A democratic free school is a type of school modeled after the Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Massachusetts, established in 1968 and the Summerhill School in Suffolk, UK founded over 100 years ago.

We operate on the fundamental principle that children are inherently capable of directing their own learning and personal development. Therefore, we provide a space where students are free to explore their interests, learn at their own pace, and actively participate in the democratic governance of the school community. Traditional classroom structures are replaced with an environment rich in diverse activities and opportunities, fostering self-discovery, responsibility, and a love for lifelong learning.

Much like conventional school, we are open daily and enroll students from 4 to 19 years old. Unlike conventional school, attendance at our school is flexible. Families can choose to attend either three, four, or five days a week. We give full responsibility for the learning process to the student. This means that classes, if and when they happen, are usually requested by students from teachers. Students are not segregated by age, instead they are free to mix much like they would in a large family. In addition, the school is a direct democracy in which students and staff participate equally in the running of the school.

Unschooling and democratic free schools share a lot in common—both value self-directed learning, independence, and letting kids follow their interests. But there are key differences that set us apart.

In unschooling, parents often take an active role, proactively encouraging and guiding their child based on the interests they observe. At The Village Electric, we don't cajole or nudge unless explicitly asked. Why? Because we believe by stepping back, we don't undermine children's trust in themselves to decide how to spend their time and what’s most meaningful to them. This level of autonomy helps kids develop a deep sense of self-confidence and agency that can’t be handed to them—it has to be lived.

Another key difference is community. While unschooling tends to happen in the home, often with a parent acting as facilitator, our school creates a vibrant, multi-age community where kids can collaborate, problem-solve, and learn from one another. Whether they’re debating ideas in School Meeting, resolving conflicts through mediation, or working on a project together in the art studio, kids here are constantly practicing one of life's most difficult and necessary skills—how to get along with one another and still be yourself.

The important question is: what exactly does your child need to know? The answer might surprise you. Children in our school primarily learn through living, which is how we are biologically designed to learn. By design, unless we stop them, children will naturally practice and learn the most important skills to become successful participants in the adult world. Children are always learning, every moment of the day, unless they are stressed, bored, or angry.

• Learning Through Play - We often think of “play” as something silly and frivolous. But for children, play is just another word for practice. Just like other animals, human children use play to practice the skills they will need in life. For humans, the most important and most difficult skill is getting along with other people. That is why children love to play together — talking, arguing over the rules of games, making up imaginary scenarios, building things together, and reaching compromises.

• Learning Deeply - Flow, as defined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is a state of complete absorption in an activity, characterized by intense focus, enjoyment, and a sense of effortless progress. Entering a state of flow requires having sufficient time and the ability to choose an activity that aligns with your interests and abilities. A free learning environment like ours fosters flow which leads to heightened creativity, faster learning, better problem solving, increased confidence, and supports a lifelong love for discovery and growth. What's more, Mihaly studied the most creative and successful people in the world and determined they excel at sustaining a state of flow.

• Learning for the Future - To be successful at jobs of the future, our kids are going to need to be more flexible and creative than we are. They’ll need to learn new skills quickly at any time. Employers are already more and more searching for self-starters and independent, inspired workers. According to Yuval Noah Harari, the New York Times bestselling author of Sapiens, to prepare kids for the future of work we should switch from emphasizing “the three Rs” to “the four Cs”—critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. Daily practice of the four Cs are fundamental to life in a democratic free school like ours.

Research has shown that there is no objective “right time” to learn anything. In their paper, What Does the Brain Have to Do With Learning?, Worden, Hinton, and Fischer found that “while there’s evidence for limited critical periods in brain development in limited domains (such as the strength of vision in the two eyes), no evidence supports a critical period for academic skills.”

The brain rapidly absorbs information that it deems meaningful and useful. Anything else is ignored or quickly forgotten. Kids can learn important skills such as math, reading, writing, as well as more specialized skills, quickly when they are interested. It doesn’t take years and years, unless the brain is not ready.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are basic life skills, and students here pick them up as byproducts of living their lives in an interesting, stimulating, and modern environment. They absorb these subjects as ways of thinking while they pursue other interests and goals. For example, many students learn to think mathematically by baking or dealing with money, and many students teach themselves to read by playing games, going online, and participating in life at school like writing motions for School Meeting. The “basics” are so important to functioning independently in our world that all students eventually have a very good reason to acquire them, and, motivated by that reason, do so rapidly.

In today’s world, children are inundated with ideas, trends, and possibilities through social interactions and media: TV, movies, social media, and games. The challenge isn’t exposure—it’s that structured schedules often leave little room for meaningful exploration.

