Some people see a less-than-ideal situation and think about what needs to be done to change it. Others, like Morty Ballen, take it beyond thinking and put their plans into action. He had gone into teaching straight out of college, and his diverse experiences—with high school English classes in Louisiana, with fifth through eighth graders in South Africa during the post-apartheid transition to integrated schools, and with middle-schoolers on New York City’s Lower East Side—really brought home to him that all kids can achieve if they’re given the right environment to learn. “I don’t think that students should miss out because of where they were born,” he says.
Morty vowed that one day he would start a public school for kids who might not otherwise receive a quality education. In 1999, he quit his teaching job. Working out of his living room, he set out to establish a charter school with the mission of giving students the skills they need to succeed in New York City’s college-prep high schools. He chose as the location an underserved neighborhood in Brooklyn. Even though it took several years to raise funds, secure a space and work through bureaucratic red tape, Morty was undaunted.
In 2002, Explore Charter School opened its doors with 168 students in kindergarten through third grade. Now there are 330 students enrolled in grades K through six. Morty makes sure they are exposed to more than just rigorous academics. There’s the art and music classes: “Kids who have a hard time academically might find out they can be successful artistically.” And the overnight trips to universities in Boston and Philadelphia: “They get to see what college will be like, and they want to work harder to get there.” The staff, made up of certified teachers as well as those from programs like Teach for America and Americorps, serve as role models.
For the school to stay open, students must perform well on annual state exams. Morty and the Explore staff tailor instruction to each child’s needs, so every student can go into the exams confident and prepared. Their method works: On this past year’s tests, 85 percent of Explore students met the state standard.
The individualized attention and positive motivation, Morty believes, will be his students’ key to successful higher education. It will be another two years before Explore’s oldest students can head to high school and prove Morty right. We think they will.
Morty’s Tips
1. Laugh!
Working at the school is hard, but we have a sense of humor about it and enjoy each other’s company.
2. Find balance.
I love what I do, but it doesn’t define my whole life. I make sure to hang out with friends or go to the gym.
3. Communicate.
If something goes wrong, take a step back and talk about it. Nothing’s so terrible it can’t be fixed.
