Temporary Archive: Suzanne Brockmann's Message Board

that kids learn at different rates and in different ways. Teaching to the middle does kids a great disservice. My children have attended a charter school b/c of their policy. They test the kids to see where they are academically then place them accordingly. For instance, a fourth grader may be doing 6th grade math and 4th grade reading. Classrooms are multi-age 1-2, 3-4 etc. so that no child sticks out as being far out of the norm. They teach to the child's ability level not just their age. Is it a perfect place of sunshine, butterflies and brilliance? No. People still run it, but I really like their system. Science, PE, Music, Tech lab(computers) and French are part of the curriculum. Class size is capped at 20. The school is still part of the public educational system. The school is free and open to all. They also must meet government standards and do standardized testing. Each family is asked to volunteer 80 hours per year. This time includes any time spent at home helping with school projects. Just another alternative that I wish were available everywhere.
Laura