Alternative Approaches to Education ─ A Guide for Teachers and Parents

This book is designed to give parents and teachers information on different education options available in the UK and further afield. It covers four main areas:

• Making the case for alternative educational approaches: recent research and contemporary debates
• Outside the state system: small schools; democratic schools, Steiner Waldorf schools; Montessori schools and schools with other alternative philosophies
• Alternative approaches within the state system: how some state schools are finding different ways of working
• Doing it yourself: setting up a small school or learning centre; educating at home; flexible approaches to schooling

The values, philosophies and methods of each approach are described, along with first-hand experiences of children, teachers and parents. There are answers to common questions and useful sources of further information.

This accessible and informative book challenges the dominant educational orthodoxies by putting children first. It will be of interest to teachers looking to build on their knowledge of different educational approaches in order to find new ways of working. It is also an ideal introduction for parents deciding how best to educate their children.

Fiona Carnie is an Education Consultant and Visiting Research Associate at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK. She is Director of Partnerships at the RSA Academy in Tipton in the West Midlands where she has responsibility for parent voice, student voice and links with the local community. Fiona also sits on the Board of the European Forum for Freedom in Education, a European organisation committed to supporting diversity in education.