'No-Excuses' Charters Grapple with Attrition
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| Beth Fertig Students at Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School must remain silent when they transition from one classroom to the next, or they could lose points that can spent on rewards. |
Dec. 9, 2012, 10:22 p.m.
At Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School, a sixth grade math teacher started her class by giving her students exactly four minutes to solve a problem involving ratios. When her watch beeped, homework was collected and all eyes turned to the front of the room.
“Pencils in the groove and you’re tracking me in three, two, one and zero,” she said, using a term common among charter schools where students are frequently instructed to “track” a speaker with steady eye contact and full attention.
Almost everything on a recent visit to a Democracy Prep charter was highly disciplined. Students spoke only when their teachers allowed