Learning From Peers

Virtually all of our students have had problems obeying rules.  They had them at home and they have them here.  One boy who has repeatedly broken the school rule against passing notes was recently confronted about it and put on "shadow"--that is, a fellow student was assigned to accompany him throughout the day, hopefully to help him make better choices the next time he's tempted to break a rule.

Shadowing is one aspect of life at The Family School that teaches students accountability and caring about others. Healthy peer relationships are powerful forces for learning the honesty, acceptance and self-discipline these teens are going to need to operate successfully in the world, and cultivating those relationships is a big part of what the school is all about.