Revolutionary

It's funny that the 2nd prompt is what it is, because the 2nd visit was the visit when I made a point to interview the English teacher that Peggy and I work for. I asked her to break down the curriculum and how different Next Step is from the traditional DCPS schools. As we read in class, I included a great amount of data from Next Step as a support that charter schools provide parents with options which traditional public schools simply cannot. Students at Next Step are in school year-round and their promotion to the next "step" is highly individual- teacher recommendation, scores on pratice GED tests, and their classwork determine whether or not they are promoted- not that June has come and summer's here and in the fall they move up. And the system works. It allows each student the time they need in each step in order to really master what is being taught. And teachers love working there. The English teacher we work with is highly educated and made the choice to come work at Next Step in order to help educate these kids.
Also, because the teachers trust Peggy and I to work with students alone in groups or on a one-on-one basis, we're given lots of time to speak with the students directly about their experiences in charter school. One girl I work with regularly told me that she thinks charter schools really do work. As she is 21 and math is what is keeping her from getting her GED, I think the only way she is able to continue working to educate herself is through charter schools. Public schools would not have been the answer for her.