'In editing this collection of alternative approaches to education for estranged young people, te Riele has shone a strong light on the inability of society to adequately respond to the learning needs of all citizens, regardless of background. She has included chapters on e-learning technologies, vocational education, the concept of learning identities, the education of Indigenous students and in her own chapter, what she calls the 'pedagogy of hope'. She discusses a positive culture of learning, focusing on possibility, establishing a community of hope and critical relfection. She observes the view of Rorty that 'a philosophy of hope ultimately aims to create a fairer and more democratic society;...The fact that such challenges are not new indicates their complexity and location within a web of socio-economic and cultural factors that make progress towards democratic schooling extremely difficult around the world. If we accept that all humans have a deep interest in the knowledge and learning and that working families have an intimate understanding of the issues they face every day, then the current nature of the curriculum must be brought into question. Rather than fitting all young people to a pre-determined world view, it may be that the field of school knowledge and practice must relate and connect more closely with the dispositions and habitus of all young people' - Journal of Education Policy 'This edited text by te Riele begins with an interesting but familiar premise: we are forced to attend school for many years and, during this time, many of us get to the point that we just want to leave and get on with our lives. This sets the context for the remaining chapters of the book - which focus on issues regarding non-participation in, and disengagement from, compulsory education...One of the striking features of the text is that the case studies and other examples clearly illustrate how the concepts discussed throughout the book can be applied in a realistic setting...This will ensure that the appeals to a range of audiences including both educational practitioners and those studying a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses focusing on education and children's experiences at school' - British Journal of Educational Technology 'The short chapters make for an easy read. Other useful features of the book include suggested further readings, web pages and discussion questions at the end of each chapter. These can be used to help students think about alternative approaches to schooling. I will recommend this booik to teacher educators, teachers, youth workers and policy makers' - The Psychology of Education

I organise a teacher researcher group. Our UK system is constrained by a focus on traditional classes in traditional contexts. this book, albeit from a US perspective, was a breath of fresh air. It was both informative and enjoyable!

Dr John Oversby, Institute of Education, Reading University

My feeling is that this text would be more suited to an undergradute programme than a postgraduate one. As I was looking at this text for a doctoral programme I see the text as more suited to supplementary reading and will suggest as such to my students. I am currently contributing to the development of a new undergraduate programme to start in 2011. Potentially this text could be useful there.

Dr Tim Corcoran, Education, Sheffield University

Useful for the Special Needs and Inclusion degree programme and also for Education Studies students to reflect on how the environment impacts on learning. Although this text focuses on schooling in the USA, the ideas could be adapted and adopted to Education in the UK. The chapters on the ethics of schooling and pastoral care are particularly relevant in the changing world of education.

Mrs Karen Clarke, School of Education, Wolverhampton University