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In Alternative Schools: A Reference Handbook, educator Brenda Edgerton Conley surveys the emerging alternatives to our conventional educational system—a system that is not only costly, but ineffective for many children.

In a resource aimed at a broad audience—school administrators, politicians, and, most important, parents—Conley offers both a historical and a present-day perspective on alternative educational programs. What sets the alternative education movement apart, she argues, is its acknowledgment that we all learn differently. That knowledge has given rise to an explosion of exciting alternatives—from open schools to home schooling, from charter schools to church schools. These alternative schools are smaller and less bureaucratic, more responsive to the community, and more receptive to change.

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In this second edition of her educational text, Noddings suggests that if we make the responsiveness characteristic of caring more basic than accountability, we can accommodate both traditional and progressive preferences in one school system to the benefit of all... especially the children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

why the land fills are filling up
this was a school required book. otherwise I would have never bought it. if i had a choice between reading the manual for my toothbrush and this book..I would choose the toothbrush manual

The Challenge to Care in Schools
interesting but unrealistic recommendations to change focus of curriculum in education; quotes Dewey quite a bit; easy to read, required for a class

Can caring work in our schools?
Noddings, in this book, addresses someof the issues facing our students in this day and age.She looks at issues of school violence, substance abuse, sexuality, etc. from the perspective of curriculum and provides suggestions on how schools could adress these issues based on the philosophy of caring.Noddings is a reconstructionist in her views but in this book offers concrete examples of how caring could be incorporated into the existing curriculum.Her use of examples helps to clarify her concepts and spheres of caring and why she believes schools need to incorporate care into their curricula.I found her first book difficult to read and did not feel that it made her points as clearly as this book does.I would reccomend this book as an entrance into the discussion of what role alternative views, such as caring, could have in our public schools.For people interested in education, public schools, and how to change our students' experiences for the better, this is a good book to read. ... Read more

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This book is about the creation and 14-year evolution of a public alternative inner-city high school: New Haven, Connecticut's High School in the Community (HSC).This school lived an idea--empowerment. Students were encouraged to participate in shaping many aspects of their education, teachers were responsible for running the school, and parents invited to help govern. The empowerment ideology pervaded the curriculum, the organizational structures and processes of the school, the relationships among students, teachers, and parents, and, indeed, the relationship between the author and the school. ... Read more

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How to Create Alternative, Magnet, and Charter Schools That Work is a comprehensive review which translates three decades of research and cutting-edge developments in alternative, charter, and magnet schools into the insights and practical strategies needed for effective alternative education programming.The book addresses the differences between magnet and charter schools, reasons for their creation, frequently asked questions about alternative schools, and lists organizations that support alternative schools as well as samples of alternative schools and programs.It also presents the ten essential elements of a successful alternative school, 64 evaluation criteria for assessing a school, 15 strategies to implement in an alternative school, and 5 pitfalls to avoid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book for people trying to start an Alternative School.
I had the pleasure of attending a conference presented by the authors.It was fantastic, and we were given a copy of the book for attending. If you already have an alternative program or you are thinking about starting one,this book would be a great resource.These guys really know their stuff! ... Read more

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A concise, user-friendly reference book that covers the critical and contemporary aspects of school law.

A Teacher’s Pocket Guide to School Law is a practical, informative reference for in-service and pre-service teachers in need of a school law resource written specifically with educators in mind. With an entertaining style that does not assume background knowledge in legal issues, this crisp, succinct text covers both the traditional and contemporary legal issues faced in today’s classrooms. Examining religion in the classroom, student record confidentiality, zero tolerance policies, gang activity, and students with disabilities, the Teacher’s Pocket Guide not only covers relevant school legal topics, but also provides readers with practical guides that assist teachers in resolving possible legal problems and avoiding lawsuits.

In the newly revised second edition of the text, author Nathan L. Essex has significantly expanded the guide to include the most recent school law topics, keeping the book up-to-date and practical for 21^st Century educators everywhere.

