Alternative Public Schools With Holistic Pedagogical Practices

• In Event: Enhancing Children's Experience of School: Happiness, Care, and Holistic Pedagogy

Abstract

With the growth of school choice in the United States, the number of alternative public schools with holistic pedagogical practices has increased significantly. Nonetheless, despite the growth of public schools with a holistic orientation, empirical research on these schools is still limited. This study seeks to investigate this unexplored area. Through a multiple-case study design, this study describes how three alternative public schools implement holistic pedagogical practices while still attending to the demands of the public school system. Data was analyzed qualitatively, drawn from school documentation (website, brochures, pamphlets), observation notes, and recorded interviews, and coded deductively according to seven holistic pedagogical themes.

Author

• Lucila Telles Rudge, University of Montana