June 12, 2014
A dozen first graders’ hands shot up in chorus at each question, and I might have concluded that their teacher had simply rehearsed the whole performance for the sake of window dressing the tour. But the enthusiasm and engagement I found in classroom after classroom was backed up with awards and recognitions that put this […] Read more »
June 11, 2014
The transition from a public school to a charter school was not very difficult for me because, for starters, I was young and did not really understand the difference between the two. Before attending Cesar Chavez PCS: Parkside Campus I attended Burrville Elementary and before that Merritt Elementary. The two schools shared one thing in […] Read more »
June 6, 2014
New Hope Academy Charter School in York, PA, is making a final stand before closing its doors on Tuesday. The highly popular, high-performing school has been embroiled in a fight with the York City School District for years, culminating in a legal dispute that involved the State Charter Appeal Board. New Hope’s charter was revoked due […] Read more »
June 5, 2014
I am almost two and a half hours into my internship here at CER. I didn’t really think that I would ever return to the DC-metropolitan area after my high school graduation, but here I am. The metro ride was long, but the weather was lovely. I am so excited to be back, and even […] Read more »
June 5, 2014
An orientation session at a college can provide you—a new undergraduate—with a lot of information concerning class registration, building locations, and activities to get involved in within your school and the community outside. At Boston University, this case is true. Yet my major takeaway from the student leaders and college deans did not concern logistics, […] Read more »
June 5, 2014
Just over two months ago I was selecting various organizations to interview with for my fellowship at Cesar Chavez PCS- Parkside Campus. The list of organizations ranged from the medical field to politics and I had to choose wisely, because this would be my job for the last three weeks of school. Initially, I was […] Read more »
May 30, 2014
When I arrived in DC at the end of April, the city and what role I might play in it were a mystery to me. For the past six weeks, CER provided me a backstage pass to the national narrative of education reform as it plays out in the DC theater. Through my work at […] Read more »
May 22, 2014
In rather unsurprising fashion, the powers that be at the American Federation of Teachers are taking up a cause with no discernible connection to improving the education of our nation’s students. The AFT Michigan and California chapters are boycotting office supply chain Staples because of the decision to install postal counters in stores, undercutting the […] Read more »
May 21, 2014
Not to sound harsh, but if you’re not totally psyched for the Scripps National Spelling Bee starting May 28, then you’re doing it wrong. In a five-day-long extravaganza composed of both preliminary and final rounds, 277 spellers will try to advance each step by piecing together some of the most complex, nuanced and just plain […] Read more »
May 14, 2014
Paul Public Charter School (PCS) held a panel discussion among African American education experts, parents, teachers, and community members to inform the public of the educational climate as well as to answer questions. The panel was composed of African American individuals from diverse backgrounds with a common goal of improving student education. The variety of […] Read more »
