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News and Opinion Feb 28, 2014

Natalie Wexler’s Blog in The Washington Post highlights Turnaround’s work in D.C. Schools

Fortified Environments

Natalie Wexler’s two-part blog takes a closer look at Turnaround’s efforts to build fortified teaching and learning environments. The series highlights two of Turnaround’s Washington D.C. partnerships, Walker-Jones Education Campus, in its first year of implementation and already seeing the benefits of a calmer, more productive school environment, and Wheatley Education Campus, which has enjoyed a positive cultural shift and academic gains during the three years with Turnaround. Wexler’s blog considers the question, “Should we fix schools by fixing poverty or fixing teaching?” and posits that Turnaround’s model addresses both. Here’s an excerpt:

“Turnaround for Children (TFC) occupies a middle position. Recognizing that kids don’t leave the effects of poverty at the schoolroom door, the program tries to connect persistently disruptive students at a struggling school with the social services they need. At the same time, it trains teachers in a school-wide approach to teaching and classroom management that aims to both foster social and emotional skills and raise academic performance for all students.”

We encourage you to read Part One and Part Two in The Washington Post and visit Greater Greater Education to read Wexler’s blog in its original form.