Monterey in 3.6 Hours

My trip to Monterey, California this week served as a bookend of sorts to the equally brief foray to Napa last autumn. Both tourist destinations: one just north of San Francisco and one south, though not quite equidistant and each charming in its own way.

No time, alas, to see the grand sites of the peninsula other than a quick walk down Cannery Row in the afternoon fog and a nod to Mr. Steinbeck.

The second day brought chilly winter sun and a chance to admire the heavy Pacific rollers crashing up on the broad beach at Monterey Bay.

It was certainly worth the cross country journey, on business of course, to visit an interesting charter school with an international emphasis. Charter schools operate as autonomous public schools that have the “right” to design their own curriculum and use innovation teaching or pedagogy - which seems a rude slight to the neighboring public schools suggesting that they do not. Which - given all of the problems and challenges in public schools these days - is probably accurate (with due respect).

Fitting the international focus into a semi-public school (with strict state standards to follow) is the challenge for this unique type of institution.