would you choose Mundo Verde or Inspired Teaching?

[Anonymous]

The criteria for location for IT is the same criteria just about every other single charter school in the city has. Nothing is unique about their criteria--The harsh reality is they will be lucky to get ANYTHING that has some of those criteria, and super lucky to get all those criteria. Its not like their are a bunch of appealing, empty, affordable, great locations just waiting to be rented by a charter school. People should recall that charter school funding and facilities has been a major issue in the city for years and was a huge issue in the mayoral race within education circles.

[Anonymous]

PP poster here--by the way, I am a huge supporter of Inspired Teaching, but parents need to set realistic expectations and do some news searches about charter school facility issues in this city. IT is not the first who has had to deal with this huge burden and headache of finding space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The criteria for location for IT is the same criteria just about every other single charter school in the city has. Nothing is unique about their criteria--The harsh reality is they will be lucky to get ANYTHING that has some of those criteria, and super lucky to get all those criteria. Its not like their are a bunch of appealing, empty, affordable, great locations just waiting to be rented by a charter school. People should recall that charter school funding and facilities has been a major issue in the city for years and was a huge issue in the mayoral race within education circles.

Understood, but what's your point? If the school is able to secure their dream space then, wonderful! Finding a good space right now is a challenge, but it's not impossible. If they don't find their dream space then they will certainly find a viable temporary space and parents. At that point, parents will have to decide whether the issue of location is big enough to cut ties with the program. If at the end of this school year parent's still feel they have found a unique and wonderful program for their child, then--for most-- location will become less of an issue. Again, we're barely a month and a half into the school year. The jury is out on many things including locations for next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MV has smaller class sizes, dual language, better ratios. (Esp important for the little ones) http://www.mundoverdepcs.org/our-teaching-team/ IT has 3 year old classes with 22 -23 students.

MV has its act together, family handbook on website, (IT has promised one but nothing has been published yet, and principal's corner has not been updated since July!)

Also with MV all students have FREE breakfast and snack. At IT only breakfast.

Let's not turn this into a war about which school is better. That's silly (and petty). It is apparent that most parents are happy with the school they have chosen whether it be IT or MV. Moreover, they are completely different models and are not in competition with each other for anything other than middle class parents. IMO, either you want dual language or you don't. Both schools are in their infancy and whether or not either school will withstand the test of time, remains to be seen, so put your pom-poms down. Remember, it's just good to have options.

NP-- I am a MV parent and I totally agree. I think it's great to have two great choices. We chose MV for language, location and green philosophy, that works best for our family at this time--however, I think IT's curriculum and teaching philosophy is great. Both schools are new and time will tell, but so far so good at MV and looks like the same at IT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IT has 3 year old classes with 22 -23 students.

IT parents, is that ratio correct? I'm a PS parent and it certainly doesn't seem like that many kids in the class, though I haven't counted since the 1st day when I think there were 17-18. Plus isn't there a para-professional in the class as well, at least PT?

[Anonymous]

That's correct. 22 students with the Master Teacher, Resident Teacher, and the Paraprofessional. So, 8:1 ratio. The important thing is that it works. My child loves preschool and is safe and happy at school. And learning a ton.

I'm sure MV is great though -- we didn't get in.

It looks to me like these are both great options and will be even harder to get into next year.

The more good schools in DC, the better!

[Anonymous]

I have worked in early childhood education for the past 12 years and I have a hard time imagining how it can "work" to have 22-23 three year olds in a class. Regardless of having 3 adults it is just too many children at that particular young age. In order for a program to receive NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) a class cannot have any more than 18 children as a maximum in a class. See http://www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/Teacher-Child_Ratio_Chart_9_16_08.pdf

[Anonymous]

Maybe IT would consider adding a third class, to break down the numbers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have worked in early childhood education for the past 12 years and I have a hard time imagining how it can "work" to have 22-23 three year olds in a class. Regardless of having 3 adults it is just too many children at that particular young age. In order for a program to receive NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) a class cannot have any more than 18 children as a maximum in a class. See http://www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/Teacher-Child_Ratio_Chart_9_16_08.pdf

In IT's defense (and I have no affiliation with the school) Appletree also has 22-24 kids in a class with 1 lead teacher, assistant teacher (in training) and a paraprofessional. It works well for most children and Appletree's early ed program is well respected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have worked in early childhood education for the past 12 years and I have a hard time imagining how it can "work" to have 22-23 three year olds in a class. Regardless of having 3 adults it is just too many children at that particular young age. In order for a program to receive NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) a class cannot have any more than 18 children as a maximum in a class. See http://www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/Teacher-Child_Ratio_Chart_9_16_08.pdf

The ratio for PS3 at IT is less than 1:8. 22 kids, 3 adults, so it's actually 1:7.33, if you want to get technical. I don't believe IT has ever claimed it is NAEYC accredited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have worked in early childhood education for the past 12 years and I have a hard time imagining how it can "work" to have 22-23 three year olds in a class. Regardless of having 3 adults it is just too many children at that particular young age. In order for a program to receive NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) a class cannot have any more than 18 children as a maximum in a class. See http://www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/Teacher-Child_Ratio_Chart_9_16_08.pdf

IT PS paret here. I think it's "working" just fine. In fact, I think it's working just as good if not better than the other DC charter we were at last year that had 14 students and 2 teachers.

[Anonymous]

Another IT PS3 parent here. I was really concerned before we started at the school that 22 kids would be too many. My child went to preschool before IT, and there were 12 kids in the class with three teachers. He used to cry and say that there were too many kids and it was too noisy. He hasn't complained once about the number of kids in his class at IT. I have to say that his teacher is wonderful and manages the class extremely well. The classrooms are also large so that the kids are not on top of one other. And there always seems to be a couple of kids who are not at school because of illness (it is preschool after all) and so the number is nearer twenty.

Re choosing MV over IT, we did not have a choice as we only got into IT. If we had got into both schools then I think we would have had trouble choosing between them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe IT would consider adding a third class, to break down the numbers?

Not an option as they would have to add another class each year for older classes which would make the school too big.

[Anonymous]

I too agree that IT doesn't have its act together in terms of many administrative items. Lots of things have not been answered/dealt with/addressed and not sure if they are going to any time soon. Very frustrating.

[Anonymous]

What are the specific frustrations that you have had administratively with IT? What queries, concerns have gone unanswered?