The Beach School
Encyclopedia
The Beach School was a democratic
free school
in Toronto
based on the Sudbury
principles of education; The model had two basic tenets: education
al freedom and democratic governance. Small and independent, The Beach School was a community of self-motivated learners aged 4–19 who determine their own curriculum, and each have an equal voice in school governance. Located at 42 Edgewood Ave near Kingston Road
and Dundas Street East
, the school opened in the fall of 2003 and closed in June 2008 because of a shortage of students. The Beach School was incorporated as a co-operative and at the time of closing was one of two Sudbury schools in Canada
; the only one in Ontario
.
in Massachusetts
which opened in 1968 and has inspired many similar schools worldwide, The Beach School community believes that learning which is initiated and pursued by the learner happens naturally, meaningfully, and enduringly. As such, there is no set curriculum; instead there is individual curiosity and self-initiation direct learning. Beach School students are trusted with their own education and are free to draw from the school’s resources as much or as little as they see fit. The Beach School encourages self-evaluation; there are no grades, tests, or assignments unless desired. This educational approach is based on the Sudbury belief that everyone is instinctively curious; therefore when trusted to do so, they will discover independently the knowledge and experiences they need, becoming self-aware and resourceful in the process.
Self-initiated learning: We believe effective learning is self-motivated, self-regulated, and self-evaluated. Students are not told directly or indirectly what they should do or how they should do it. Students determine their own wants and needs, and ask for help if they feel they need it. It is also up to the students to evaluate their own activities based on their own conscious or unconscious goals. Since we believe that people learn in many different ways there is no bias towards or against traditional academic subjects. We also believe that boredom and 'doing nothing' are valuable learning experiences, which can be motivators, helping students identify their true passions.
Democratic governance: If students are truly to be in charge of their own learning, they need to be able to make real, meaningful decisions, which shape the school community. All members of the school community, both staff and students of all ages participate equally in the day-to-day decisions of the school. This democratic community is based on the ideal of freedom with responsibility: students are free to spend their time as they like, as long as they do not infringe on the right of other students to do the same. The school's democratic government serves to uphold that ideal.
Trust: We believe that students learn responsibility towards themselves and others by being given responsibility. The students' freedom is undermined unless the adults associated with the school (staff and parents) support it by their actions. This can be hard to do, but it is needed. The Beach School does not issue grades or report cards. Parents can obtain information about students' activities at school directly from the students. They can also consult staff members in the presence of the student in question. To preserve the students' sense of freedom and trustworthiness, parents who wish to spend non-scheduled time at the school should get approval from the school's democratic governing body. Staff members serve not as supervisors of the students, but as role models for life-long learning and responsible adult behaviour. Staff members consciously give students the space to develop and grow unhindered by adult interference. Staff members listen to and address students' wants and needs, but otherwise leave students to find and create their own way of learning.
Age mixing: Students are not grouped by age, so they are free to interact and learn from people of all ages. They can reap the benefits of experiencing many perspectives, and can learn both by example and by teaching others.
Community: We see The Beach School as part of a larger community encompassing students, staff, families, neighbours, and ultimately, the world. The school is not a haven which shelters students from society, but is rather a safe place from which to explore the resources and negotiate the challenges of the world at large. We value our place in the local community, and also appreciate students' and staff's diverse backgrounds which can enrich our own school culture.
Each day at The Beach School was a unique combination of formal and informal activities, including classes, books, video- and computer-games, unstructured play
, meeting
s, debate
s, tree-climbing
, pillow fort
-building, paperwork, and cooking
. Some people participated in most of these activities; some spent their whole day on one.
A free drop-in program entitled ‘Parent and Tot’ operated at the school on Friday mornings from 9:30am –11:30 am for children aged 5 and under and their guardians.
The Beach School had been an annual participant in the Beaches
Easter
parade
and they have hosted an annual school play
.
, which provides grants for education to disadvantaged families.
