By Eli Bolus
Sixth grader Sean Harris attends Community Montessori in New Albany Indiana, which he has been at since he began preschool nine years ago.
Charter schools are run by individuals or private corporations, similar to private schools, but they receive money from the state so they are government regulated to some extent. Community Montessori in New Albany is one of 12 such schools in the nation to offer high school diplomas.
In the mornings Harris said the students meet in what is called “group” where they talk about what they will do that day.
“I call my teachers by their first name, they don’t even tell you their last name is at the beginning of the year,” said Harris.
They do not have letter grades and Harris’s mother, Spring, said the curriculum is centralized around each child who is encouraged to learn at his or her own pace. The students even involved in developing their own curriculum but it is checked due to certain state standards to which they must adhere.
Harris said the disciplinary actions vary based on the offense.
“If you get in a fight you would still get suspended but if you talk out of turn in group you might have to go off alone and write a one-page essay on why you talked,” he said.
Gum chewing is allowed, but if you are caught leaving gum wrappers out three times your privilege is taken away. These disciplinary measures are not something you regularly see in a public school but they appear to work at Harris’s school.
Grades seven and up are even allowed to bring their iPods or iPads to class. When a student reaches seventh grade they receive a laptop that they must share with one other student. Sean said individuals are encouraged to get a grant to fund their own laptop.
After they graduate they may even keep the laptop they purchased. Spring also added the students must do an entrepreneur project where they develop a business model with a company, a business plan, and even a logo.
Harris said that he plans to go to college and he believes that Montessori is preparing him just fine.
“[Community Montessori] prepares kids better for real life,” said Spring.