Longview is a school where children are free. Because we trust children, each student is free to choose how to educate him- or herself. Students decide how to spend their time, and with whom to spend it, each and every day. This approach allows students to learn to listen to themselves, to trust their instincts, and to follow their hearts.
Longview, modeled upon the Sudbury Valley School, is one of an increasing number of programs around the world based on the belief that children, on their own, have the desire and ability to master their environment and grow to independent adulthood. No one doubts that an infant's learning is continuous, self-directed, focused, creative, and purposeful—just the characteristics adults need in today's world. So what better way is there to educate children than by allowing their natural curiosity to continue to guide them in their growth?
Longview enrolls students from 4 to 19 years old. The multi-age class results in students working and playing alongside children of different ages. This enables every child to be both a learner and a teacher, and to learn not only the specifics of each particular activity, but also more general skills and principles, such as project planning, cooperation, problem solving, time management, budgeting, responsibility, etc.
![\"Every time we try to manage the lives of young people, we give up the chance to see how they might have managed their own lives.\" John Holt](http://www.longviewschool.org/plugins/content/plugin_besps/besps.png "\\"Every time we try to manage the lives of young people, we give up the chance to see how they might have managed their own lives.\\" John Holt")
