Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS

Posted: January 22, 2024

After 6 years at ITDS this will be our last. When our youngest started the school felt like an oasis in a sea of mediocre public and charter schools. Now sadly it simply is not what it was. Teacher retention is abysmal, discipline problems are common, students are just generally not motivated to learn especially by the middle school grades. There are some fantastic teachers who are really trying to be creative but thats unfortunately balanced out by inexperienced and under qualified instructors who can’t manage the classrooms.

Posted: January 22, 2024

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Posted: September 12, 2023

We love ITDS. Overall, it is a warm and vibrant learning community. The parent community is very engaging and involved. However, it is at times difficult to build relationships with other families for your children, as there seems to be some separation that occurs in the early childhood years among families- which is really sad to see. The teachers are overall kind, but many with only a year or two of teaching, which can sometimes mean that your child has an ill-prepared teacher. The school has a great team of people that are leading the school towards becoming a safe learning environment, but things still happen. Overall, the school offers a lot that lends to a fun learning culture that children seem to enjoy.

Posted: September 12, 2023

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Posted: May 30, 2023

Posted: May 30, 2023

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Posted: May 30, 2023

This school is not what it was 5 years ago. The new principal had kids including mine eating in silence as a community wide punishment which is not the kind of thing we were used to in our previous time there. This school used to keep it's teachers but a lot have left recently.

Posted: May 30, 2023

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Posted: February 7, 2023

subpar, outdated curriculum. bias teachers. ECE is not safe for black and brown students. performative anti racist agenda

Posted: February 7, 2023

Posted: September 2, 2022

We’ve been at Inspired Teaching for seven years, and it’s been a really wonderful place to be for the teachers, community, academics and it’s focus on social emotional well-being and development.

Teachers
We’ve had exceptional teachers every year. ITS is a demonstration school so they’re bringing teachers up in the program and they’re hired throughout the city, but they keep on the best. The teachers truly make a huge difference in student engagement and my son has grown so much every year, even despite the pandemic.

Community
I also wouldn’t trade the school community. Parents are kind, respectful and not highly competitive, unlike other DC schools. We’ve developed lifelong friends and highly value the respect the parents have for the school, teachers and other families.

Diversity
We’ve also prioritized DC schools because of the diversity. The student body is highly diverse, as well as the teaching body. As a result, there’s education and an active conversation around racial issues, and our children grow up with exposure to other cultures and experiences unlike their own.

Social-emotional well-being
Finally, there’s also an emphasis on social emotional well-being, even before the pandemic. There’s safe space for experiencing and understanding emotions, which creates a kind, respectful and hopefully emotionally intelligent student body.

Posted: September 2, 2022

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Posted: April 21, 2021

The head of school is leaving summer 2021, which is a good thing.
I was blatantly discriminated against by school administration.
This school will teach your children WHAT to think not HOW to think.
The Algebra teacher stated, directly to parents, that she passed children who should not have passed.
The algebra program is not certified, which means your child may not get credit in High School.
Teacher engagement is low. Teachers will not stay past end of day. Teachers are not invested in their students.
I do not totally blame the teachers as the principles do not encourage, in fact I would characterize them as discouraging teacher engagement with students and parents.
Yes this is a tier 1 school...but look at the education statistics for DC...rising to the top is no feat.
The only reason my child stayed here is for consistency and, as stated earlier, this is a "top rated school" for the area.

Posted: April 21, 2021

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Posted: March 29, 2018

Horrible. Not only was my child bullied and tormented by parents and the administration, but neither of my kids learned enough. We discovered this when we left and found that our kids were a year behind in math when they entered a good DCPS school.

Posted: March 29, 2018

Posted: March 29, 2018

Posted: March 29, 2018

No one intervenes when kids and parents ostracize a child. I know this not only from my own child’s experience, but my older daughter felt compassion for someone who had been systematically ostracized for his disability. She invited him over and his mother wept on my front steps after we let him in because he was in 3rd grade and no family in the school had ever invited them over. It was our first year there.

