Groups form spontaneously or are arranged ahead by special appointment. They almost never take precedence over self-selected work. This is possible because the children stay in the same group for three to six years and much of the teaching comes from the children and the environment. This particular model is backed up by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. There are no grades, or other forms of reward or punishment, subtle or overt.
Assessment is by portfolio and the teacher's observation and record keeping.
The test of whether or not the system is working lies in the accomplishment and behavior of the children, their happiness, maturity, kindness, and love of learning and level of work. There are no academic requirements for this age, but children are exposed to amazing amounts of knowledge and often learn to read, write and calculate beyond what is usually thought interesting to a child of this age. The teacher remains alert to the interests of each child and facilitates individual research in following interests. There are no curriculum requirements except those set by the state, or college entrance requirements, for specific grade levels. These take a minimum amount of time.