Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Today CER staff had the opportunity to tour Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, the first adult education charter school in the nation, thanks to a monthly charter school tour event sponsored by CityBridge Foundation, FOCUS and Charter Board Partners called “First Fridays”. (We had the opportunity to visit Yu Ying public charter school in March through this same program.)

CER team members Stephanie and Patrick watched on as a teacher helped students with native languages ranging from Spanish to Ethiopian understand the word “grandparents”. Struck with admiration for this teacher’s talent, they came back to the office and excitedly shared this teacher’s story with their coworkers.

Despite this teacher’s clear ability to educate, it turns out teaching wasn’t always her life-long dream. A little over fifteen years ago, this teacher decided a career change was in order, so she took a few tests and ‘teaching’ was one of her suggested career paths. As she was watching the local news one night, she saw a segment about Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, and felt compelled. Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember the name of the school, so she called up the news station. The reporter who reported on the Carlos Rosario piece called the aspiring teacher, and about two weeks later, the aspiring teacher had a job at that very school she felt so drawn to when that news segment aired.

Turns out following her instinct was dead on, as she has been at the school for fifteen years, and not only loves teaching, but credits her love of the job to the incredibly supportive administration and the collaborative environment the school fosters for its teachers.

And that, Edspresso readers, is the beauty of giving schools the freedom and flexibility they need to ensure teachers thrive, so that they, in turn, can help students thrive.