Posted: March 29, 2018

Posted: March 29, 2018

They bully you until you leave. If you won’t, they suspend and then try to expel. They suggest you take your kid to private school. They tell you your child is not welcome if not medicated.

Posted: March 29, 2018

Posted: November 4, 2015

Our family LOVES Inspired Teaching. We have been very impressed with everyone we have met, from the facilities manager to the principal! Everyone directs their efforts towards the well-being of the children, and the environment is warm and inclusive. Our son had a difficult start, but with time and the help of some amazingly patient teachers, he is happy and thriving. The administration is responsive, the PTO is active, and family involvement is high. It has a wonderful community feel that I was not expecting from a school with 300+ students. We're looking forward to more good years at ITS!

Posted: November 4, 2015

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Posted: October 28, 2015

We have been SO happy at Inspired Teaching. I feel like it is a gentle environment, the teachers are very caring. Each classroom has 2 certified instructors so the ratio of child to teacher is low, 10-12/1. They mostly work in workshop model, so the kids are moving around the classroom a lot and learning through interaction, conversation, and generally working together.

The families that I have met are quite nice. Everyone LOVES the school! It has been very fun to get to know more people as we go and everyone I talk with raves about the school. I don't know what all the classes are like, but I have been almost surprised at how kind all the kids are. The teachers do a lovely job coaching children through emotions and actually spend a nice amount of time on emotional education. I think it helps the kids respond better to one another. They are all quite inclusive. Also, I appreciate the diversity in the school.

As far as academics, my child feels challenged. Though, because of the workshop model it may be easy to not be challenged. They do plenty of individualized assessments to make sure they have a read on where the kids are, and the teachers create groups based on skill. I get the sense that the academic piece is hard to describe, the school talks about it as 'inquiry based learning' and it truly is, my sense is that the kids are really taking a lot in via experience.

The building is an old DC Public school but it was fully renovated in 2014 so it is a really lovely space, lots of natural light and nice size classrooms with large halls that are used to break out groups from the classes. The building sits right next to a DC Rec Center so there is a large sports field behind the school that is used for PE and recess, having access to that sort of outdoor space is rare for most charter schools.

Overall, we are very happy at this school.

Posted: October 28, 2015

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Posted: October 27, 2015

This is our third year at Inspired Teaching, and my kids love going to school every day. I have been impressed with how well each teacher gets to know my children as individuals and as learners and with the way that all children are welcomed into the classrooms and community. I love how engaged the teachers are in their practice - they are focused not only on facts, but on "whys?" and "what fors?". Students are encouraged to question and hypothesize and bring their own ideas to classroom discussions, whether they are analyzing a Van Gogh painting, putting on a play, or discussing animal habitats. The school's emphasis on building community begins in the classroom but extends to the school community as a whole, including parents and families. Inspired Teaching is a young, growing school - administrators acknowledge their strengths, are open about weaknesses, and are always willing to listen to families. Everyone at the school seems open to learning and growing together - it is a lovely, warm place and a place that is teaching my children to be good scholars and good citizens.

Posted: June 15, 2015

I could not agree more with the parents that experienced the same thing we did. We pulled our son out of ITS last year. I had never seen a child so bullied by his teachers. Punishment was harsh. When I tried to advocate for his classroom I got push back and excuses from the Director and Principal. They made excuses for the teachers and tried to place the blame on the children for the unruly classroom that was even worse the year before. We were the 4th family to remove our child mid year from the same classroom.
I am so glad we did! We placed our son in a local DCPS and it was 10 X better in education, professional teachers and staff. The "Demonstration" I found it to be in name only. What you find is inexperienced teachers that have no backup and support. My husband and I are relieved that our son is no longer there. He was depressed each day from the yelling and unprofessional conduct of his homeroom teachers.The Middle School is scary. I would never tell any parent to take their child to this school. They have much to improve on before I could recommend it to any family in the District of Columbia. My child is now healing from his awful experience and only looks back with terrible memories there. He is thriving honor roll student now and is looking forward to middle school.
Parents beware! It's a struggling Tier 2 for a reason!

