Do I Want to "Toe" The Line?

Had a job interview today at a charter school. I'm applying to be a teacher's aide, or an instructor, as they call it at the American Preparatory Academy. I know the interviewer liked me. I think I will be offered a job. But the big question is, do I want it?

This school is different. In the lower grades, everything is taught by script. The teachers, and aides, use them in the classroom and in smaller groups. There is repetition and choral response. We were taken to observe classes. We saw the adults holding their well worn books that give them all the words to say. They poured out information in a singsong way. The pace was brisk, and what happened, happened as a group. I can see how this helps kids to remember. I can see how it keeps them engaged.

I asked a lot of questions, of course. Here are some of the answers. This method has existed since the 1960's. Many schools rejected it because it didn't allow enough creativity on the part of the teacher. (Kids either, I suppose.) It was developed by brain scientists who came up with a very structured, but apparently successful, way for kids to learn and retain information. Only about 10 percent of the communication between the students and teacher in the classroom is unscripted and relationship oriented.

I can see how the constant interaction through choral repetition keeps the kids focused, but only 10% unscripted interpersonal interaction?  That kind of blows my mind.

I am an actor. I am a teacher. Could I pick up the script and be full of energy? Could I engage the kids? Yes and yes. But what about the kids who come to school from a home where dad just beat up mom, or there is no food, or a divorce is in the works? Does a content oriented approach to education really serve them? Will being in an environment where the top priority is that they learn content, allow them to feel emotionally safe? Will it give students the time they need to learn about relationships and how to play and get along with kids and other adults? On the other hand, does it engage them so well that they forget their problems and really learn? Is it a good way to distract them from their worries so they can grow in their abilities?

I like aspects of the approach, but it seems so unbalanced. It was made very clear to me that getting the content into the heads of the children was THE focus of the school. It is the priority. I feel queasy about the whole thing, but I also hate to turn down a job. And I want to be open minded.

I was able to watch a group of kindergarteners rehearse their end-of-year program. They stood in a line and recited nursery rhymes. Two kids, who happened to be the only black children in the class, barely participated. They stood with their hands in their pockets most of the time. Why?

I asked the interviewer how kids who were having a bad day were handled if the teacher was constantly engaging the group as whole. They are taken out and helped, or dealt, with by him, he said. And he would give the teacher and aide, any known  information ahead of time, about a child who has an issue that might interfere with their learning.  Then they could adjust their expectations.That sounds a bit unrealistic to me.

I think the thing that bothered me the most was the fact that the nursery rhyme program was pretty boring. The aide seemed stressed and was VERY concerned that the line was straight. She prompted them to put their toes on the edge of the step. Nothing wrong with that, except she obviously was very, very invested in making sure that EVERYONE was doing exactly what they were supposed to do toe-wise. Can you really enjoy kids when all you are looking at are their toes?

I'll give it a day or two to think this over, but I already have a pretty good  idea about whether I will accept an offer.