No grades, no tests: Tilda Swinton's unique high school

by

Sara McGinnis

posted in Celebrities

Tilda Swinton has joined forces with a few friends to start a new kind of high school, one in which there are no grades or tests -- ever.

At Drumduan Upper School in the Scottish Highlands, which the star's twins Xavier and Honor attend, there are no exams or marks noted, no desks and "no hierarchies." In an interview with The Guardian it's been revealed students call their teachers by their first name, go outside to sit in a circle and talk about politics and bees and sing whenever possible. One of the only strict rules is no cell phones.

A look at what the Trainwreck actress shared:

Tilda Swinton on the art-based school: “There’s no grading, no testing at all. My children are now 17, and they will go through this school without any tests at any time, so it’s incredibly art-based, practical learning. For example, they learn their science by building a Canadian canoe, or making a knife, or caramelising onions. And they’re all happy 17-year-olds. I can’t believe it – happy and inspired.”

Journalist Aaron Hicklin on visiting the school: Tilda suggested I join them on a school trip to the tiny island of Colonsay (population: 120) where, deprived of their mobile phones, the students would be at the mercy of their own initiative. Some activities were planned, including a day studying the island’s protected black bee colony, but the week was left relatively unstructured. Tilda felt it was important for children to have the freedom to be bored.

On her advice to her kids: “I said to these two at the beginning of the school: ‘You’ve got three years – just try it all on for size.’ Honor’s school project is interpretative dance – she’s never done dance in her life. It’s going to be really interesting.”

Now I can't argue that "happy and inspired" 17-year-olds sounds amazing, but the part of me that grew up going the extra mile to study and really learn a subject so that I could pass a test is a bit skeptical of this new approach. Will these kids really be ready for the real world? Or does our concept of an average job not even really apply to them, as their families are well off (I'm going to go ahead and assume, based on the nearly $12,000-per-year tuition fee this school requires) mean they're unlikely to end up behind a desk anyhow?

Though it's hard to shake they way I grew up, lately I've grown increasingly interested in rethinking the way we do things. Although Tilda's school in unconventional I greatly admire people who dare to try something new. I don't know that this style would work for everyone, but if by some magic I had the chance to send my boys to Drumduan Upper School I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Weigh in

What's your take on Tilda Swinton's high school?

Photo: PR Photos

 

A look at celebrities opening up about their schooling experiences: