The Benefits of Magnet Schools Essay -- essays papers

Advantages of magnet schools Why would students want to attend a magnet school? The reason may be because magnet schools offer a variety of specialized programs that students can choose from. Programs such as visual and performing arts, mathematics, sciences, and many others are available for students to choose from. Similar to having a major in college, students at magnet schools have their own specialized area that they can take classes in, in addition to basic academic classes. They are encouraged to be creative and to hone their skills in their area of interest. Another reason magnet schools may be so popular could be due, in part, to the different teaching styles that some of the schools have adopted. For example, University of Hartford Magnet School, a magnet elementary school in West Hartford, Connecticut, has begun teaching through a style developed by psychologist Howard Gardner. Gardner’s theory on intelligence’s are emphasized in this school, so as to get students to â€Å"appreciate all their intelligences, learn their own strengths, and develop those strengths in conjunction with other intelligences† (Delisio, p9). As opposed to regular, neighborhood high schools, magnet schools allow students from different districts to attend. Students may be bused in from over 30 miles away to attend a magnet school, while â€Å"some magnet schools have boarding facilities to allow students from out of state to attend† (Boland). In addition, magnet schools are an outlet for students from low-income, urban areas. â€Å"By the early 1980s, there were approximately 1,100 magnet schools in 140 urban school districts nationwide† (baeo.org, p2). Disadvantages of magnet schools Yet, there are some drawbacks to magnet schools. As prev... ... in an Elementary Magnet School: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education. Retrieved on April 19, 2004 from http://www.iste.org/jcte/PDFs/te18119wri.pdf This website summarizes a longitudinal study done on a technology magnet school. The information provided includes how the school was started, what the school obtained through government grants, and how the technology in the school was benefiting students and teachers. Steel, L. & Levine, R. (1994) Educational Innovation in Multiracial Contexts: The Growth of Magnet Schools in American Education. Palo Alto, California: American Institutes for Research. This book gives information on the benefits of magnet schools, the types of funding magnet schools receive, and information on the types of students enrolled in magnet schools. Studies on magnet schools are also provided in this book.