Posted: June 15, 2015

They were the worst teachers I have ever seen in the profession of teaching. Hostile, angry, untrained. Several times I asked the Principal to come and give training. They were so busy on getting a new building for their school they did not give the one on one training that these particular teachers needed.

Posted: June 15, 2015

There was no homework. Just a few minutes. I asked his teacher all year long for more homework and more challenging homework. She would say yes but never once gave him anymore that 10 mins or less per night. Sometimes none at all. He was very bored with it.

Posted: June 15, 2015

We found the teachers to show favoritism and hostile with quick biting tempers. Harsh to some students, labeling child as "bad" and "trouble makers" harsh punishment on specific children.

Posted: April 14, 2015

I rate it a 4.5; there are some things missing like a library. Music is coming next year thanks to a fundraising effort by the PTO. We came to ITS from a Montessori school. We applied after talking to parents, attending family events & speaking with the exec. director. We found her to be very open and honest- admitting weaknesses, making no excuses, while providing well-thought out plans to make adjustments. The teaching staff is diverse, in terms of age, experience, gender & ethnicity. Our son had his first male classroom teacher, which was great. The families are diverse as well & very welcoming and friendly. For academics, the teachers seem to really know our children & work to provide activities to meet their needs. My youngest has been very excited about the different experiences (totally opposite of his last school). Our oldest is more of a 'go with the flow' kind of kid & has done well at ITS. He scored very well on his standardized tests last year, including a perfect score in math. While we certainly work with him, I must give credit to his fantastic teacher, who didn't teach to the test, but made sure students were exposed to wide variety of activities.

Posted: February 18, 2015

We have been at the school since its founding nearly four years ago, and we are thrilled with the education our children are receiving. There have hiccups along the way, as one might expect with a new school, but our experience with the administration has been that they are open to parents' concerns, receptive to feedback, and always acting with the best interests of the students in the forefront of their minds. The teaching model really meets kids where they are and focuses not only on academics but on cultivating a sense of community. It's a remarkable place, and we have loved it here.

Posted: February 18, 2015

As a founding family we've seen ITS through its growth years. With it has come some anticipated growing pains but also immeasurable care and concern for the students. As with all schools, sometimes ITS does not get it right the first time BUT they are a team with a growth mindset willing to learn from failures, hear concerns and respond with integrity. Our boys love school and look forward to sharing their favorite part of their day every evening around the dinner table. As all parents, we want what's best for our children so we'll always question - is this the BEST education they can get? Are they learning to LOVE learning and foster their IMAGINATION? Will they look back at their schooling with fondness? Do these things out way my adult frustrations with systems/policies and a handful of staff that don't seem the most effective? Most certainly. Would I recommend this school and the amazing community of families and staff to others? Indeed!

Posted: February 2, 2015

We were drawn to ITS by the promise of hands-on learning. We left a Public School in 4th grade for the opportunity for our son to be at ITS. We ended up leaving ITS mid year. The problem was in part that the school made a bad teacher hire. That can happen anywhere. But the way the leadership dealt with the problem was very troubling -- treating parent complaints as disloyal, a lack of transparency about the process of replacing a teacher, and abandoning the responsibility for the children's learning while they sought a replacement -- leaving a nice but untrained paraprofessional in charge of the classroom. Instead of master teachers, our son had a sub-par teachers for 4 months. Homework was busywork. Ultimately, they replaced the teacher, but I could not trust my son's emotional well being or intellectual growth at ITS. I did not trust the leadership to accept parent input with open ears and a positive attitude. My son has more project based learning at Hearst, better teachers, and more stable and professional management system. Positives of ITS include awesome parents, diversity, several top notch teachers, kind staff, a wonderful mission, and excellent special ed leadership.

Posted: January 26, 2015

Last year, I wrote a four-star review on this site, but this year I feel like ITS is losing its way. When we've tried to share our concerns and advocate for our kids, we are met with defensiveness and resistance rather than openness and partnership. We've seen less inspiration and a lot more traditional schooling this year--lots of boring worksheets, rote memorization and lectures, plus tighter classroom management that feels joyless. They are struggling with how to teach up to challenge high-performing kids and our child is bored as a result. I feel like the school has lost sight of its vision and progressive educational philosophy. When talking to parents about their experiences with the school, it's important to ask what grades their kids are in -- older grades seem more hit and miss.

