Alternative School ~ No Longer a Bad Word

My boys are bright, athletic and creative. But they don’t school well.

They understand abstract concepts such as Duality and learn a variety of things such as cryptocurrencies, languages and robotics in their spare time. But they do not flourish in a stagnant, test driven environment focused on a standard set of ideals which only one third of the population naturally fits.

Education should never be considered "one size fits all". Rote memorization does not work for two thirds of the human population! There are three styles of learning, but the traditional educational model only implements one. That leaves two thirds of the class struggling and stressed out. School is supposed to be a place of learning and nurturing!

I used to hear “alternative school” hissed in a disgusted manner. “Did you hear? Jody’s son is going to the alternative school,” spat in hushed tones like it was a dirty word. I used to think it was the disdain of the education system. The ugly stepchild that hung out in the ghetto that no one wanted to associate with, and preferred to try and forget. I was led to believe that only juvenile criminals and kids who did not care about their future attended alternative schools.

My middle son received a Certificate of Completion with a sealed note on his 4th grade graduation day. The letter, addressed to me, said that he never turned in one homework paper all year and should be sent back to the 1st grade, not go on to 5th. However, Mrs. Teacher feared receiving my son in her class next year so went ahead and graduated him knowing failed students look bad on a teachers annual report.

This was strange news to me. Especially considering I volunteered at the school one to three days a week.

Two months into my oldest sons freshman year in high school, I called a meeting to determine why he was failing every class. I set it for a morning before school so as not to put anyone out and all 6 of his teachers attended, along with the principal and the school counselor.

Two of the teachers were not hiding their disdain for being there by sighing loudly and slamming papers and files. The teachers began by agreeing John was very happy and kind, and a pleasure to have in class. He was never late and he was a joy. Suddenly, John’s math teacher stood so hard that her chair clambered backward and shouted, “I refuse to waste one more minute on a kid who doesn’t care,” and loudly stomped out of the meeting.

The counselor apologized for the outburst, saying, “She is just irritated that you disrupted her morning routine.” She then proceeded to inform me that all freshmen have problems with their grades- it’s “normal.”

My bad, forgive me for not realizing your morning routine is more important than my sons future.

(Perhaps this attitude is a good indication as to why the freshmen are failing?)

How can a child grow and absorb information when the instructor paints the class with an atmosphere of disdain and malcontent? The icy and loathsome attitudes from an alarming number of teachers may very well stem from their dissatisfaction from their jobs, but it has no place in the classroom.

Plants cannot grow and thrive in a stagnant and negative atmosphere. How can we expect our children to?

For many students, middle and high school can be a negative and overwhelmingly stressful experience. Standard "in the box" instruction, obscenely large class sizes, lack of individualized support and other factors such as uncaring attitudes from instructors can lead students to believe they are alone and school is not worth the effort. Once believed to be a place for “the bad kids”, alternative schools are not only the logical answer for students who do not fit well with traditional schooling, but also becoming more appealing as the only real answer to our failing educational system.

While some alternative school students have earned the labels of *misfit* or *troublemaker*, many times it’s because they do not have the ability to conform to the “normal”. By possessing learning abilities and perspectives that do not conform with what the government deems the “average” or “ideal” student, they are given labels with negative connotations.

Alternative school teachers tend to have a more caring attitude toward learning, and structure their lessons to adapt to the needs of their class. The class size is smaller leading to more individual attention per student from teachers and staff. This increases education engagement and a stronger understanding of what is studied, which improves grades and increases curiosity to learn more. The instructors want the children to succeed and provide more assistance and resources. Classes are tailored to meet different learning styles and offer an immersive experience. Some lessons include getting involved locally to solve problems. With this type of community involvement and nurturing from empowered staff, alternative schools create a sense of belonging and motivation in the student.

With many advantages and limitless potentials, alternative schools should no longer be the alternative. The answer to our failing education model is in making the alternative school model the mainstream. Our children, society, and our future depends on it.

This video is well worth the watch. It details the ridiculous model and even physical dangers from standardized testing.