What scope is there for teachers to purposefully deviate from their routine classroom practice in order to respond to disengaging students? A case study of a small provincial school in Australia shows an example of alternative pedagogy used in response to a disengaged group of young adolescents. The students temporarily engaged with a different version of school although they continued to resist and even sabotage established school routines. The main implication drawn from the case study is that school staff members need to consider the purpose of alternative pedagogy in terms of school engagement. (Contains 4 notes.)