Customer Reviews (6)

Very handy guide!
This pocket guide contains virtually the same information as the text, but in a handier size for quick reference. I have the book at home and the pocket guide at school, and I use both of them all the time.

G. Buermann, Middle School Principal

Yes, it's excellent, but why?
As others have said, this is an excellent book. I picked it as a quick reference/study guide for my Education Law class. Law has always been interesting for me, but I don't get much use out of books that say things like 'X decision rendered in (year) was a landmark, upholding X principle (insert legal jargon).' A couple of my roommates in college were were law students, and I understand that junk, because I helped them study sometimes, and we talked about interesting cases they were studying, etc.
BUT, when I sit down to read about it, that's not what I want to know. I want to know what the court fight was about, what the court decision was, what it means, and how it affects my school and the classroom. That's exactly what Essex does in this book.
Most chapters are around 10-15 pages long, cover approximately 5 essential concepts or factors, including all the major cases or a description of the key ideas, identify which law is relevant (usually state or federal, though district or school board policies often come into play), a summary of the key players, roles, principles, or components of the concept being discussed. If an actual court case is discussed, it ends with a summary of the argument, the courts' decisions, and the final result. And each 1-3 page section finishes with a brief 'Guide' which provides a list of important things to consider, when addressing the policy or issue covered (Essex is usually very conservative with his recommendations, but at least you have an idea what needs to be considered).
It also includes handy things like a good index, a separate list of all the court cases discussed, appendices that include relevant sections of the Constitution, selected federal statutes, and descriptions of major organizations and how they can impact a teacher.
And finally, Essex is a good writer who makes the topics interesting by minimizing the jargon and focusing on why things are important. Several times, I've found myself reading for a while, after I looked something up, just because he makes stuff interesting.

School Law Book - Excellent Service..Amazon is awesome
I ordered my book and received excellent service.Got it in perfect time as well!Thank you Amazon ~ keep up the good work!

Essex's Book
It was required for a class, but it turns out it very good.

Essex's " A Teacher's Pocket Guide to School Law" is an excellent resource.
The Pocket Guide is an excellent, affordable resource for all administrators as well as teachers.It is easy to use and offers guidelines to stay out legal difficulties.The price is right and content parallels his textbook "School Law and the Public Schools". ... Read more

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A School for Healing: Alternative Strategies forTeaching At-Risk Students describes an alternative school thatdealt with students who were expelled or suspended from public schooland who perceived themselves as being injustice. It was assumed thatthey misinterpreted the facts of various situations or choseinappropriate strategies to correct real injustices. The task of theschool was to help the students learn multiple perspectives forinterpreting the actions of others and to teach them more appropriateways of resolving injustices. Four students in the school relate theirproblems and describe, through a qualitative research interviewprocess, how the school helps them. The book describes specificstrategies the school used and concludes with suggestions to those whowish to establish a similar program. ... Read more

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Despite the many `alternative' schools and programmes in the United States designed to redirect the lives of at-risk youth, the majority of these in fact serve to isolate and segregate. This challenging book presents a comprehensive plan for those interested in creating truly alternative educational programmes for this group. John Kellmayer outlines the key characteristics of alternative programmes, describes alternative models and explains how to implement and manage these programmes. He also provides strategies on how to empower teachers, involve students in their own education and evaluate alternative programmes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

How To Establish an Alternative School
This is a great book! It is insightful and well-written, and as a parent, I was impressed by the author's dedication to his students. ... Read more

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"Schools of Tomorrow," Schools of Today documents some of the child-centered progressive schools founded in the first half of the twentieth century and provides histories of some more contemporary examples of progressive practices. Part I discusses seven progressive schools founded in the first part of the twentieth century (Francis W. Parker; Organic; Park; City and Country; Lincoln; Dalton; Arthurdale), tracing them from their beginnings to the present, or until their regrettable demises. Part II examines four more contemporary schools (Butterfield; Free Union Country; Urban Academy; W. Haywood Burns), showing how progressive practices gained momentum from the 1960s onward. As a volume in the History of Schools and Schooling series, this book seeks to look to the past for what it can teach us today. The lessons from the past about what has happened to progressive education hopefully will inform contemporary debates. ... Read more

