11Alternative school system

17. Conventional schooling: problems and ways of their solution

For every family the future of their kids is the most important question. Parents are ready to spend an enormous sum of money for the education of their children.

Choosing a school is of an exceptional importance. Because our decision will influence the march of events and will be a turning-point in the life of our kids. That’s why we have to choose the school where we would like our children to study and to what sphere of life we want to dedicate their life very carefully. But what are the criteria for the good school? How not to mistake while choosing one? Schools have for many years set out their purposes, often in clear and helpful statements of aims and objectives.

School’s mission is to promote intellectual growth in students through a meaningful education. However, the possibility of schools to reach the set up target depends on the approach they take to fulfill educational goals and reach high academic standards.

The reality nowadays shows that parents more often give their preference to private schools, choosing the name of the school but not its teaching methods. Because even if you come at the interview and there will be a choice between a boy or a girl graduated in Cambridge but not very talented, and another boy or girl who finished one of the comprehensive schools but who is a real smart boy/girl, there a slight possibility for the 2^nd one to get the job, because Cambridge speaks for its name. So, the graduate from Cambridge gained some kind of social advantage attending this University.

Conventional schooling presupposes traditional forms of educating students through a teacher-centered approach, relying on lecturing as a way of transmitting information and test examination system as a way of knowledge control. This type of schooling exists in Belarus. It should be mentioned that Belarus has a highly developed system of education, as evidenced by such statistical indicators as adult literacy rate (99.8%) and ratio of employed population who received basic, general secondary or vocational education (98%).

However conventional schooling has become nowadays the subject of multiple critiques. There are those who believe that this type of schooling does not well reveal children’s potential, moreover it stifles curiosity and kills motivation. Children are regarded as just numbers. Due to the big numbers of students in classes and limited amount of time it is next to impossible for teachers to find an individual approach to each student and to create high motivation for the subject. In their turn, some teachers, due to low salaries, lack incentive and inspiration to give off their best.

Truancy, lack of interest and important extra-curricular activities, lack of financing and of new modern equipment are the issues that Belarusian conventional schooling faces today and that demand thorough consideration and resolution.

Among the ways of improving the situation is to make education more learner-centered based on the pedagogy of cooperation where the learner shares the responsibilities for decisions in the learning process; it minimizes pressure upon students and give them more freedom to express their thoughts and opinions, puts the emphasis on creative thinking. This approach shortens the amount of students in each classroom and thus establishes a contact with each child, creates the atmosphere of trust.

Teachers are to respect the views of students and by no means to penalize them for the views different from the accepted norm. Thus the key targets of conventional schooling should be the development of personality and also the creative thinking.

On the whole, schools, parents and the state should integrate in order to build an educated society.

17. Conventional schooling: problems and ways of their solution

For every family the future of their kids is the most important question. Parents are ready to spend an enormous sum of money for the education of their children.

Choosing a school is of an exceptional importance. Because our decision will influence the march of events and will be a turning-point in the life of our kids. That’s why we have to choose the school where we would like our children to study and to what sphere of life we want to dedicate their life very carefully. But what are the criteria for the good school? How not to mistake while choosing one? Schools have for many years set out their purposes, often in clear and helpful statements of aims and objectives.

School’s mission is to promote intellectual growth in students through a meaningful education. However, the possibility of schools to reach the set up target depends on the approach they take to fulfill educational goals and reach high academic standards.

The reality nowadays shows that parents more often give their preference to private schools, choosing the name of the school but not its teaching methods. Because even if you come at the interview and there will be a choice between a boy or a girl graduated in Cambridge but not very talented, and another boy or girl who finished one of the comprehensive schools but who is a real smart boy/girl, there a slight possibility for the 2^nd one to get the job, because Cambridge speaks for its name. So, the graduate from Cambridge gained some kind of social advantage attending this University.

Conventional schooling presupposes traditional forms of educating students through a teacher-centered approach, relying on lecturing as a way of transmitting information and test examination system as a way of knowledge control. This type of schooling exists in Belarus. It should be mentioned that Belarus has a highly developed system of education, as evidenced by such statistical indicators as adult literacy rate (99.8%) and ratio of employed population who received basic, general secondary or vocational education (98%).

However conventional schooling has become nowadays the subject of multiple critiques. There are those who believe that this type of schooling does not well reveal children’s potential, moreover it stifles curiosity and kills motivation. Children are regarded as just numbers. Due to the big numbers of students in classes and limited amount of time it is next to impossible for teachers to find an individual approach to each student and to create high motivation for the subject. In their turn, some teachers, due to low salaries, lack incentive and inspiration to give off their best.

Truancy, lack of interest and important extra-curricular activities, lack of financing and of new modern equipment are the issues that Belarusian conventional schooling faces today and that demand thorough consideration and resolution.

Among the ways of improving the situation is to make education more learner-centered based on the pedagogy of cooperation where the learner shares the responsibilities for decisions in the learning process; it minimizes pressure upon students and give them more freedom to express their thoughts and opinions, puts the emphasis on creative thinking. This approach shortens the amount of students in each classroom and thus establishes a contact with each child, creates the atmosphere of trust.