Posted: April 1, 2014

ITS is a wonderful school, my daughter has learned so much in her first year. The teachers, principal and student's relationship is much more than you would expect from a school. They are very personable and respectful to the kids and sensitive to all personalities and teach them how to work and get along with each other as a team and peers. My daughter is eager to go to school even when school is not in session due to the friendly atmosphere. I love that they have several methods of teaching subjects assuring that you learn the material in various ways. This school has been very nuturing for my daughter and she loves the way they make learning very interesting and fun.

Posted: October 27, 2013

Since ITS is a school that develops children's habits of mind--their Intellect, Inquiry, Imagination and Integrity, the shift to the more rigorous Core Standards won't have that much impact on our classrooms. The school has been practicing a more rigorous and progressive learning environment since it opened 3 years ago. Since it never teaches to the CAS or any standardized test, children embrace learning for the pure joy of it. This school is a private school education for public school prices--they share the same rigor, passion for open ended materials and critical thinking, all in an inclusive and nurturing environment. It is a school that refuses to leave anyone behind.

Posted: September 23, 2013

This school is great...my son is learning to love reading and they are great at teaching him at his level.

Posted: August 3, 2013

The Inspired Teaching School is like no other. Kids thrive in this learning community because they are challenged every day, but at the same time are supported and encouraged to do things their own way. And, they have FUN. The quality of the teaching at ITS is second to none. We feel extremely fortunate to be part of this this exceptional school.

Posted: July 7, 2013

We just finished our 2nd year at Inspired Teaching and couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of this great school. The teachers are outstanding. My son has developed a real love of learning and does not look forward to weekends/summers since it means he will be out of school. He gets excited every time he sees an orange bumber sticker around town and boasts with pride saying, "that's my school momma." The location is great for us and the kiss-and-go has been a dream come true for us. Never a line more than 1 car ahead of you and we love seeing the parents, staff, and teachers come together in the mornings. The teacher's love for teaching combined with them getting kids exciting about learning truly makes this place a special gem. I love the diversity of the school as well as the dedicated families. We LOVE INSPIRED TEACHING!!

Posted: June 25, 2013

My daughter recently finished Kindergarten at ITS and has been there for its first two years of existence. Other than the location for drop off & pick up purposes (which, as others have noted, can be a little challenging), we have been very pleased. She loves to go to school each day, and she constantly says things that make me do a double-take (daddy, that's a stratus cloud!) which proves to me that she is soaking in a lot of knowledge in a fashion that emphasizes creative exploration. I have observed no problems with cliques or bullying that might be an issue at larger schools. The building isn't superb, but they've done a good job with it and it is completely functional, with good size classrooms. The location, while leading to a tougher commute for us, is wonderful from the perspective of what it offers in the immediate vicinity, a truly vibrant neighborhood. Teacher quality has been very good. No hesitation in giving ITS my strongest recommendation.

Posted: March 18, 2013

This is our first year and we have been so impressed by the quality of the teachers and the incredible amount of parental involvement. The physical location can be challenging for drop off and pick up, but it is the heart of the city -- close to the metro and bus lines. And what the building lacks in physical space and outdoor play areas, is more than made up for the tremendous quality of what my kids are learning. Between the my kids' teachers, the classroom parents, the principle and the online bulletin board -- I get multiple emails daily about what is going on at school -- I never have to wonder what they did that day. We feel very lucky to have found ITS.

