The Bronx Charter School for Better Learning was founded in 2003 by experienced teachers and school administrators, each of whom had worked in schools serving low-income communities. Several of our founders gave up managerial positions and returned to the classroom to achieve a long-held goal: to demonstrate the value of an educational approach, known as the Subordination of Teaching to Learning, that can dramatically improve the school experience of any child, regardless of socio-economic background.

Almost all of our students are Hispanic and African-American, many from families that include recent immigrants from Jamaica. Over 75 percent of our students are from low-income families. We currently serve 345 students in Grades K through 5.

At the Bronx Charter School for Better Learning, we strive to create an atmosphere where each child's innate ability to learn is nurtured, protected and directed toward mastering all traditional subjects. Our pedagogy, the Subordination of Teaching to Learning, was developed by Dr. Caleb Gattegno (1911-1988). Dr. Gattegno's precise techniques and materials enable students to master new skills with minimal interference from the teacher. As a result, learning continues to be a joyous experience for the children, instead of the drudgery they might otherwise encounter in more conventional schools.

We expect our students to soar academically, and the results of our first five years of standardized testing are very promising. (Please click to download more information about our test results.) Our students are mastering the NY State curriculum standards in ELA and math far better than other children in our neighborhood and significantly better than other children in the Bronx.

We are delighted that our students have performed so well and we look forward to further gains. We are also thrilled that our children seem genuinely happy to be here, and that so many visitors marvel at our school's calm and friendly atmosphere.

Photo Credits

(top) Tyrique, Grade 5

(bottom) Oshane, Grade 5