Summerhill School Example News 6

It can be seen in the numerous virtual worlds which are being created and inhabited by so many of our community in video games, to the way in which kids reinvent themselves, dying their hair, or changing the way they dress, or just deciding to act a certain way, all of these are expressions of individuality and are evidence of creativity with regards to identity. Of course, it goes without saying that creativity is seen in all the classrooms, not just those which focus on the arts, as this is fundamental to learning. Kids have the time, space and facilities to choose what they want to do, which enables them to respond to their environment and their desires, getting carried away with projects and play until they feel satisfied. Individuality is respected and encouraged, meaning kids can find their own way of doing things without the fear of criticism.

There are a few key words that we all associate with Summerhill, they are the pillars which uphold the community as we know it; freedom, equality, responsibility, autonomy, democracy, boredom. When living here and looking around, it’s possible to see that it is these pillars that make space for an incredible wealth of creativity to prosper. Conversations and plans are well underway for how we are going to celebrate Summerhill’s 100th Birthday, a place that so many call Home. 2021 might seem a little way off, but there are already many meetings and ideas coming to fruition with regards to the big birthday! One way in which we would like to celebrate the centenary is by capturing the essence of creativity here at Summerhill; the way inwhich the core values inspire and encourage so many different activities. The community will be doing a huge variety of projects, and we are inviting others to join us too! Any school, organisation or individual, who have been influenced by A.S.Neill’s ideas, can create a project of their own and share it with us on our brand new website – 100YearsOfSummerhill.co.uk If you are interested in joining us in celebrating Summerhill at 100 years, please check out the website for more information, and follow ongoing projects, or start your own! https://www.100yearsofsummerhill.co.uk/ written by Abigail Rose Higgleton