At our school, kids are free to follow their curiosity. On any given day, they try new things through play, conversations, and observing their peers. This organic process lets them gravitate toward what truly excites them. Because they have the autonomy to pursue their interests, they’re often exposed to far more variety than a traditional curriculum could ever provide.

What’s more, children here aren’t limited to what’s introduced in school. They bring their outside passions into our community, sharing their knowledge with others. This peer-to-peer discovery is not only more engaging—it’s also a powerful, authentic way to spark new interests.

Maybe! But playing is fun and kids need to have a lot of fun in order to be healthy and happy. For more about all the educational benefits of play, see the questions above about learning.

Every child is born curious and self-motivated—it’s how they naturally learn to walk, talk, explore, and even master new technologies (often faster than adults!). But traditional schooling can stifle this intrinsic drive by dictating what, when, how, and where children learn.

By the time many kids reach second or third grade, the impact becomes clear: they might feel bored, start disliking school, or lose confidence in their abilities. Some become "people pleasers" or perfectionists, while others grow angry or withdraw, labeling themselves as "unmotivated," "dumb," or worse. For some children, this happens even earlier.

When kids are moved to a supportive, self-directed environment like ours, something remarkable happens. Freed from the constraints of a rigid system, they begin to reconnect with their natural curiosity and joy in learning. They rediscover their passions, explore personal interests, and, in doing so, build the confidence and excitement that drive genuine motivation.

Absolutely. At The Village Electric, we believe that every child—neurodiverse or neurotypical—deserves an environment where they can thrive by being themselves. Our flexible, self-directed model is especially suited to neurodiverse learners because it prioritizes individual strengths, needs, and interests.

Here, kids are free to explore their passions at their own pace, with the support of a caring community that values differences. There are no one-size-fits-all expectations or rigid timelines; instead, we offer the space and tools for kids to learn in ways that work for them. Our staff is here to provide guidance when needed, stepping in with empathy and stepping back to allow independence.

We’ve found that neurodiverse children often flourish in this setting, as it allows them to focus on what lights them up while developing social, emotional, and problem-solving skills in a natural, supportive way.

They absolutely can! Many students dive in independently using the school’s resources, but robust support is always available if they need it. Another student or a staff member may be able to help, or your child can initiate a tutoring session, an interest group, or even a class.

In some cases, a staff member might design a curriculum and take on the role of a teacher. Other times, everyone learns together as peers, fostering collaboration and shared discovery.

If no one on-site has the expertise needed on a particular subject, students can bring their request to School Meeting. School Meeting can help them plan next steps, such as hiring an instructor, arranging trips, finding internships, or accessing other resources.

Based on decisions made as a community in School Meeting, personal devices are allowed in school with heavy restrictions. Currently, they can only be used during tech time or to play music. We have a dedicated tech time from 12-1pm each day during which School Meeting has granted permission to play certain games using personal or school-provided devices.

Our staff act as resources, rather than traditional teachers. We are available to offer guidance, support, and tools when students seek them. We are also responsible for the safety and well-being of all community members and uphold the democratic principles of the school. We bring with us our own interests and expertise in various fields and can provide instruction or workshops based on student interest. Ultimately, we trust in the students' ability to learn and grow independently while we focus on creating a supportive environment for their exploration.

Students and staff members have equal voices and voting rights in School Meeting, the governing body of the community. School Meeting is responsible for creating and enforcing rules, managing the school's resources, resolving conflicts, and making decisions that affect the entire community. Through active participation in this democratic process, students learn valuable skills in communication, negotiation, compromise, and civic responsibility.

When conflicts arise, a student or staff member can bring the issue to any individual for mediation or to our judicial committee. The focus is on open communication, understanding perspectives, and finding solutions that repair harm and restore relationships. Students learn to advocate for themselves, listen to others, and take responsibility for their actions.

Age-mixing is an important part of life in our school. Students of all ages interact freely, fostering a natural and deep sense of community. Younger students have a chance to learn from older peers, who in turn develop mentoring and leadership skills. This natural learning environment mimics real-world social dynamics and promotes empathy, respect, and a strong sense of belonging among students of different ages.

Graduates from self-directed democratic schools like ours have demonstrated success in pursuing a variety of paths after they leave school, including college, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and creative pursuits. The skills they develop through self-directed learning, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, self-motivation, and communication, are highly valued in any field. While our school does not provide traditional transcripts, we help students to document their learning experiences and create portfolios to demonstrate their abilities and passions to potential colleges or employers.