I went to a very progressive private boarding school. I was asked to write about it, so I have, but it makes me a bit uncomfortable because I know it is out of many people's realms, including my own.
For a bit of background: I was a nightmare teen. I was what every parent fears. By the time I was 13, I had been arrested twice (once on a felony), my grades went from A's to D's, I started smoking cigarettes and marijuana and drank alcohol excessively. I was in the worst crowd, getting into fist fights and completely and utterly not respectful of anyone or anything.
Mind you, my three older brothers (5,6,& 7 years older) were total nerds and never created trouble, but they were tormented and bullied incessantly. I have no doubt that I chose the tough girl role to make sure I didn't get their hell too.
When it looked likely that I was going to end up in Juvie, my parents realized they had to do something. They looked at local private schools, but the only ones available were Catholic and I begged them not to send me to Catholic school. Being Atheists, they weren't too thrilled with that idea either. My dad had a friend who sent his daughter to boarding school. This was simply not done where I lived. That was only for rich people and people who didn't really love their kids. My parents loved me and were scared for me and while not rich, really wanted to get me out of this downward spiral. They borrowed from their parents and on a hope and a prayer they sent me to boarding school. I was both awed and hopeful for the gift. Boarding school changed my life.
Let me tell you how after the squigly:
I was rejected from 2 of the 3 schools I applied for and ended up at The Darrow School. It was pretty progressive, but not progressive enough for me. So, after my freshman year, I decided I wanted something more. I discovered The Putney School. While Darrow was based on a Shaker site, Putney was a working dairy farm.
So, what does a progressive school look like. We had no grades. Instead we were issued lengthy written reports. Grades fostered competition and grades made students work for the grade and not for the knowledge. Instead, we were told where we needed to work harder, and where we were doing well. We were given ideas about where to explore our likes and encouraged about other ways to explore our weaknesses. In other words, Putney not only let me explore my interests, it gave me the time and tools to do so. Yes, we had to submit to a curriculum, but that was merely a base for inspiring us to take it and run with it.
We called our teachers by their first names because it was about mutual respect. We learned from each other. This may seem like a little thing, but for a teen, this was huge. I was treated with respect and my ideas were treated with respect. This little idea had a huge impact on me and I did the same for my daughter. I treated her and her ideas with respect. It's not about agreeing, it is about listening and learning to discuss different ideas with respect for the other. It is such a shame our Congress were not taught these basic ideals.
We had no finals. Instead, we had project week. In project week, you chose one academic project and one non-academic project to produce a end piece, be it a paper or an art work. You needed to find a teacher sponsor for both projects. I did a research paper on Autism and also learned how to do Ikat weaving. I wrote a short story and learned Calligraphy. Instead of a Senior Thesis, we had a Senior Project. I dyed, wove, and sewed a full length wool cape.
As I mentioned, the school is a working Dairy Farm. In order to graduate, all students had to have a job that helped the school. One of the required jobs was barn duty. That meant getting up before dawn and going to the barn and shovel frozen cow piss and feces. You had to spend a semester caring for the cows. I could deal with everything, but getting up in morning. It was intense. I helped deliver a breached calf. Other jobs I had included cleaning classrooms, cutting wood for the dorms, collecting maple sap, weeding gardens, making dinner, serving dinner, and doing dishes.
In addition to all this, we also took time out to explore the world around us. This meant a multi-day outdoor trip. I got to do a canoe/camping trip at Lake George. a Horsebacking trip, and a solo, where I went into the Vermont Mountains by myself for several days.
Some other neat things: Seniors can build and live in their own cabins. The swimming hole is clothing optional (I skinnydipped in front of my headmaster). You can have any pet so long as they produce something (pigs, chickens, rabbits, etc.)
In all of this, I learned I was a part of a community. That we are part of a community, whether we choose to recognize this or not. I learned that working in a community and with a community makes life better for all, even if one's own opinions are voted against. I learned to compromise and I learned that everyone has a voice.
It was a huge sacrifice for my parents, but they felt they had no choice. In all honesty, they were right. I was heading for failure and Putney gave me a way out by teaching me how to work within the system and still express my views.
Some of my classmates did make it. (e.g., Tea Leoni (actress), Lexie Stewart (Martha's daughter), Eric Schenkman (The Spin Doctors), and not to mention the multi-billionaire Reid Hoffman who founded LinkedIn and a multitude of other internet endeavors. These are just the big names, others did less well known accomplishments.
Today we have more choices with home schooling, charter and magnet schools. I was totally failing at the public schools and a local alternative might have helped me, but at that time, none existed. My school changed my life. I went from a "fuck the world" teen to a "What can I do" teen.
I will admit that I learned far more than my parents wanted me to learn, but I also learned how to be an adult. I love public schools and support them, but they should be supplemented with a variety of learning styles. I am a firm supporter of the "small school" movement within and without public school. I was damn lucky to be given the opportunity to opt out of the huge public high school and it made all the difference to me. I don't know where I would have ended up, but I am pretty sure that I wouldn't be typing here today if I wasn't given an alternative to the path I was taking in public school.
My teenage daughter, on the other hand, has found a fantastic public school and has run with it, but that is for another post.
P.S. The title comes from a play on Monty Python which we performed while beating ourselves on the head with a wooden plank. It was truly funny, but you probably had to be there. :>)
P.S.S.: I can't get the tags to work, so feel free to add as you see fit!
Edit: Thank you Community Spotlight! I've never done one of these diaries before, so I know this is a bit unpolished. I was asked by Education Alternatives to post about my experience, but I think somehow I missed posting in their feed. Sorry, guys!