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The Hows and Whys of Alternative Education offers the essential information on the history of alternative education, school choice, alternative schools, charter schools, magnet schools, homeschooling, private schools, vouchers, distance learning, teacher/student/parent attraction, and the future of educational choice. ... Read more

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In the sociocultural turmoil of the late 1960s, a movement emerged to create alternatives to conventional schooling and democratize public education through parental choice in schooling. This first detailed history of the public alternative schools movement reveals its links to progressive education theory and practice, describes the influences of humanistic psychology and Sixties Era radical critique on early alternative educators, and explains the movement’s impact on the educational system. In addition to establishing school choice in the language of public education, the movement produced many examples of schools operating as democratic communities and contributed substantially to the reform idea of school-based management. The movement has also done much to inform educators, parents, and policy-makers of the benefits of small school size on student learning, the quality of human relationships in school, and school life in general. Once considered a marginal collection of small educational experiments, the movement has proven to be an avant-garde force in American education. ... Read more

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Economists disagree. They disagree over policy, prediction, and matters of pure theory. They even disagree over why they disagree. Why Economists Disagree demonstrates that the "crisis" of contemporary economics may actually be a sign of healthy disagreement and fresh thinking over the nature and scope of economic theory and policy. Since the 1980s, several dissenting schools of thought have emerged that offer serious methodological and theoretical challenges to mainstream economics. Why Economists Disagree provides a convenient introduction to Austrian, Post Keynesian, Institutionalist, Feminist, Marxist, and other heterodox alternatives to neoclassical economics. Written by eminent economists within each tradition, the book's chapters convey both the main characteristics, the controversies, and disagreement within each school of thought. Contributors include Jack Amariglio, Paul Davidson, William M. Dugger, Alfred S. Eichner, Roger W. Garrison, Albert O. Hirschman, Geoffrey M. Hodgson, Israel M. Kirzner, Arjo Klamer, J. A. Kregel, Ludwig M. Lachmann, Tony Lawson, Deirdre McCloskey, David F. Ruccio, Warren J. Samuels, Howard J. Sherman, William R. Waters, Thomas E. Weisskopf, and Frances R. Woolley. ... Read more

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This book will open your mind to the changing experience of schooling, and highlights new and different ways to help those whose needs simply don’t fit into the usual mould.  With contributions from leading academics from Canada, America, the UK, the Netherlands, and Australia, this internationally-minded book helps the reader to reflect on the ways young people are taught, and presents possible alternative approaches. Global social and economic changes and technological developments are driving the need for change within education, so that we can better cater for a diversity of young people. This book offers an overview of where we are now and where we might want to go in the future.

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This original study shows that British school districts, working collaboratively with their schools and clusters, can dramatically reduce exclusions and make permanent exclusions unnecessary. And through research in three low excluding school districts and five high excluding school districts, it shows how this is done. The challenges and barriers are recognized but the way forward is clear.

The book fills the ground between school and national government, pointing to the responsibilities and powers that a supportive, challenging and conciliatory district has in respect of the education of all children. Carl Parsons sets out an agenda for action which is about enlisting full support from counselors and officers, building a shared commitment with schools, broadening what schools are able to offer, developing managed moves as a conciliatory and non punitive response, generating more alternative provision and developing multi-agency working, with greater involvement of the voluntary sector.

