Participation in these activities is entirely voluntary. Most students, in fact, do all their self-educating outside of classes. By de-emphasizing classes, we avoid many of the problems typical in schools. In conventional classrooms a third of the students are behind and lost, a third are ahead and bored, and at most a third are actually listening. Furthermore, the Cedarwood approach enables students learn to evaluate information on internal evidence, as opposed to learning what authority to accept.
Conventional schools make teachers and textbooks into authorities.
Students are discouraged from challenging their teachers or texts. In contrast, Cedarwood students may question any idea, any supposed fact, or any decision without fear of retribution. It is far more productive to check a software manual when you have a problem, for example, than to read the whole manual before using the software. Most important, Cedarwood's approach teaches personal responsibility. Students know that they are each responsible for their own education.