Christen Parker-Yarnal

Yesterday was Abraham Valdes’ Diploma Defense. Many, if not most, Sudbury Diploma Defenses are small affairs where a panel of 3-4 Sudbury staff from other schools are brought in to give feedback and challenge to a prospective graduate after having read their reflection paper or “thesis.” I’ve been delighted to be part of several of these panels at various schools and believe there’s tremendous value in this tradition, this rite of passage, this opportunity to publicly express oneself. At our...

Thinking of “initiative,” I wanted to sort out in my mind why I see the initiatives taken at Sudbury different from those I saw while teaching at a conventional high school.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, when it’s time to search for a new staff member for school, students are part of the process.