The Teenagers' Guide to School Outside the Box [Paperback]

Rebecca Greene (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dream It! Do It! | Publication Date: October 2000

For some teens, the traditional four-year high school curriculum is just what they need. Others would benefit more from nontraditional learning experiences—if they knew how to find them and what to do next.

This practical, inspiring book explores the world of alternative learning, giving teens the knowledge and tools they need to make good choices. It’s not a directory of programs; there are many of those available already.

Instead, Rebecca Greene introduces and describes a world of possibilities, from study abroad to internships, apprenticeships, networking, job shadowing, service learning, university coursework, and independent study. Then she tells teens where to look for opportunities, how to decide which ones are right for them, how to overcome potential barriers (cost, distance, time), how to prepare, and what kinds of benefits they can expect to take away from their experiences.

Comprehensive and realistic, complete with first-person stories from high school students who have gone “outside the box,” this guide is for any teen who wonders “What’s out there for me?” Also recommended for school guidance and career centers.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Greene encourages readers to think about what they are interested in and choose an opportunity to learn about it outside the classroom. Chapters explore a variety of traditional and nontraditional environments for volunteering, mentoring, alternative classes (dual enrollment, distance learning, etc.), job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, camps, and study abroad. Scattered throughout are tidbits of information in "F.Y.I." boxes, personal narratives highlighting teens' experiences, and lists of books and organizations. The clear layout is peppered with humorous spot art. This book will be a valuable resource for librarians and counselors, and students will come away from it with lots of ideas about how they can enrich their futures.-Jana R. Fine, Clearwater Public Library System, FL

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-12. This useful and enticing guide to "alternative learning" is sure to provoke ideas and open an exciting world of possibilities for almost any teen. Greene did many of the things she writes about: volunteering, internships, summer programs, and study and work abroad. She discusses these and other possibilities (mentoring, job shadowing, apprenticeships) in a light but thorough fashion, opening each section with questions that engage the reader. FYI sidebars offer interesting related tidbits, and the "Find Out More" sections in each chapter list books, organizations, and Web sites. The conversational, upbeat but realistic tone of the text is a huge plus, as are firsthand accounts of experiences from teens. A highly readable source of welcome and well-organized information. Debbie Carton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing; 1st edition (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575420872
• ISBN-13: 978-1575420875
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #722,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're looking to change your life, read this book!, October 27, 2000

By 

lisa martin (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Teenagers' Guide to School Outside the Box (Paperback)

The Teenagers' Guide to School Outside the Box is inspiring! It's perfect for any teen who is looking to do something "different" with their high school experiences other than choir or student council. This book full of interesting ways to "break out of the box" and explore the world of alternative learning experiences, and it shows you step-by-step how to get the most out of opportunities like study abroad, adventure camps, job shadowing, internships, volunteering, etc. I loved the first-person stories by teens--they made me realize that I can do something as wild and crazy as climb a mountain in Tibet or do an apprenticeship with a blacksmith, all during high school! Before reading this book, I never knew just how much is out there. Now I do. If you read this book, you too will realize that there's a whole world out there to explore!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book!, April 19, 2002

By 

"katrina112" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Teenagers' Guide to School Outside the Box (Paperback)

I'm a tenth-grader and I found Ms. Greene's book to be very helpful. My mom was always tired of me complaining about all the boring after school stuff at my high school so she got me this book. I was really excited after reading it because of all the great ideas she wrote about. I never knew that high school kids could take college courses-I'm already planning on taking some at the university next year. It will get me really excited about college. This book also gave me some other great ideas. I liked her chapters on finding an internship and being a youth apprentice. It really opened my eyes as to what's out there. I also liked all the examples she put in the book from other teens out there because it really made everything she talked about seem much more real. Ms. Greene is a very good writer and I am definitely recommending this book to my friends as well. Thanks.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommend!!!!, February 14, 2001

By 

S. Schwartz (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Teenagers' Guide to School Outside the Box (Paperback)

Excellent book. Well written. I teach high school kids and every student gave it great reviews. My school district is thinking of making it a recommended reading book for all teenagers.