Editing the Sego Lily School website, I came across this article I wrote about 8 years ago. It's worth a read, or a re-read, if I do say so myself. I was reminded not only of the beauty of the four-square games played, or the lessons I learned from playing & watching, but also of the daily ways these lessons play out here every day. Enjoy!

Gathered on the pavement is a long line of people –young, old, in various states of fitness and with varying amounts of energy and talent. Each one is watching the game intently – four male staff members, from different schools, are engaged in the most aggressive, competitive four square game you could imagine. The ball is being slammed with full force from one player to the next; men are diving from within inches of the asphalt. Suddenly one misses, and with cheers from the crowd, he walks to the end of the line.

Into the first square steps a little girl in a pink dress – probably five years old, maybe even younger. Her blonde curls bob as she takes her place in the game, grinning from ear to ear. The remaining three men become instantly calm, as one gently serves to another. The ball is lightly tapped over to the girl, who is so busy smiling she misses. She happily skips to the back of the line, and waits for her next turn.

Another girl steps in – this one probably twelve or thirteen. The energy picks back up a little – but no where near the level it was originally. The girl plays well, she advances a square, and soon there are three young teens and one staff member left. People of all ages and abilities take their turns in the game, and each one brings a slightly different level of energy and competition to the game.

This was a daily scene at the Sudbury Valley Summer Conference. Four square was a gathering point at every meal and break. Approximately 200 adults and 95 children gathered at Sudbury Valley in July for five days of workshops, lectures, networking and socializing – and four square. I mention the game, not only because it was so much fun to watch and participate in – but because the game, and the way it was being played completely demonstrates the way our schools work. Here is what I mean:

Rules: Four square, like our schools, has very clear rules. Lines are drawn, and each player must stay within those lines in order to participate. If you violate the rules, you loose your privilege to play, and you have to wait until your next turn to play again. Sort of like our JC – when you break a rule, something happens (we call this consequence a ‘sentence’), and it often results in a lack of privilege to ‘play’ – you must spend 10 minutes picking up trash instead of doing what you want to be doing, for example.

Social Interaction: In the game of four square, people had to adjust themselves to the group with which they were playing and interacting. There wasn’t any conversation happening in the game – you didn’t hear people saying, “Oh, we have a little one in the square, everyone be gentle.” It just happened. And everyone was conscious to the adjustments that needed to be made – it kept the game fair and fun. Our schools are like this – when people of all ages are interacting with one another all of the time, we learn to speak in ways that communicate to each person. Staff at our schools don’t expect the five year olds to behave like the sixteen year olds, yet we give them all of the same opportunities and responsibilities, allowing for their developmental differences in our interactions.

Competition: I don’t think I have ever watched a game in which people REALLY wanted to win – and yet there was no crying, whining, or complaining when anyone came out of the game. Everyone tried his or her hardest, yet no one experienced a loss of power when they didn’t do as well as they liked. This is the spirit that we try to create in our schools. Its important to do one’s best at everything in life – why would you bother doing something that you weren’t going to put your heart into? We also want our students to know that you don’t always win at everything you try, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from trying.

Learning Curve: Some of the people at the conference had never played four-square before. Some of them, who were from Jerusalem and Holland, had never even seen the game. And of course there were experts, and everything in between. The rules were explained to our new players (and interpreted into other languages when necessary), and as people developed their skills they were reminded of rules, coached in their playing, and given helpful hints along the way. Our way of ‘teaching’ here is much the same. When a student wants to learn something, we assess their level of competency, give them some basics, and then ask how they want to proceed. We give coaching and hints along the way, and if they ask for more help they get it.

I could go on. I was mesmerized by the game, and spent hours musing on the parallels that were being exhibited while it was being played. It was only one of the many wonderful experience I had that week. The privilege of spending five days with people who are fully committed to our model of education was an experience I will never be fully able to put into words, and I am in the process of writing up everything I learned that will help forward what we are up to at Sego Lily School.

I did take my turn in the square one morning. Four female staff started the game, and I was the first one to get out. I’m not good at four-square, and to be honest I have never had the motivation to really try or learn. But I did want to be able to say that I had participated in the game – that I had tried, and that I had participated in such a beautiful example of inclusion, healthy competition, and play.

Last night (April 9th) we had a first time experience at Sego Lily School - TWO young men defended theses and graduated from our school at the same time - these are our third and fourth graduates. One of them spoke about how dealing with change in his life had prepared him for being a successful adult; the second spoke primarily about how attending Sego had helped him be someone who enjoyed being around others, and could manage a team. They were both eloquent, nervous, and powerful. I'm proud of them both in so many ways.

Each graduation, I think that one day, that will be MY kids up there. In my experience (having been on thesis committees for about 60 kids now, most of whom were at Sudbury Valley School), students who attend Sudbury schools their whole lives write pretty boring theses. "I spent my whole life here, it was great, now I'm going to college to do X." They haven't had the challenges of - for example - dealing with a bully in their 6th grade classroom, or feeling lost in a crowd of 3,000 high school kids. I actually talked to C a few weeks back - he said straight up, "I have no idea what I'd write. It's just, you know, my life." He's got about 5 years to come up with something, so I am sure he will - but he's right about one thing.