Democratic school
This is a comprehensive list of current and former democratic schools. Most of these were modeled on the Summerhill School, the oldest existing democratic school founded in 1921...
free school
Free school
An anarchistic free school is a decentralized network in which skills, information, and knowledge are shared without hierarchy or the institutional environment of formal schooling. Free school students may be adults, children, or both...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
based on the Sudbury
Sudbury school
A Sudbury school is a school that practices a form of democratic education in which students individually decide what to do with their time, and learn as a by-product of ordinary experience rather than adopting a descriptive educational syllabus or standardized instruction by classes following a...
principles of education; The model had two basic tenets: education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al freedom and democratic governance. Small and independent, The Beach School was a community of self-motivated learners aged 4–19 who determine their own curriculum, and each have an equal voice in school governance. Located at 42 Edgewood Ave near Kingston Road
Kingston Road (Toronto)
Kingston Road is the southernmost major road along the eastern portion of Toronto, specifically in the districts of East York and Scarborough. Until 1998, it formed a significant portion of Highway 2...
and Dundas Street East
Dundas Street (Toronto)
Dundas Street, also known as Highway 5 west of Toronto, is a major arterial road connecting the centre of that city with its western suburbs and southwestern Ontario beyond...
, the school opened in the fall of 2003 and closed in June 2008 because of a shortage of students. The Beach School was incorporated as a co-operative and at the time of closing was one of two Sudbury schools in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
; the only one in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Philosophy
Modelled after the Sudbury Valley SchoolSudbury Valley School
The Sudbury Valley School was founded in 1968 in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States. There are now over 30 schools based on the Sudbury Model in the United States, Denmark, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The model has two basic tenets: educational freedom and democratic...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
which opened in 1968 and has inspired many similar schools worldwide, The Beach School community believes that learning which is initiated and pursued by the learner happens naturally, meaningfully, and enduringly. As such, there is no set curriculum; instead there is individual curiosity and self-initiation direct learning. Beach School students are trusted with their own education and are free to draw from the school’s resources as much or as little as they see fit. The Beach School encourages self-evaluation; there are no grades, tests, or assignments unless desired. This educational approach is based on the Sudbury belief that everyone is instinctively curious; therefore when trusted to do so, they will discover independently the knowledge and experiences they need, becoming self-aware and resourceful in the process.
School Charter
At The Beach School, we believe in:Self-initiated learning: We believe effective learning is self-motivated, self-regulated, and self-evaluated. Students are not told directly or indirectly what they should do or how they should do it. Students determine their own wants and needs, and ask for help if they feel they need it. It is also up to the students to evaluate their own activities based on their own conscious or unconscious goals. Since we believe that people learn in many different ways there is no bias towards or against traditional academic subjects. We also believe that boredom and 'doing nothing' are valuable learning experiences, which can be motivators, helping students identify their true passions.
Democratic governance: If students are truly to be in charge of their own learning, they need to be able to make real, meaningful decisions, which shape the school community. All members of the school community, both staff and students of all ages participate equally in the day-to-day decisions of the school. This democratic community is based on the ideal of freedom with responsibility: students are free to spend their time as they like, as long as they do not infringe on the right of other students to do the same. The school's democratic government serves to uphold that ideal.
Trust: We believe that students learn responsibility towards themselves and others by being given responsibility. The students' freedom is undermined unless the adults associated with the school (staff and parents) support it by their actions. This can be hard to do, but it is needed. The Beach School does not issue grades or report cards. Parents can obtain information about students' activities at school directly from the students. They can also consult staff members in the presence of the student in question. To preserve the students' sense of freedom and trustworthiness, parents who wish to spend non-scheduled time at the school should get approval from the school's democratic governing body. Staff members serve not as supervisors of the students, but as role models for life-long learning and responsible adult behaviour. Staff members consciously give students the space to develop and grow unhindered by adult interference. Staff members listen to and address students' wants and needs, but otherwise leave students to find and create their own way of learning.
Age mixing: Students are not grouped by age, so they are free to interact and learn from people of all ages. They can reap the benefits of experiencing many perspectives, and can learn both by example and by teaching others.
