CHOICES
We live in a world of choices. Want a cup of joe? Most coffee shops offer hundreds of drink combinations. Need a new car? Dealerships dot highways, each offering dozens of makes, models, years, and colors. Eating out? We might need those few extra minutes to study our menu options. Updating a wardrobe? It’s hard to know where to begin at the mall or department store. Planning for a medical procedure? A list of eligible doctors on our health insurance plan might narrow the names to a few dozen to start.
And those are just a few. How about toothpaste, toilet paper, pet food, beef cuts, bread, light bulbs, movies . . . ? Choices are unavoidable in even the most mundane parts of our lives.
That’s why it’s so outrageous that families have few (if any) choices when it comes to something that will dramatically impact their lives and futures: education.
Education: The environment, methods, people, pace, tools and content that must give a child the skills and knowledge she will rely on for a lifetime of personal, professional, social, and civic interaction. A good education allows dreams to come true. A poor one can crush them forever.
Education is far more important than automobiles, dining, and clothing choices, and just as specialized. Each child is unique. Each learns at a different pace, has different strengths and weaknesses, and strives for different dreams. Yet many parents have just one option when it comes to their child’s academic future: The local public school, as determined by their zip code. It doesn’t matter if that school is doing well or poorly. It doesn’t matter if it fits their child’s particular needs. It doesn’t matter if the school’s teachers are gifted or just tolerated.
That’s ridiculous.
Choices aren’t limited because there aren’t enough gifted and creative educators or unique educational methods. They’re limited because too many people (adults) gain something by the limitations.
Read more to learn about: ** Some of the many successful education approaches in the world around us (see below).
** Obstacles preventing these options from becoming widely available.
** Education options available in your state that you may not know about.
** Organizations working to make more options available to more families.
** How you can help.
EDUCATIONAL APPROACHES
Imagine if this was the menu parents could choose from when deciding how to best provide their children with an education:
Alternative schools: These schools are usually designed to meet the needs of at-risk student populations (teen parents, juvenile offenders, chronic truants, kids who aren't on track to graduate, etc.). They use many methods to do so, from boot-camp style programs and longer school days/years, to providing child care services. Apprenticeship programs: Historically, apprenticeships teach students to master a skill by doing it and working alongside an expert. Bilingual schools: These schools focus on teaching students fluency in a foreign language in addition to core academic subjects. Boarding schools: These cater to families who live overseas (often military, political or missionary) or who want their children to experience a specific kind of academic community. They provide full-time room and board in addition to academic studies. Charter schools: These are public schools that operate with a charter (a contract that defines what they will accomplish) and are released from many of the rules and regulations governing traditional public schools. There are many different kinds of charter schools. College prep schools: These schools focus on preparing students for college and university academics. Cyber schools: These schools provide all or part of their academic instruction online, but often coordinate events at which students can interact in person with peers and teachers. Gender-specific schools: These schools are designed to instruct single-gender student populations. Home schools: This simply means academic instruction is entirely managed by parents, who choose different methods for doing so. Networking with other parents, co-ops, participating in some private/public school programs, etc., are all possibilities. Independent schools: All kinds of schools fit into this category. Some are one-of-a-kind programs, others may be part of a group of schools that adheres to a specific educational philosophy (Montessori, unschool, Waldorf, etc.) International schools: Some parents choose to send their children to a foreign school to experience another culture or learning program. Magnet schools: These schools generally focus on a specific area of learning, such as music/arts, science/math/technology, engineering, etc., in addition to a basic education curriculum. Military schools: These schools cater to the needs of military families, or are designed to prepare students for a military career. Religious schools: These schools incorporate religious teaching into their core academic program. Traditional public schools: These schools are what most people think of when they hear the term "public school," and are managed and governed by local, state and national regulations. Vocational/technical schools: Schools that focus on teaching a vocational or technical skill in addition to a basic academic program. Other schools: Use your imagination... Perhaps some combination of all-of-the-above.
Special needs schools: These schools are designed to meet the needs of specific student populations, such as those who are blind, deaf, autistic, mentally disabled, etc.