Sometimes an old school is no longer needed because society has outgrown it. In many cities, the school district will turn the old school into a specialized campus instead of closing it. Therefore, the families who live in the area can still have a school that holds regular classes, and another group of kids who excel in a certain area can also use the school for programming that focuses on a particular strength. These are called magnet schools, and they focus on the right education for the right kids.
Sometimes the magnet school might be considered a science academy that specializes in the science courses. This doesn’t mean the students ignore their other studies, it just means that they are recognized as exceptional kids in science. Other magnet campuses may focus on performing arts. The students are highly creative, and this strength is encouraged in them. Often the overall performance of the school will be much higher than a regular high school because the teaching approach recognizes and rewards personal strengths by letting kids focus on them. If it’s a performing arts school, math and science success rates are high, too. This is probably, in part, due to the fact that every kid wants to go to school everyday. It’s a approach to education that should be encouraged and supported more than it is.
Happy kids are willing kids. There’s no secret to that teaching method. An education approach that openly recognizes that all students are not the same, will also see the group excel as well as the individual. Education systems spend a great deal of time trying to get students to conform. Magnet schools prove that the traditional approach isn’t the only approach to education. Even so, there are so few magnet schools at this time, that students have to qualify for the one they want to go to. The enrollment is limited, so kids can’t freely enroll. They have to prove they will excell in a specialized environment.