Alternative American Schools: Ideals in Action is a book for parents and teachers, for education professors, researchers, and students--indeed, for everyone who wants to understand the daily practices and philosophies of schools where awakening interests and learning how to learn is more important than content mastery. Drawing upon years of research and personal experiences, Korn clearly discusses fundamental contemporary educational issues through an analysis of seven long-lived, open, alternative schools, preschool through high school, public and private. This clearly written book explores the cooperative (and sometimes confusing) roles of teachers, students, and parents in these schools of choice; it also discusses their philosophical, financial, and physical survival needs. Once popularly dismissed as failed dreams, today these open learning environments continue to flourish and provide educational options to many enthusiastic learners.Claire V. Korn's interests in alternative education are both theoretical and practical. With an M.A. in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Guidance from Stanford University, she founded and directed a small, private alternative middle school. Over the years, she has worked as a psychotherapist, school psychologist, researcher, and university teacher of counselors. Currently, Dr. Korn is a free-lance educational writer and consultant.