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Comment by mjklin | Hacker News Reader

I've visited Summerhill, but as an American it would be impractical to send my daughter there for all her schooling. I'm wondering if you think one or two years would do her much good, assuming we could get her to go back to normal schooling in the States.

Neill said he only wanted the child up until he was seven (the classic Jesuit model of education). Do you agree that before seven is the critical age?

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Mine were all older than that when they went, IIRC they were 8, 11 and 13. I don't think there are many kids under 7 there right now. I'm surprised by that Neill quote tbh, I'd have thought that the worst part of schooling occurs when you're older.

As for going for just a year or two - not sure I can give advice on that. Zoe Readhead, the principal, is very approachable - she could help you there.

If you've any questions you want to ask me offline, I'm at <hn user name>@gmail.com.

Hmm, it seems the quote I'm thinking of must have been in an extended edition of Summerhill that I've since given away. I remember Neill saying in an aside that he never had luck forming children's characters after they were about seven, and he compared it to the Jesuit assertion "give me the boy until he is seven and I will give you the man."

My daughter is nearing two so we're trying to make plans for her, but as others have said in this thread it's hard to know without knowing her personality. She might do great at a Summerhill-type school or she might need more structure.

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