An interpretive phenomenological analysis of student experiences in a suburban, midwestern alternative school

Abstract

Students who are at risk for failure in traditional schools often switch enrollment to an alternative school setting. The social, emotional, and academic needs of students attending alternative schools are often different from their traditional high school peers. If we are able to understand how the students make sense of their lived experiences after transferring from a traditional high school to an alternative school, we could better serve their needs. Therefore the purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study was to understand how students enrolled in a suburban, alternative high school in the Midwest made sense of their lived experiences associated with attending this alternative school. This study has the potential to help administrators and educators at this school to better meet student's social, emotional and academic needs, and may help to inform educators in other alternative school contexts. This study shows that the school-based factors that help students connect with the adults and learning in a social environment, like curriculum and planning, communities of practice, and the learning environment have as much impact on the students' academic success as the students' individual factors, like grades, behavior, and personal experiences, and other factors, such as family and community support.