The school in Detroit for pregnant and parenting teen girls, Catherine Ferguson Academy, seems to have declined after the emergency manager turned it over to a charter school company -- there was a recent article in the Detroit News here that talks about changes in the curriculum.
(excerpt)A new curriculum called "The Big Picture" has replaced the typical hourly schedule for students with individual learning plans for every girl. Students each pick a goal, work with an adviser and must land an internship that provides work experience two days a week.
Nicole Conaway, a certified math and biology teacher, said under the new model teachers are not allowed to have classes. Her role has been reduced to adviser for girls working on projects. On a recent day, she said 65 girls were in the building.
"I can offer lessons within content, but we can't require students to come to class," she said. "How do you start on a project if you don't even know anything? Projects can be a great way to learn, but they can't replace classroom teaching."
There's even more details at
this article/petition on BAMN's website.
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