Community: We see The Beach School as part of a larger community encompassing students, staff, families, neighbours, and ultimately, the world. The school is not a haven which shelters students from society, but is rather a safe place from which to explore the resources and negotiate the challenges of the world at large. We value our place in the local community, and also appreciate students' and staff's diverse backgrounds which can enrich our own school culture.
Programming
Students decided for themselves what a meaningful use of their time was.Each day at The Beach School was a unique combination of formal and informal activities, including classes, books, video- and computer-games, unstructured play
Play (activity)
Play is a term employed in ethology and psychology to describe to a range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with pleasure and enjoyment...
, meeting
Meeting
In a meeting, two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal setting.- Definitions :An act or process of coming together as an assembly for a common purpose....
s, debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
s, tree-climbing
Tree climbing
Tree climbing is a recreational or functional activity consisting of ascending and moving around in the crown of trees.Use of a rope, helmet, and harness are the minimum requirements to ensure the safety of the climber. Other equipment can also be used depending on the experience and skill of the...
, pillow fort
Blanket fort
A blanket fort is a construction commonly made using blankets, bed sheets, pillows, and sofa cushions. It is also known as a couch fort, pillow fort or sheet fort....
-building, paperwork, and cooking
Cooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
. Some people participated in most of these activities; some spent their whole day on one.
A free drop-in program entitled ‘Parent and Tot’ operated at the school on Friday mornings from 9:30am –11:30 am for children aged 5 and under and their guardians.
The Beach School had been an annual participant in the Beaches
The Beaches
The Beaches is a neighbourhood and popular tourist destination located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the east side of the "Old" City of Toronto. The original boundaries of the neighbourhood are from Fallingbrook Avenue on the east to Kingston Road on the north, to Woodbine Avenue...
Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
and they have hosted an annual school play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
.
Governance
All members of the school community, both staff and students, were equally responsible for the daily affairs of the school.School Meeting
Decisions on rules and policies, staffing, use of resources, program opportunities, discipline, budgeting, and other communications were made at the weekly School Meeting, which every student and staff member may attend to debate and vote on current issues.Judicial Committee
Students and staff took turns serving on the Judicial Committee or JC, a group that met daily to formally review complaints about behaviour, and help those involved find solutions.Assembly
Parents, staff, and students participated in the operation of the school as automatic members of the school assembly, which meets at least twice a year to discuss issues of overall policy involving school by-laws and finances. People who were not already directly involved in the school could be elected as public assembly members.Board of Directors
The directors were elected by the Assembly and acted as occasional advisors to the School Meeting.Tuition
Because the Ontario Ministry of Education does not fund independent schools, The Beach School charged tuition in order to fund the basic operations of the school. The decision on what amount to charge was made each year by the Assembly. The Beach School was recognized by the Children’s First Foundation through the Fraser InstituteFraser Institute
The Fraser Institute is a Canadian think tank. It has been described as politically conservative and right-wing libertarian and espouses free market principles...
, which provides grants for education to disadvantaged families.
See also
- Sudbury model
- Sudbury Valley SchoolSudbury Valley SchoolThe Sudbury Valley School was founded in 1968 in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States. There are now over 30 schools based on the Sudbury Model in the United States, Denmark, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The model has two basic tenets: educational freedom and democratic...
- List of Sudbury schools
- Democratic schoolDemocratic schoolThis is a comprehensive list of current and former democratic schools. Most of these were modeled on the Summerhill School, the oldest existing democratic school founded in 1921...
- Education reformEducation reformEducation reform is the process of improving public education. Small improvements in education theoretically have large social returns, in health, wealth and well-being. Historically, reforms have taken different forms because the motivations of reformers have differed.A continuing motivation has...
- Free schoolFree schoolAn anarchistic free school is a decentralized network in which skills, information, and knowledge are shared without hierarchy or the institutional environment of formal schooling. Free school students may be adults, children, or both...
- Alternative EducationAlternative educationAlternative education, also known as non-traditional education or educational alternative, includes a number of approaches to teaching and learning other than mainstream or traditional education. Educational alternatives are often rooted in various philosophies that are fundamentally different...