Exploring Innovations in Education
Little seems to be changing on the educational landscape, dismal performance seems to be the norm. My child, who is a high achiever, was feeling frustrated with her school. I began questioning, what are our family’s educational options. What other opportunities are available? This question, and my investigation into school options, led me to select a Charter School.
The Main Focus
One of the primary reasons for placing my daughter in a Charter was, without the top heavy politics of a District Office, the focus is on fulfilling the Charter. Each school functions under its own charter, and the efforts of the staff within the school are to fulfill the charter, which is usually focused on student performance. In order to guarantee the success of the school the success of the individual students becomes paramount.
Charter schools are able to cater to the specific needs of the students. My child was able to move at her own pace, and there was also support for her when her pace needed to be slower. When she had trouble comprehending, her needs did not hinder the progress of another student. This for my child meant the freedom to need help, something she had not always been comfortable with in the past.
Differences on Day One
Unlike other schools, the 4th Grade at the charter school we selected offered languages, a lower student to teacher ratio, and they also encouraged and fostered an experience conducive to heavy parental involvement. Additionally, we were able to see an immediate change in her workload, for the first time she was presented with a challenge.
Growing Pains
The school we chose allowed my daughter to make decisions about how she structured her workload. She found that completing her favorite subjects, was simple, she learned, that by focusing all of her time on completion of enjoyable assignments, she had left all of the more dreaded tasks for the last part of her week. My child enjoyed having more time to explore subjects in depth, using her computer to dig deeper into subjects she took an interest in. The initial shock of being in total control of her time, and her workload, was a little thorny. We had to set very clear parameters with regard to how she structured her days work. Ultimately, I found this also presented my daughter with an opportunity to learn time management.
I have found the charter school experience to be rewarding, and just what was needed to boost my child’s academic interest. My child flourishes in the educational freedom found at the charter school. It has been a boost to my parenting, I enjoy my involvement in her school activities. Watching her take ownership of her educational experience has allowed me many teachable moments in parenting. The most important part of selecting a charter is finding one that is suited to your expectations for your child, one that agrees with your parenting style and that engages your child’s needs.
