An alternative school (sometimes called a minischool), is an educational establishment with a curriculum and methods that are nontraditional, or sometimes ultratraditional. ^[1] These schools have a special curriculum offering a more flexible program of study than a traditional school.

Many such schools were founded in the United States in the 1970s as an alternative to mainstream or traditional classroom structure. ^[2] A wide range of philosophies and teaching methods are offered by alternative schools; some have strong political, scholarly, or philosophical orientations, while others are more ad-hoc assemblies of teachers and students dissatisfied with some aspect of mainstream or traditional education. Traditional education refers to long-established customs found in schools that society has traditionally deemed appropriate

Alternative high school

In education, the phrase alternative high school, sometimes referred to as a minischool, is "any junior high school, high school, senior high school, or secondary school having a special curriculum offering a more flexible program of study than a traditional school. Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency Middle school or Junior High School serves as a "bridge" between the Elementary School and the High School High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes " ^[3] An alternative high school serves as an addition to a larger traditional junior high school, high school, senior high school, or secondary school.

Sometimes, particularly in the United States, the phrase alternative high school can refer to a school which practices alternative education. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils" Alternative education, also known as non-traditional education or educational alternative, includes a number of approaches to teaching and learning other This is a much broader use of the term, covering all forms of non-traditional educational methods and philosophies, including school choice, independent school, homeschooling, and alternative high school. School choice is a term used to describe a wide array of programs aimed at giving families the opportunity to choose the school their children will attend An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local Government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges gifts and Homeschooling (also called home education) home learning or homeschool  – is the education of children at home typically by parents or professional However, even the narrower usage of the term may refer to a range of school type such as a school with an innovative and flexible curriculum aimed at bright, self-motivated students; a school intended to accommodate students with behavioral problems; or a school with special remedial programs. ^[4]

Magnet schools

Magnet schools are public alternative schools which offer innovative courses, specialized training, etc. A magnet school is a School which offers specialized courses or curricula. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and , in order to attract students from a broad urban area and thereby help to desegregate schools. Desegregation is the process of ending Racial segregation, most commonly used in reference to the United States.

See also

• Alternative education
• Continuation high school
• Democratic school
• Education
• Free school
• Gifted education
• Homeschooling
• Liberal arts college
• Private school
• Public school
• Special education
• Unschooling

References

1. ^ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alternative%20school Definition of alternative school, accessed August 9, 2007
2. ^ Alternative Schools Adapt, by Fannie Weinstein. Alternative education, also known as non-traditional education or educational alternative, includes a number of approaches to teaching and learning other A continuation high school is an alternative to a Comprehensive high school primarily for students who are considered at-risk of not graduating at the normal A democratic school is a School that centers on democratic principles and Participatory democracy with "full and equal" participation from Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency A free school, sometimes intentionally spelled free skool, is a decentralized network in which skills information and knowledge are shared without Hierarchy or the Gifted education (also known as Gifted and Talented Education ( GATE) Talented and Gifted ( TAG) or G/T) is a broad term for special Homeschooling (also called home education) home learning or homeschool  – is the education of children at home typically by parents or professional Liberal arts colleges are primarily colleges with an emphasis upon Undergraduate study in the Liberal arts. For the film of this title see Private School (film. Private schools, or Independent schools are Schools not administered The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and Special Education is the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures adapted equipment and materials accessible settings and other interventions The term " unschooling " refers to a range of educational philosophies and practices that differ markedly from conventional schooling while often considered to be a subset of Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The New York Times, June 8, 1986, section A page 14.
3. ^ alternative school - Definitions from Dictionary.com
4. ^ Changing Perspectives on Alternative Schooling for Children and Adolescents With Challenging Behavior, Robert A. Gable et al. Preventing School Failure, Fall 2006. Volume 51, Issue 1, page 5.

External links

• Iowa Association of Alternative Education
• International Association for Learning Alternatives

Further reading

• Claire V. Korn, Alternative American Schools: Ideals in Action (Ithaca: SUNY Press, 1991).

Resources