CHAPTER 3 - NEW LEARNING ALTERNATIVES

Introduction

Alternatives in education have become an ever-present issue over the past decade. Lack of success in current public education models has pressed parents and communities to look for ways in which education systems can be changed to better suit their needs and the needs of their children. Alternatives tend to be approached when people become dissatisfied, for whatever reason, with present conditions and feel that the only way to remedy their situation is by searching for new methods and models.

The New Learning Project proposes that it is difficult for public schools to educate every single student properly, even with the most dedicated teachers and administrators. As public school systems become more centralized, with amalgamated schools and school boards, standardized testing and regional curricula, it becomes even more difficult to address the diverse individual needs of students. The New Learning concept maintains that alternatives in education can help meet these needs and furthermore that society as a whole will benefit if students and parents are able to choose from a variety of learning structures.

The purpose of Chapter 3 is to examine some educational alternatives that are available in Canada and to briefly explore the various educational methods that exist around the world.

It should be noted that many of these educational alternatives offer the opportunity for parents and communities to become more involved in the education process than is possible in most traditional public school systems.

Charter schools are public schools that have been granted autonomy by a school board or the Minister of Education. The overall goal of charter schools is to stimulate change. It gives parents and educators the freedom to create new learning environments by allowing them to develop and implement a charter, the defining feature of all charter schools. Charter schools are intended to promote hands-on learning, smaller class sizes, and greater parental involvement.

Private schools are another attractive choice for some. Private school models vary from the teacher-centred and authoritarian models to cooperative models and those based on an open learning concept. Montessori and Waldorf schools will be examined to illustrate what the latter type of private schools have to offer.