Posted: February 21, 2013

We're halfway through our first year at Inspired Teaching with a student in PS3 and are extremely happy with the school. It offers an arts-based, differentiated curriculum that truly respects students' natural intellectual curiosity. As a former elementary educator, I truly believe that imaginative play and socialization should be central in early ed classrooms, and that is certainly the case at ITS. Our preschooler is becoming an even more independent thinker with projects in engineering, art, dramatic play, math literacy and more. She's also learning to be part of a community and to take more consideration in others' feelings and needs. Each classroom has a Master teacher and a Teacher-in-Residence from the Center for Inspired Teaching (plus an aide in the PS and PK classes) - www.inspiredteaching.org - giving it an unparalled quality of faculty. The students are engaged and cared for in such a special way. The upper classmen are kind, thoughtful and friendly with their younger schoolmates and with visiting adults. Additionally, ITS has such a strong community feel, with parents, teachers and administrators engaged together. I couldn't have imagined a better school for my child.

Posted: January 23, 2013

Our family has been with the Inspired Teaching School for two years now. In the first year the school definitely struggled, in many areas. And some families left. What kept us at the school was the vision and the commitment to continuous improvement. The result: this year has been a quantum leap forward. They learned so much from the first year and it shows. The same great philosophy is still in place and now the instruction in the classroom consistently lives up to that high standard. Art integration; project based learning; a whole child philosophy... This is what education should be.

Posted: January 20, 2013

In response to "third grade was a disaster last year": Third grade has been anything BUT a disaster this year. It's been superb. I have no idea where you "heard" that the kids have to eat in their classrooms this year, but that's untrue...there IS a cafeteria. And while we do not have an onsite playground, we have huge classrooms, huge common areas, and a fenced off play area between buildings (plus the beloved Imagination Playground), plus the kids walk to local parks, which they LOVE. Inspired Teaching meets all the criteria of a great school: Excellent teachers, strong leadership (esp one that engages parents) and a challenging academic program. The rest is icing on the cake, but ITS has the icing, too. To be sure, there were challenges last year, as can be expected with a new school, but changes were made and we're stronger and better than ever. I can't imagine sending my kids anywhere else.

Posted: January 17, 2013

The third grade was a disaster last year. I took my child out and so did a lot of other parents. They went through multiple teachers, as the reviewer who left one star mentioned. People who are unaware of this should ask around. From what I could tell, the PK-1 classes were excellent and the 2nd grade was doing pretty well. The discipline issue in the third grade was atrocious, though. Even the best kids sometimes act out and when chaos reigns like it does in that room, matters descend rapidly. The parents of the worst behaving students were naturally the parents involved the least. The parents in PK-2 were noticeably more involved in the school than the 3rd grade parents, despite the handful of 3rd grade parents who would regularly come in to volunteer (probably to protect their children from the bullies therein). Luckily, I think the worst of the 3rd grade students from last year have moved on. However, I am told the new facilities have challenges, resulting in children eating at their desks instead of in a cafeteria and having no play area. One of the parents is running for City Council now on this very issue (improved facilities for all students), among others.

Posted: December 1, 2012

We have been involved with Inspired Teaching for two years now, and really appreciate the education our child is receiving. The school places value on learning for everyone, and the result is a community of passionate and inspiring teachers. The classroom is an active, engaged place, and the kids are constantly encouraged to be thoughtful about their own learning. Also, the parent community is both warm and strong; it's hard to imagine a better group.

Posted: November 30, 2012

We love this school! Their model is to both hire and train amazing teachers who believe that the way to prepare kids for the world today is to inspire them to learn, teach them how to think critically and be inquisitive, and to build a strong character by building a strong community. This is truly a unique program and it's made possible by the strong leadership from the principal, and also from support by the established not-for-profit "The Center for Inspired Teaching." The school has strong parental engagement across the grades and has strong representation across every ward in the city. The location is really convenient for taking field trips by transportation or just around the neighborhood, since there are so many important historical places within walking distance. The school offers electives that are designed to fulfill the "4 I's": Integrity, Imagination, Inquiry, and Intellect. One unique program they have developed is "Intersession" where they offer an elective to all students and so they mix the grades. It demonstrates the importance of the school value: "Everyone Builds Community".

Posted: November 29, 2012

I never thought I'd have the chance to work at such an amazing school. I love the trust the professionals have for each other, the respect we all practice for our students and families, and how committed everyone is to building our school together. If you're a great teacher looking for a great place to be challenged, this is for you!