It is here! I was just there today speaking to my dd8's class about intellectual freedom and book banning. So much fun to discuss with bright, young minds. I read "The Lorax" to them which was banned by the forestry industry. The students were astounded! They also very much enjoyed the "naughtiness" of getting away with reading a banned book.
Hour of daily recess=check!
Differentiated work=check! (dd's class separates into 4 math classes each day with 4 separate teachers!)
Little repetition=check. These kids learn the first time and those that don't get one on one time with the teacher.
Interesting speakers=check! I was just there today and I am pretty darn interesting!
Little homework=check! DD has a math review sheet each night that takes about 5-10 minutes. The dreaded Everyday Math.
Working ahead? Not allowed! If you are too quick, the teachers will find a way to take you deeper into the topic.
Ours is a public school in a city that serves 15,000 students. The school is a stand alone elementary serving grades k-6 who are gifted and children who are cognitively impaired. The school system believes that both groups need a specialized education, they might as well all be together in one building learning and working together! I think every school system in the country should have a school like this. So far the only additional cost I have seen is the busing. Because this is not a neighborhood school, children are picked up at a stop near their homes, transferred to another bus and then to the school.
The PTA works hard to raise money to cover costs for things like monthly field trips and extra periodicals for the classrooms.
