Reply to Did SWS not work out for your child?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Families rarely leave SWS to attend another DC public/charter school.  But when they do leave, it is because they wish the school was more academic or more 'traditional' in its school culture/demographics.  Typically, everyone is fine with children not being pressed to read in pre-school or pre-k4.  Come K, parents start to vary in their expectations re: a more academic focus.  [/quote]

"academic focus" is really nebulous. SWS teaches "academic" principles at the appropriate ages.  They test evern young children for DIBELS like every other school, and DC CAS will be introduced in 3rd grade.  Kids who read early are encouraged to progress and kids who need more time get support, but it's not like kids are pushed to reach arbitrary age based milestones.

Curriculum is Expeditionary Learning.  You'll find similar curricula at schools like 2 Rivers.  It's a dynamic classroom and it can be an adjustment for parents with different expectations of how a classroom and learning environment should be structured.[/quote]

Can you talk more about the curriculum? I was at the first weekday open house and was there for two hours--no one ever said the curriculum was expeditionary learning. They focused on a child-centered/driven approach, more in line with what Inspired Teaching offers than with the expeditionary learning schools I've visitied. I've been to Mundo Verde, Two Rivers, and Cap City open houses, all of which have expeditionary learning, and they seem to use the same theme for a term of learning that is selected ahead of time. My sense is that these schools are more teacher-directed than child-directed. SWS and IT seem more child-directed and arts-focused. [/quote]

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