Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

ALE Offers Students Different Structure

Some students, no matter how hard they try, simply cannot learn in a classroom setting.

This doesn't mean these are bad children or they are incapable of learning. It just means other methods must be used so they can learn the lessons expected of them.

Because of this, two years ago, the Gurdon School District implemented the Alternative Learning Environment, ALE.

Donald Williams, GHS girls basketball coach, and Opal Ledbetter work with the ALE students, providing them with an environment they can learn in.

While the ALE classroom may seem unstructured, it is anything but. It's simply different.

Students don't sit in classrooms, per se, nor do they utilize traditional desks. But, they are required to meet weekly goals from their classes.

Those in the ALE program attend "classes" in what used to be the Arkla Gas Co. building on Front Street.

The front section is open, with a couple of tables and couches. There is also an area with a television and VCR. Students also have computers they are required to work on -- at least 20 minutes per day.

Williams said students work on a loose block schedule while in ALE. "This gives them a chance to learn in a different environment at their own pace.

"They need to stay on an even keel," he said, meaning students need to stay up with their lessons. However, they can do work ahead of the plans they have for homework.

Once their schoolwork is complete, Williams said, the students in the program are free to do what they want, providing it's constructive.

"Schools were losing students as dropouts," he said. "The Arkansas Department (ADE) of Education looked into finding out why."

What the ADE learned, Williams said, is some students can't learn in the traditional educational environment. Then it went to work to find methods of helping those students.

The ALE program is what transpired.

"I'm a firm believer in it," Williams said of the program. "I've seen the difference it can make in students who would have dropped out if not for the program."

Students, he said, enjoy the ALE program, which is different than the ISS, or In School Suspension, program. ISS is a punishment system for problem causing students. ALE is non-punitive in nature.

However, both programs are housed in the same building. The students, though, are kept separated so those in ISS don't interfere with, or cause problems for those in ALE.

The only drawback to ALE is it is limited to the number of students who can participate at one time -- 15. Currently, there are 13 in the program.

For a student to become part of the ALE program, they must first be referred by a teacher, counselor, principal, parent or another student.

A referral form must be submitted to the respective principal, as the program is for students in grades 7-12.

Documentation of at-risk factors, such as poor attendance, low grade-point average, grade retention or being one or more years behind grade levels of their peers, must also be presented.

Those admitted are the ones who show the most need.

Once the application has been made, students are then screened by a committee. This panel is composed of the respective principal and counselor, the lead teacher and a teacher of the student's choice. The principal or counselor involved must present the documentation showing need.

This process occurs before the beginning of each semester. The only exceptions will be for transfer students from other ALE programs or in extenuating circumstances.

Next comes a conference with a parent or guardian with the principal in question or Williams. The attendance of a parent or guardian is required at this time.

Once the conference is over, the student will be asked to participate in academic assessment activities. After these tests are done, the student and parent or guardian will be given the opportunity to explore what is offered by the program and expected from the student.

After being accepted into ALE, the student meets with a counselor and develops a one semester to a four year educational plan.

Those in the ALE program start their days at 8:15 a.m. with breakfast, should they want to eat. They are allowed 30 minutes to eat and must then get ready for their day.

Williams said the students have rosters for their schedules showing the courses they are taking. These students get to make up their assignments on-task, or at their own pace.

Each week, the work they do is graded to make sure they are where they should be academically. In addition, ALE students must write research papers on different approved topics.

While students in the mainstream computer classes are graded by their work on the machines by the teacher, students in ALE are also graded by the computer itself as to the time they spend on it. This is in addition to being graded on the work they do on the computer.

Students can work on math and English computer programs, which go from grades 1-12. In math, Williams said, the programming goes from simple addition and subtraction to calculus.

He said students in ALE study the same subjects as those in the mainstream. However, being in the different environment seems to help motivate these students more

"I've seen students motivated to stay in school and work toward their degrees," he said. "Some have even talked about going to college or technical school.

"It's made a lot of difference in their grades," he continued. "I've seen their GPAs go up. It's also helped some attitudes."

Fortunately, he said, there have been very few students who couldn't adapt with the ALE environment and be returned to the mainstream.

Williams said the ALE program is like a separate school, and can be compared to life on the college level where students are more responsible for how they do their work.

While the program was set up for students to be in it for one semester, Williams said most need to stay in the ALE program for at least a year. Some have been in it since its inception.

One thing is for sure with the ALE program in Williams' mind -- it works.