DS6 goes to a charter school here that focuses on STEM and, while they did still have some drill (which obviously SOME kids need, just not MY particular kid), they are very hands on oriented. They never MAKE anything, they ENGINEER it (and are very clear about the steps in the process). They spend time outdoors and learning from the environment every day (even in our harsh winters) and try to do as much 'real world' learning as possible. It hasn't been perfect by any means, but K went MUCH better than we would have expected in the public schools here.
