Praise for Alternative School

The school district in which I currently teach is rather small (we only have 6 high schools) when compared to the school district in which I started my teaching career (they have over 40 high schools). I had the experience this past semester of having a student removed from my high school for unacceptable behavior and placed in our county’s alternative school.

This particular student is a junior whose biggest downfall is his immaturity. He is very bright, taking all advanced courses, but has not grasped appropriate social behaviors! So, as his Analytic Geometry teacher, I was concerned how he was going to complete the appropriate credits. The alternative school employs a curriculum based on “regular” studies because the school works as a revolving door—kids are always coming and going. How could they keep this student challenged through his last quarter of school? How could he earn his credits so he could remain on pace to graduate next year, since he is coming back to the local high school next year?

The guidance department at the alternative school recognized that they did not offer the appropriate courses and, in some cases, did not have teachers who could teach the subjects he needed. So they did the most amazing thing! They contacted this student’s old teachers and asked for them to send notes, work, tests, study aides, etc. Now, I’m sure some teachers disliked this idea . . . why should they have to spend more time pulling together assignments for a student who misbehaved! But I welcomed the idea that this student could independent study my course and still receive the appropriate credit.

I quickly pulled together copies of notes, worksheets, quizzes, tests, and created a list of helpful websites. The alternative school created a schedule that allowed him to have access to a computer for my class period; he could even e-mail me with questions! They administered all the assessments, including the final exam, and just forwarded them to me for grading! The process was so smooth and I actually think he probably learned more through this method because he had to teach himself. He finished the quarter with a 74% and obtained an 80% on the final exam.

I praise the alternative school for truly holding up to their mission—to help “rehabilitate” the students’ behavior and return them to their regular school assignments—not penalizing them any further for their mistakes. In my old school district, the students who attended alternative schools would find themselves quickly falling behind in credits, which, if they even made it back into the mainstream, just discouraged them emotionally and encouraged further misbehavior!

I have spoken with this particular student numerous times, and he is so thankful for what the alternative school and his teachers did. He recognizes how his misbehavior could have cost him a lot more, like an extra semester in high school, but completely understands his mistakes and already seems more mature for having served this punishment. As a teacher, I think it is worth the little extra time and effort to make the difference in just one child’s life!