In many ways, Waldorf schools are as close as we can get to the one-room schoolhouse while still being organized.
With the rise of charter and independent schools has come a willingness on the part of educators to try new models of how schools can run. Some of these models are rooted in a century of research. Others are completely new concepts. One thing they all share: these aren’t your traditional school programs.
There are positives and negatives to all of these programs, but if you think your child could benefit from a progressive model and your district offers such programs, they are worth investigating.
Montessori
Montessori schools have been around for generations and are built around the educational research and philosophies of Maria Montessori. She believed that students should be allowed to learn in their own way. Classes tend to be multi-age, full of hands-on tools, and less structured than the traditional model. Montessori schools are particularly popular for kids up to kindergarten, although full elementary Montessori programs do exist. The model is not considered beneficial for students older than that.
Waldorf
In many ways, Waldorf schools are as close as we can get to the one-room schoolhouse while still being organized. The curriculum is fluid. A single subject might be focused on for up to a month, and the same teacher might stay with the same students for up to eight grades. In addition to the core subjects, students also receive more instruction in the arts and languages than they would at a traditional school. There are 124 Waldorf schools around the US, including a number of public charter schools.
International Baccalaureate
IB is taught in 125 countries worldwide and has the goal of presenting a truly international curriculum. Core subjects are presented in a fast-paced and rigorous way, in addition to focusing on language and the arts. Most programs focus on project-based learning and extracurriculars that might include community service. IB schools have been adopted widely, even in traditional public schools, and are particularly popular for high schools. In many districts, the IB school(s) is the highest-performing high school in the district.
No age alignment
The Carlton Innovation School in Salem, MA is an example of a school that has taken traditional education norms and thrown them out the window. To start, there are no grade levels. Students are progressed through the curriculum on a trimester basis and might be grouped with kids who are a year older or younger. This is accomplished through constant, non-graded assessment and a strict alignment to standards.
Although Carlton might be one of the few schools that brings a lot of these concepts together, individually they can be found around the country.