tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626361365897531793.post729930967951786396..comments2024-03-28T20:22:01.063-07:00Comments on Ms. Katie's Ramblings: What If Charter Schools Did What They Were Intended to Do?KatieOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01072560661013528732noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626361365897531793.post-31973075919743154242012-04-21T09:42:04.650-07:002012-04-21T09:42:04.650-07:00Katie,
I like this post a lot! To me, it reads ve...Katie,<br /><br />I like this post a lot! To me, it reads very honest and humble, rather than aggressive and accusatory. <br /><br />As a charter school teacher, I agree with you here on many points. The big one being that charters are not cure alls. The competition and choice, along with rating schools by test scores creates a hot mess where a lot of kids don't get what they need. It's tricky and not really productive how the system is set up.<br /><br />I, personally, truly believe that most people in charter schools want to follow their original intention, which is (for many charters) to provide services and a great education that those who need it most. That's what inspired me to work at a charter. (That and the flexibility and lack of bureaucracy). Somewhere along the way, the fear of being closed down due to low test scores grips the organization and the charter just becomes like another neighborhood school fighting to keeps it's doors opens. <br /><br />During Happy Hour Friday some coworkers and I were lamenting about being compared to Nobles. We don't want to play their game of better test scores, we want to play our own game (we take broken kids and make them successful in college). But it's pretty clear Rham is trying to replace the "one off" charters w/ bigger networks. <br /><br />Sometimes I really wished we counseled out more students. We really struggle to provide all the services necessary for these kids. But it's clear, and often stated by our SPED leader, if we don't hold onto them, they will not have anyone else to support them. We can't give up on them. We even kept the kid whole stole a teacher's car and wrecked it. That kid still comes to school everyday. We have staff members picking kids up from corners and bringing them to school. And then they sit in my class, and they aren't really into my lesson :) They become a distraction in the learning environment. I believe in keeping them, but IT IS HARD WORK! <br /><br />I'd like to know more about how kids get sent to you. You have a really unique perspective that I'd like to hear more about.<br /><br />Again, good post!Miss Senorita Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05746315336778955540noreply@blogger.com