Post 3: A Step in the Right Direction

Although my experience at Potomac Lighthouse Public Charter School has been quite similar to Peggy’s at Next Step charter school, the picture has not become one of the ideal situation as I have, as she stated, “move from the nose bleed section to the front row”. As she pointed out the facilities are definitely clean, class smaller, and in some cases teachers more experienced. However, I have also experienced interaction between the adults and students that worries me. While speaking to students I have heard adult volunteers brought to tutor, as well as teachers, use improper grammar and sentence structure. How are these elementary school students, which are still learning the proper grammar, expected to speak and form sentences correctly if they are constantly presented with incorrect way of doing so. Although volunteers are important to lessen the load for the teachers, it is vital that such volunteers are aware of their influence on students.
In addition, with the exception of smaller classrooms and cleaner facilities, I fail to see how charter schools differ significantly from public schools. My charter school emphasizes the importance of standardized testing, placing countdowns in the halls, and has strict regulations. These two characteristics represent two flaws Kozol described as detrimental to the success of public schools in urban environments. It is important to note, that although a step in the right direction, charter schools are not the perfect solution to D.C.’s problems.