strangely unique schools

In Southern California theres a school that offers adventure, creativity, and fun to kids. It allows each child to take the lead in his or her learning experiences and to enhance those experiences. The school provides rich learning opportunities in the form of an inspiring environment, access to interesting materials, varied classes, and plentiful field trips all tied together with exciting themes. Sounds like fun

This experimental UK based school that was found back in the rebellious sixties definitely deserves a mention since it was one of the most progressive schools worldwide, especially if one takes into account how strict British life was back then. This school allowed its students to do pretty much whatever they wanted. Fancy a cigarette during class? No problem. Plow through the school grounds on a motorbike? Ditto.

Brooklyn Free Schools mission is education geared toward social justice. It engages students and staff in democratic decision making and problem solving. The school has no grades, no tests, and no compulsory classes or homework. Furthermore, students are free to leave classes as they please.

Founded in a Phoenix, Arizona, garage in 1977, Awakening Seed wants children of all races, cultures, religions, and ethnic backgrounds to be honored for who they truly are (whatever that means). The school, which runs from preschool to fifth grade, bans artificial juices and Lunchables, and their mission statement includes the line world peace is possible. In other words, and without trying to be funny here, it could easily be called the Hippie School .

Abo Elementary School in Artesia, New Mexico, is located about forty miles south of Roswell and was part of a pilot program in the 1960s. The Office of Civil Defense wanted to see if schools could make good public shelters, and they paid a portion of the total cost of the school. Thats how we ended up with the first underground elementary school that doubled as an advanced Cold War fallout shelter.

In the mid 1950s, some children who apparently loved Disney films way too much at the public elementary school in Levittown, Pennsylvania, were given the opportunity to name their school after a public figure. When Disney found out about this honor, he decided to send artists to decorate the school. Half a century later this school is still all things Disney, with classrooms and hallways devoted to Disney characters.

The Philadelphia School of the Future aims to explore ways to better prepare students for success in our digital world and global economy. They accomplish this by forgoing text books and instead applying technological tools such as computers for students, OneNote for note taking, and computerized smart boards for teachers. They even have digital lockers that uses a students ID card as a key.

Guizhou is one of the poorest provinces in China. Water and food shortages due to massive desertification and drought have left the region often struggling to keep its people alive. Despite these shortcomings, the Miao people of southern Guizhou made the best of their situation by opening an elementary school in a cave, aptly named Mid Cave Primary School. The school opened in 1984, and at its peak employed eight teachers who taught 186 students who would otherwise have no education.

Witch School is a Wiccan school offering both online courses as well as courses on their two campuses in Chicago, Illinois, and Salem, Massachusetts. As the name suggest, this is a place where witchcraft is taught.

Delphian was founded in the 1970s by a group of educators who shared a dream of transforming education. It is an independent, coeducational day and boarding school located in Sheridan, Oregon, and is open to students from around the world. Inside this secretive and very expensive Scientology school students are taught through clay modeling and staring matches, while some of the most famous celebrities, such as Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, have trusted their kids education to it.