Teachers are to respect the views of students and by no means to penalize them for the views different from the accepted norm. Thus the key targets of conventional schooling should be the development of personality and also the creative thinking.

On the whole, schools, parents and the state should integrate in order to build an educated society.

Alternative school system: pros and cons

Today alternative schools become more and more popular. And it was shown recently that graduates of the alternative schools reach really good results and they are going on to college without problems.

All alternative schools try to improve the educational system introducing some new methods, distinguishable from the original ones being used in the conventional schools.

Alternative School provides a structured learning environment and offers a variety of methods and materials that meet the individual needs of students, while maintaining clearly defined limits and strictly enforced consequences for inappropriate behavior.

Alternative School offers students the opportunity to acquire the academic and social skills that will allow them to return to their home schools and be successful.  The curriculum is that of the Public Schools with emphasis on behavior modification, individualization, and small group instruction.

The Point Card System is a vital part of the school's program in some alternative schools.  Students receive points as part of our behavior management program. The purpose of this system is to help students and teachers track the students’ progress in behavior and to help modify inappropriate behaviors. Points are earned for preparation, assignment, and consideration. 

We can name some main aspects of the Alternative School system:

• provides special education classes for learning disabled students and emotionally disturbed students. 

• offers a variety of instructional methods with an emphasis on individualization.

• provides individualized counselling to help students develop self-discipline and to encourage good citizenship.

• encourages parental involvement in the students' education and utilizes appropriate community agencies.

• Alternative School's behavioral management system provides consequences for negative behavior and immediate reinforcement for positive behavior.

In New York the City-as-School idea itself is not new but the New York programme is generally recognized as being the most successful of its kind. CAS it’s a school without walls its ‘classroom’ is the city itself. 350 high school students between 15 and 18 spend their days in the theaters, museums, government offices and businesses of New York in a programme of part-time apprenticeships that are individually tailored to their interests and needs.

Students are accepted into CAS after an interview; the only academic requirement is 2year of basic mathematics and science at a high school. Credits are given, for satisfactory completion of each assignment, so that the students have the same chance of getting into an American college like students from ordinary high schools.

The NY CAS is viewed as a useful alternative way of dealing with these final school years. There is however still some lingering doubts as to whether his kind of Life experience can totally replace the academic development acquired in a classroom.

I think that CAS is a good chance for graduates to apply their knowledge in practice. Because unfortunately nowadays university programs include a great variety of subjects that don’t play any practical role. And in the result students have to study a lot of useless material when later they don’t know how to apply it in their job.

So if, for example, to split education into 2 parts: theoretical part (because it’s obvious that without background knowledge, students will not be able to work) and practical part (in order to see how to apply their knowledge in real life) it will be a perfect combination, and it will help the graduates to build the future career.

School choice is one of the hottest issues in education. Alternative education or alternative schools are not really a new concept. It has its roots deep in the past. For example in Britain or in colonial America, we can see that education was conducted by the wealthy or offered to the general population by the rich people or by religious groups.

Among the types of alternative school opportunities are the elite and costly private schools, the schools with a religious orientation, and the recently revived home schools.

There are many reasons why parents choose to opt out of the state system and send their children to private schools. Some are opposed to mixed schooling (most private schools are single-sex, at least until the age of 16): some are opposed to the comprehensive system, believing that, for example, mixed-ability classes do not make the best provision for the most and least able children. Others believe that there are social advantages to be gained from attending certain schools, particularly the exclusive public schools, which are the most expensive. These parents therefore feel they ought to make substantial sacrifices to give their children a good start in life.

Private education has become one of Britain and America’s liveliest growth sectors. More and more parents seem prepared to take on the formidable extra cost of buying the kind of education they prefer for their children. As a result many fee-paying schools have long waiting lists.

To pay school fees, most parents have to cut down on their household expenditure, mainly holidays and travel. They have to find ways of increasing the income.

Recently one more alternative school system has been invented - the City-as-School.

In New York the City-as-School idea itself is not new but the New York programme is generally recognized as being the most successful of its kind. CAS it’s a school without walls its ‘classroom’ is the city itself. 350 high school students between 15 and 18 spend their days in the theaters, museums, government offices and businesses of New York in a programme of part-time apprenticeships that are individually tailored to their interests and needs.

Students are accepted into CAS after an interview; the only academic requirements is 2 years of basic mathematics and science at a high school. Credits are given, for satisfactory completion of each assignment, so that the students have the same chance of getting into an American college like students from ordinary high schools.

The NY CAS is viewed as a useful alternative way of dealing with these final school years. There is however still some lingering doubts as to whether his kind of Life experience can totally replace the academic development acquired in a classroom.

I think that CAS is a good chance for graduates to apply their knowledge in practice. Because unfortunately nowadays university programs include a great variety of subjects that don’t play any practical role. And as the result students have to study a lot of useless material when later they don’t know how to apply it in their job.