MICRO-SCHOOLs WHAT are they AND WHY CHOOSE one

A new wave of tiny schools is sweeping the country offering new options for parents, teachers, and students. Although there is no common definition that covers  all micro schools, the understanding that students benefit from personalized learning with close access to teachers is creating an interest in reinventing the one-room schoolhouse where the emphasis is on individual student growth. Micro schools vary in size, approach and governance, and these schools “model a combination of one-room schoolhouse, blended learning, home schooling and private schooling” (Horn, 2015, para. 2).

Learning environments vary considerably among micro schools. Students may attend school only a         few days each week, or they may attend in a more traditional, five days each week, schedule. What these schools have in common is that they offer personalized learning, access to teachers at a very low ratio, innovative approaches to pedagogy, and “a fidelity to personalization and success for all in small communities” (Horn, 2015).

In most micro schools, class size is limited to fifteen students or less, and many schools encourage mixed age level groupings. Classes meet less frequently and can be taught through a flipped classroom or blended learning approach. Class time usually involves hands-on, activity based learning that often pairs students with experts in their fields. Lectures, worksheets and book work are replaced with carefully constructed activities that foster the individual growth of students. These schools often develop content and curriculum that inspire passion for learning through real world application.

Opportunities provided by micro schools:

• Multi-age classrooms – small classrooms will inspire personalized learning that relies on dynamic grouping. Students of different ages can work together to support each other as in the Montessori model.
• The ability to identify challenges and implement new ideas – small schools allow adjustments to be made according to student need. For example, scheduling can be changed relatively easily as compared to a school with 500 students.
• Lower organizational complexity – running a small organization reduces the complexity of operation.
• Enhanced community – research suggests that relationships matter for students. Smaller school environments will enhance connections between students, families and teachers.
• Fewer facilities challenges – micro schools may require only a single open room; therefore, finding space in the community should not be a barrier.
• Teacher Ownership – Many micro-schools are owned by the very teachers who lead them.  This model of school not only provides autonomy, but allows maximum flexibility in leadership and decision-making.