Alternative Solutions to Traditional Education
One of the benefits that has come out of the development of the Internet is that individuals have become empowered to take control of their own education. Along with this exciting development has come the realization that, as citizens in a global community, we are responsible to help others learn. In recent years there has been a great deal of digital noise about the fact that our traditional education system is failing. More and more students are falling into the category of needing special intervention in order to 'succeed' in school. Across the US, teacher preparation programs are increasingly focused on 'Special Education' to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Not surprisingly, several grassroots initiatives have sprung up in the last couple of decades that focus on alternative solutions to the traditional education in the US. Three of these educational alternatives are mentioned here and reviewed in more detail on the Review pages.
Virtual School - an online school experience involving traditionally state certified public school teachers and public school curriculum. Face-to-face events are available. Parents register their child with their resident school district as either 'home education' or 'public school at home'. Read the review of Virtual School on the review page...or visit K-12.com for more information about Virtual School.
Sudbury School - a homeschool environment with an emergent curriculum. Students and responsible adults meet in brick and mortar facilities. Parents and other family members may be involved to various degrees. Emphasis is on democratic principles and group dynamics. Visit the website for the original Sudbury School in Sudbury, MA.
Fairhaven - the online blended solution is a 21st Century version of homeschool ideology, broadening the context to a digital environment. The review is of the Fairhaven Learning Project, a blended learning project that began in 2009. The project involves K-12 age learners in the Fairhaven School. The teacher training component of the project leads to a Master Facilitator of Learning Certificate from the Fairhaven Institute. Read the detailed review of the project so far on the Reviews page. Visit the homepage or the Fairhaven Project for more details: Fairhaven Learning Project
In alternative 21st C education, focus has shifted from the 'sage on the stage' teacher-centered model of traditional education to the learner as manager of his own education.
Traditional education begins in the public/private k-12 model that focuses on education of the typical child and norm referenced testing, certification achievment at secondary, post secondary and advanced levels, and the view of teaching as one of many disciplinary professions. Individuals advance through certification levels that provide traditional employment opportunities in various fields in the business sector.
Alternatively, in the Fairhaven model the individual has taken on the responsibility for his own education, for seeking out the resources that will allow him to follow and explore his own interests. Teaching in this context is an activity that is common to all participants in a global learning community, as each individual provides access to resources that will contribute to the learning of others. Individuals engage at their own level of expertise, providing varying degrees of social navigation, coaching, and advocacy resources to a global community. Parents, members of the extended family, or friends serve as learning coaches, providing access to resources for the other team members. Learners move in and out of various project driven team opportunities, blending online and face to face experiences.
Read the Reviews of alternative educational models...
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