Cross Case Features: Context

Alternative School: School Context

The three NCTA teachers teach at a small alternative school for grades 9-12. One teacher said, “We’re a school for alternative learners, bright kids who learn differently.” Another describes the school’s goals as follows: “We’re working towards individualized portfolios. Because we’re such a tiny school we can do that, but we’ve got tons of required paperwork.” All students in the school are required to have a “double block in humanities.” To help ensure that students fulfill their requirements, humanities staff meets once a week to plan and work on integrating thematic units.