Alternative education provision in Ireland is under-researched. This
paper is a qualitative investigation of the perspectives of a
purposive sample of ten teachers on curriculum, pedagogy and
assessment in their respective alternative settings of a voluntary
education centre, a Youthreach centre and a post-primary special
school. ‘Funds of knowledge’ ideas contribute to the theoretical
framework of the study [Moll, Luis C., Cathy Amanti, Deborah Neff,
and Norma Gonzalez. 1992. ‘Funds of Knowledge for Teaching:
Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms.’
Theory Into Practice 31 (2): 132–141]. The findings in this paper focus
on: (1) how curriculum is enacted and mediated in alternative
education settings; (2) the pedagogical decisions of teachers as they
strive to connect their students to learning and (3) the tensions in
assessment practices as teachers and alternative settings attempt to
provide authentic and yet certified evidence of learning through the
formal state assessment processes. This article is timely as it offers a
view of the under-researched area of alternative settings in Ireland.