Curriculum Night

We went to Maddie’s first curriculum night at school yesterday and WOW!

We are super-impressed with this school. Her teacher is dynamic, smart and has a memory like a steel trap. And to top it off the kids love her. She gave us a half hour break-down of what Madison will be learning this year and it all sounds good. Lots of math and science and reading reading reading. And some fun too of course.

In fact the whole school is exceptionally well run, the principal held an assembly afterwards to explain her educational philosophy and she’s a machine. She’s razor sharp and motivated. Very high-key…the kind of person who just doesn’t settle for mediocrity.

No wonder our school district is consistently ranked among the best in the nation. They just seem to really have their act together. And it’s all the way up too, the two high schools in our city are always in Newsweek’s list of top High Schools.

Maddie’s school participates in the International Baccalaureate program, which is an inquiry-based way of teaching. As the principal said, they don’t lecture, they guide the children to find answers on their own. They’re focused on showing children how to connect disparate facts together to form conclusions and determine how best to use that information.

In other words they’re making thinking children.

Our schools also do not use the cut points for any of the standard tests because they feel they are far too lenient. Madison is whip-smart so I’m sure she’ll do well. I’m convinced she’s in very good hands at school.