For children who spend their WHOLE LIVES in an environment in which they are trusted, respected, loved, and honored, it IS just LIFE. It's a life I would have loved to have, and one people who tour our school tell me they would have loved to have for themselves, too. I'm looking forward to a boring thesis, one that says, "This is just the way life should be, for everyone - we should be respected, and free to pursue what we want, so long as we are respecting others." The lessons learned are the same, sans the drama. How cool would THAT be to experience?

I wish I was one of those people who BLOG - like, every day BLOG. Like my friends at Joyful Liberation and Hiking Without Happy Meals. Those ladies are BLOGGERS - with the all-caps designation. I, however, seem to be relegated to the 'when inspiration hits' category of bloggers - with a little b. I somehow can't shake the need to have something Brilliant or Earth-Shattering to say before getting a few words down on a page.

So here is something not-so-Earth-shattering, but wonderful nonetheless. Some of our Sego folks - namely, our Pet Corporation, have decided to hatch some eggs. I ordered an inexpensive incubator, and we are looking for some fertile chicken eggs (actually, I should probably ask both of the ladies mentioned above, now that I think of it....). The plan is to hatch the eggs at school, brood them there for awhile, then bring them home to add to my family's fowl flock. Educational for the kids, cute and fun for everyone, and in the long run, more eggs for my family.

I don't know of a Sudbury school that hasn't had animals of some type, somewhere, at some time. Something about animals and children is universal - maybe it's the cycle of life, maybe it's scientific curiosity, perhaps it's simply that baby animals, in particular, are just so darn CUTE. And what child can resist an adorable, fluffy chick?

OK, fine, I can't resist them either. I've wanted chickens for years, and am so happy to finally have a home that can accommodate them - living on almost 5 acres is something new to my boys, but brings back great memories for me. I was THRILLED last Saturday when we were ready to pick up our first 6 chicks. Watching my children learn to care for these babies is magical - knowing that, unlike our other pets, these creatures are going to provide EGGS (and not just companionship!) is amazing. They don't even have names yet (except the white one is Blackey and the black one is Whitey - thanks Gabe), but I find myself so excited to see them all in the mornings. We are also getting 6 full-grown layers next week, a couple of ducklings soon, and of course, the hatchlings from school when they are ready.

Learning Through Living feels like it can be hard to achieve sometimes. I wonder, often, how to have children experience some things that simply aren't experienced in 'normal' life. Connecting kids to the source of their food through gardening, raising chicks, or visiting working farms are some of the ways that real-world connections get made. With my own children, picking up goat milk from Drake's Family Farms gives us at least a tiny glimpse of the reality of our food. I'm thinking a Sego field trip to my house, when the eggs hatch and the babies are ready to come home with me, is in order. In the meantime, anyone have any eggs?

Awhile back, the Sego Lily staff were talking before School Meeting. The topic was classes – the fact that there were more of them than usual happening on our campus, as well as the cultural idea that classes are important. We had fun talking about all of the things that happen during a typical Sego day that aren’t a ‘class’ per se, but are definitely learning experiences. Knitting while chatting, the chat itself, the quick math lesson related to the heating instructions on a kids lunch – you know, LIFE. But we did all start to wonder more about classes. Here is a bit of what we discovered (and for the record, I have not included the irrelevant parts of any of these definitions):

class [klas, klahs] noun

2. a group of students meeting regularly to study a subject under the guidance of a teacher:

3. the period during which a group of students meets for instruction.

4. a meeting of a group of students for instruction.

5. a classroom.

OK cool – so basically a class is when people get together for a specific purpose, usually a group of students, and often a teacher. Under the guidance of a teacher. That was an interesting word.

guid·ance [gahyd-ns] noun

1. the act or function of guiding; leadership; direction.

2. advice or counseling, especially that provided for students choosing a course of study or preparing for a vocation.

OK – so a teacher leading a group of students = a class. Not sure what’s so special about that. The class definition does say ‘to study a subject.’ So let’s see where that goes:

stud·y[stuhd-ee] noun, plural stud·ies, verb, stud·ied, stud·y·ing.

noun

1. application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation, or reflection: long hours of study.

2. the cultivation of a particular branch of learning, science, or art: the study of law.

3. Often, studies. a personal effort to gain knowledge: to pursue one's studies.

Acquiring or gaining knowledge. That’s a good reason for a class. So how are we defining knowledge?

knowl·edge [nol-ij] noun

1. acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition: knowledge of many things.

2. familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning: A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.

3. acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report: a knowledge of human nature.

4. the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.

I had to go down one more road from that one:

in·ves·ti·ga·tion [in-ves-ti-gey-shuhn] noun

1. the act or process of investigating or the condition of being investigated.

2. a searching inquiry for ascertaining facts; detailed or careful examination.

So now, based on a new clarification of terms, is my definition of class:

A group of people, often with a with a leader, gathered to acquire familiarity with facts, truths, or principals, through careful examination. Hmm. Sounds like every minute of every day at Sego Lily School.