Thanks to the early work of whistle blowers like Charlotte Iserbyt, parents are becoming aware that government-run public education may not be right for their children anymore.
With the recent addition of the disastrous Common Core policies sweeping through public education in the United States, parents are also being forced to sit by as their children are subjected to military style training programs involving active shooters, forced vaccination trials without parental consent, unhealthy school lunches, and constant Wi-Fi electromagnetic radiation exposure (a class 2B carcinogen).
It is no wonder that many parents are desperate to step outside the current paradigm in search of a better way. Solutions and alternatives are taking hold and beginning to gain popularity for frustrated and angry parents, communities, and children. If you have considered joining the exodus from government-run public education, here are some places to start.
Homeschooling
According to Dr. Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute, the recent growth rate of homeschooling in the US is 7% to 15% per year. Unfortunately, the first thought for many parents when the idea of homeschooling is considered is usually “I don’t have the time” or “I wouldn’t know where to start.”
Since children learn in different ways and at different paces, a homeschooling approach may be superior because it allows parents to create their own rhythms for learning catered to each child as well as to their family’s lifestyle. Parents may even find it exciting to have the freedom and opportunity to mix and blend all the various styles.
To be clear, the word “homeschooling” no longer reflects the reality of the process. The Internet has propelled homeschooling curriculums into the mainstream to meet the growing demand. In addition, most alternative schools also offer their curriculums and materials for off-site home schooling. This gives the parents even more freedom to switch between home education and enrollment into live classroom settings thought the United States without missing a beat.
Montessori
Started in the early 1900’s by Italian physician Maria Montessori, the Montessori Method seeks to create a love of lifelong learning and the release of human potentialities rather than simply imparting knowledge. Montessori classrooms use unique learning materials and environments that provide children with individual freedom to develop their inner direction and discipline with a focus of hands-on experience, movement, and individual choice.
Teachers are there to provide guidance, gentle direction, and freedom within limits. Like many other methods, Montessori schools offer parts of their curriculum for home schooling families.
Waldorf
Like the Montessori methods, Waldorf education seeks to ignite the student’s passion for lifelong learning. Its beginnings almost a century ago are rooted in the spiritual-scientific research of scientist Rudolf Steiner. Waldorf education is based on a profound understanding of human development. It provides the students with a detailed, richly artistic curriculum that responds to and enhances the child’s developmental phases from early childhood through high school. Another major hallmark is the emphasis on connecting the students with nature.
Although not very publicized, many countries strive for alternative education that is closer to natural learning away from government control. The longstanding popularity of Rudolf Steiner’s Waldorf education, now in 83 countries, is a testament to this fact. Another example is found in Tekos, Russia as covered in the recent documentary ‘The School.’
Although this article comes nowhere near providing an exhaustive list of options, most alternative schooling methods are becoming open-sourced and available to all who care to investigate online.