This is a book for everyone involved in managing the education of behaviorally challenging children and young people. It is of particular relevance to those working at the level of strategy and operation in Children’s Services departments and to managers in schools. And other services which receive the excluded children will find the debates about appropriate provision of help in their work. ... Read more

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This first in-depth guide to the alternatives to public school education provides an overview of the development of education in North America and surveys some of the current movements in education theory. Among the 22 types of alternative approaches to education are Cardin, Christian, Foxfire, Holistic, home schooling, Mennonite and Amish, Roman Catholic, and Waldorf. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

For the parent considering alternatives to public school
I found the resource extremely helpful to understand the many private school choices in our area.It put an independent spin on educational philosphies and approaches that are available today.

Great overview!
I picked this book up at my public library.I wanted an overview on education in America and the different philosophies on education.I started to xerox so many pages out of it, that I decided to buy it.I am a teacher and I remember my teaching classes (years ago)on different theories of education.When you are new to teaching, you have a view of what you want to do in the classroom, but little experience to see what works.Now, years later, I am able to reflect on my philosophy of education with more depth.This book gave me new ideas that I didn't know existed out there.I like many of these alternatives.The truth is that every student is different and we need a variety of methods to reach each one.I can tell that the author is a bit biased.He clearly prefers a few methods (who doesn't) , but I still appreciate his effort.The overview and structure of the book are well-done.

AN ABSOLUTE MUST-READ
If you have children and you care about the kind of education they receive, you absolutely MUST read this book - ideally before they ever start school. In a single volume it will give you a background into what traditional public education is all about, explain why it may not be your best choice, and introduce you to almost two dozen other options. Educational alternatives described in this book range from the well-known (Montessori, Waldorf, homeschooling...) to those you may have never heard of, such as Reggio Emilia, Carden, and Foxfire.It also includes descriptions of schooling options in half a dozen different religious denomimations. Every parent owes it to his/her children to read this book before the child begins school.

Helpful guide for parents
I found this detailed catalogue helpful in understanding what is available in education today.I recommend the book to parents leery ofthe secularism,"multiculturalism," the "psychologizedclassroom", and other educational hazards which are now the order ofthe day in government schools. Koetzche's book should help parents findschools that are compatible with their values. Koetzsch writes concise, 2-4page discriptions of the major types of schools, both public and private,with the history, philosophy, and methods which constitute them.He triesto maintain neutrality, and most of the time he succeeds; but at times heseemed to be way too easy on so-called "progressive" education,presenting what its proponents say are the advantages, but not enough ofwhat the critics say in rebuttal. At the same time, I could detect slighthints that he was less than enthusiastic about religious schools, but hegave them a pretty fair shake, nonetheless. Just take what he says with agrain of salt and go observe schools yourself. If you don't know whatMontessori is all about, or Waldorf schools, or Friends schools, orChristian schools, or Catholic, or Foxfire, or Carden, but you want tobecome more informed, this is the book for you.He tells you where you canfind out more information at the end of each description.He also tellsabout homeschooling, and has a chapter on how to start your own school.

Helpful guide for parents
I found this detailed catalogue helpful in understanding what is available in education today.I recommend the book to parents leery ofthe secularism,"multiculturalism," the "psychologizedclassroom", and other educational hazards which are now the order ofthe day in government schools. Koetzche's book should help parents findschools that are compatible with their values. Koetzsch writes concise, 2-4page discriptions of the major types of schools, both public and private,with the history, philosophy, and methods which constitute them.He triesto maintain neutrality, and most of the time he succeeds; but at times heseemed to be way too easy on so-called "progressive" education,presenting what its proponents say are the advantages, but not enough ofwhat the critics say in rebuttal. At the same time, I could detect slighthints that he was less than enthusiastic about religious schools, but hegave them a pretty fair shake, nonetheless. Just take what he says with agrain of salt and go observe schools yourself. If you don't know whatMontessori is all about, or Waldorf schools, or Friends schools, orChristian schools, or Catholic, or Foxfire, or Carden, but you want tobecome more informed, this is the book for you.He tells you where you canfind out more information at the end of each description.He also tellsabout homeschooling, and has a chapter on how to start your own school. ... Read more