I remember the look in Brianna’s eyes. Her tiny six-year-old frame seemed too young to have the look of defeat. It appeared her former teacher had given up on her. As a first grade teacher at a Los Angeles charter school, I saw many cases like this over the years. The public school shared a campus with our charter school at the time when Brianna’s mother decided to remove her from the public school and enroll her in our charter school. Brianna’s mother wanted something different for her daughter, something that would engage her, something that would inspire her—she wanted her child to enjoy school again.I started to see the changes within the first few weeks. The smaller and more intimate school environment allowed Brianna to find the things that resonated with her. In charters, students are given the opportunity to figure out who they are as individuals.
One of the greatest advantages of a charter school is having the flexibility to develop a student-focused learning program. As the new director at Palm Academy in Indio, I believe we are a charter that strives to meet the needs of each student. Our charter offers a personalized and balanced approach. Students are motivated by hands-on projects that promote higher-level thinking in a collaborative environment. During independent work periods, students acquire the skills needed to become critical thinkers and inspired learners.
Charter schools also allow parents the freedom to choose a school outside their home school limits. With charters, parents are often seen as partners in their children’s learning process.
At back-to-school night, Brianna’s mom shared with me that she was happy she had made the choice to send her daughter to a charter school. She said, “It was as if her whole world started to open up again.” Brianna’s mom started to see a sparkle return to her daughter’s eyes.
Success stories like these make me proud to be part of the charter movement. My hope is that there will be more opportunities for kids like Brianna, to figure out who they are as learners, with hope in their eyes, happy and eager to learn.
Alyssa Gonzales
Principal of Palm Academy in Indio
