Why Charter Schools Work
In a review of my memoir for The Atlantic this week, education reporter Elizabeth Green concludes that public charter school networks are “the closest thing our country has ever seen to a rational, high-functioning school system.”
Traditional public schools, Green notes, are beset by often competing edicts issued by local, state, and federal governments — edicts that have little to do with what’s best for kids and create almost impossible conditions for traditional public school teachers. By contrast, strong charter school networks like Success Academy provide effective supports and resources for teachers because they are designed around one clear goal: great teaching and learning.
We have a saying at Success Academy: “Education is for the kids, but about the adults.” In other words, we believe that when students aren’t learning, it’s because we are not effectively supporting our adults. Everything we do at Success Academy — from how we staff our schools, to how we develop and disseminate curriculum, to how we design and deliver training — is continually shaped, refined, re-thought, and improved to ensure our teachers have the tools and support they need to deliver an outstanding education to their students.
Qualified Teacher
6 年I truly hope government-run schools will start thinking and operating like Charter Schools someday.
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6 年oh ms.bauer and dina hi
Director at Accent on English, France
6 年A rather misleading title! Not all charter schools work - how many charter schools in New Jersey have recently closed? The ones which remain in business do so because they are selective in which students can attend, and they then dump the lower performing and badly behaved students back into the public school system while retaining the funds they received from public school districts.
Passionate Educational Leader
6 年Great article, thank you for sharing!
Senior School Leader. Teacher Trainer. Educator. Mentor. Lifelong learner.
6 年I agree. Empowering a good, reliable and quality teaching force are key to the maximum learning of the students. It's true that the needs of the learners must be met by the academes, but the professional growth of the teachers should not be neglected. Teachers are learners, too, who need training and updates on the latest in the education system/industry.