed via accomplishments and the approval of others.
It’s also important to note that students don’t need grades to evaluate their performance. They do that naturally when they care about their work. The more they care, the more they will strive for excellence. If excellence is important (and I’m not saying it is or isn’t), there are other ways to encourage it that don’t risk a distorted appraisal of self-worth.
Given that students don’t need grades to evaluate their performance, and considering the psychological and emotional risks that come with grading, I appreciate that grading isn’t a part of the Sudbury model.
Democratic Decision Making
At Sudbury, everyone in the community makes decisions together, democratically, no matter their age or role at the school. This reinforces the idea that everyone deserves to be heard and responded to, simply by virtue of being present. In this way, at Sudbury, intrinsic self-worth is not just an idea, it’s a practice.
Rule Creation and Enforcement
I also really appreciate the way the Sudbury model handles rule creation and enforcement. I won’t go into much detail about the mechanics because it would be too much to describe here, but I will say that the rules are created by a democratic process that includes the students, and I think the whole process treats the students with more dignity than in the other models I’ve seen. I have been a substitute in public schools as well as at Sudbury St. Louis, and from the perspective of a substitute, there is really no comparison. As a sub in public schools, you are expected to monitor the students for misbehavior, and this creates an adversarial dynamic between the students and substitutes. As a substitute at Sudbury, however, rather than being expected to police, I am expected to treat them with the same dignity and respect with which I would like to be treated, all according to the rules that they were an equal part of creating. In this way the Sudbury model practices the philosophy that everyone matters exactly as much as everyone else, and thus everyone has intrinsic worth.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately it’s important to acknowledge that there is no single model that is perfect for everyone. Depending on a student’s temperament and educational goals, Sudbury may or may not be the right option. It’s also vital to acknowledge that nobody’s educational journey is perfect. Though it’s important for a student to try to learn the most important subjects that will prepare them for whatever stage of life is next, it is also very important (perhaps more important than any specific subject) that a person develop the core psychological and emotional traits (intrinsic self-worth, emotional resilience, confidence, etc.) that will empower them to plot their course in life, care for themselves, handle life’s setbacks, and persevere to accomplish their chosen goals and create the life they want.
What has surprised you during your time at Sudbury?
The students are much more kind to one another than I remember students being when I was in school. It’s really refreshing.
What are you listening to, watching, or reading lately? And... what is your favorite food (if you have one)?
I recently rewatched Annihilation, a surreal Sci-Fi thriller written and directed by Alex Garland. It's such a good movie if you like stuff that is kinda existential, mind-bending, and very visually compelling. I also recommend a couple of Garland's other works, Devs and Ex Machina, for the same reasons. Besides that I am watching The Sandman, The Resort, and Reservation Dogs.
Lately some songs in my rotation are:
I'm a Kid by Jadu Heart,
Midnight Sun by Nilüfer Yanya,
Lipstick on the Glass by Wolf Alice,
Fantasmas by Ambar Lucid,
Hit Me Where it Hurts by Caroline Polachek
Food:
Can’t pick a favorite, but I’m pretty much always in the mood for Thai.
