Many of those may wonder, how does a Christian school practice the Sudbury model, and still uphold Christian standards. If we are giving the students freedom to follow their interests, then how do we connect that with making wise choices in the music they listen to?
Last night I received a text from a parent who was concerned that her daughter came home singing secular songs a lot. This morning I got to work, and she was enjoying YouTube (with staff nearby to monitor), and actually she had chosen Kids Bop. I was impressed that she was not watching something inappropriate for her young ears. I talked with the mom about what I discovered and let her know that her daughter was watching Kids Bop, so she was not looking at things that were inappropriate, but she was learning some of the words to secular songs through Kids Bop.
Later on in the day, the girl (she’s about 9) started talking and we had a great dialogue about her music choices. This girl typically does not talk much, but on this occasion she told me, “Ms. Anika I LOVE rap music and I don’t know any Christian rappers! I just love the beat!” On my end, there was no fussing at her or anything as such, but I was just listening. We have got to learn to listen to our youth! Hear their cries and desires! So, I asked her, “If I give you a list of Christian rappers to check out, would you be interested?” Her face lit up! Her mom came to get her and asked me to send her the list as well. As the mom walked out the door, I encouraged her to look up The Cross Movement. I felt like her daughter would like any of their music. I also told her that most Christian rap that we hear today, is birthed from this group…much of the Christian rap we love today is influenced by them. Now, I have to get my list together of Tripp Lee, LeCrae, and many others that this little girl can get her groove on with!
This was not a Bible class, or me spending hours preaching at her about how “bad” secular music is, but it was about she and I simply having a dialogue and me sharing my thoughts with her. It was about me HEARING her hearts desire and respecting that. To me, this is how the Sudbury Model is played out in a Christian setting. We simply guide them, share with them, and then step back to let their own free will learn to make the best choices. But we as staff are ever watchful in order NOT to miss these teachable moments.
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