INSPIRED TEACHING DEMONSTRATION PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

AT THE INSPIRED TEACHING DEMONSTRATION PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL (THE "SCHOOL"), A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY OF MASTER TEACHERS AND TEACHER RESIDENTS ENSURES THAT A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL AS ACCOMPLISHED LEARNERS, THOUGHTFUL CITIZENS, AND IMAGINATIVE AND INQUISITIVE PROBLEM SOLVERS THROUGH A DEMANDING, INQUIRY-BASED CURRICULUM. THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF THE SCHOOL IS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY FOCUSED ON A PROGRESSIVE, CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO TEACHING AND LEARNING BASED ON THE RESEARCH ON HOW THE BRAIN WORKS AND HOW CHILDREN LEARN. THE SCHOOL IS ORGANIZED TO MEET TWO RELATED, MUTUALLY REINFORCING PRIMARY GOALS: TO PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS, AND TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT TEACHER PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR NEW TEACHERS AND TEACHER LEADERS. THE SCHOOL IMPLEMENTS THE PHILOSOPHY AND INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY OF CENTER FOR INSPIRED TEACHING. CENTER FOR INSPIRED TEACHING IS A DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BASED EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT HAS SERVED DC'S TEACHERS AND STUDENTS SINCE 1995, WITH THE GOAL OF ENSURING THAT TEACHERS MAKE THE MOST OF CHILDREN'S INNATE DESIRE TO LEARN. THE SCHOOL IS A LEADER IN IMPROVING THE WAY TEACHERS ARE TRAINED AND STUDENTS ARE EDUCATED IN DC AND BEYOND. AS A DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL INVITES AND RECEIVES VISITORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. ANNUALLY, THE SCHOOL WELCOMES DOZENS OF VISITORS FROM THE DC EDUCATION COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THOSE INFLUENTIAL IN EDUCATION POLICY NATIONWIDE. DOMINANT METHODS OF INSTRUCTION INCLUDE INQUIRY-BASED METHODS AND ACTIVE LEARNING APPROACHES, WHERE THE TEACHER SERVES AS FACILITATOR AND COACH TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING. INSTRUCTION INCLUDES AN EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND CLASSROOMS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY STUDENT-CENTERED ORGANIZATIONAL STYLES SUCH AS DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION, COLLABORATIVE GROUPS, AND CHILD-INITIATED PLAY. THE STANDARDS-BASED CURRICULUM AND STUDENT GOALS ARE CENTERED ON THE 4 I'S: INTELLECT, INQUIRY, IMAGINATION, AND INTEGRITY.