Monday, October 8, 2012
First day!
5 things I learned my first day at Central High School.
1.) I learned that block periods are kind of beneficial when it comes to teaching.
2.) I learned that they have the same schedule every single day.... (Still wondering if I like that.)
3.) I learned that in the Providence school system, students must apply to which school they want to attend for that school year. (Slightly concerned about this.)
4.) I learned that students are still trying to be sneaky and take all 3 lunches.
5.) I learned that reading is and isn't an issue in the classroom.
The one thing I can't seem to get passed after my first day is the no district policy in Providence. I like and understand that students are able to choose which school they would like to attend for the year; however, this can be a sticky situation.
First period starts at 8:30 and ends at 10:01. At around 9:50 a young girl walks into class and leaves a pass on the teachers’ desk. When asked why she was late to class she simply said, "I missed the bus."
Thought process:
-Where does this girl live?
-One bus causes her to be an hour and twenty minutes late?
-Does she have to walk a far distance to her bus stop?
I had more questions racing through my head and I wanted to sit with the student but then class was over. I asked my CT what the policy was for the districts and school system in Providence and was shocked to find that it was really every student for themselves.
Growing up where I went to school things were much different. Students knew exactly where they had to go to school because of where they lived. I believe there are still some school systems that use this rule as a means to help both the students and the parents. It's bad enough when a student has to walk to school maybe 15 minutes away, however, 30-60 minutes is really pushing it.
It makes me wonder if students who take public transportation get in trouble is the bus schedule isn't on time because of the bus drivers themselves? How can we blame the students for something they have no control over?
After talking to my CT about the lateness within her classroom she told me it's not that big of a deal. If it is something she notices happening over and over again she will address the situation but she understands the difficult position some of her students are in when it comes to transportation, home life, and distance.
It's something to pay attention to while I'm at Central for the next month or so. All school systems are different and deserve different methods of discipline for their students when it comes to tardiness. However, as a community we need to respect the variety of unfortunate events that can and will happen on a daily basis with our students.
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That's wild!
ReplyDeleteSo there's no busing? At all? What happens to students who do not choose a school? Do they just get pushed to the closest school?
I always get sort of confused by districts that have multiple high schools. Maybe it's my small town background, but the districting seems so willy-nilly. Then when you throw non-districting into the mix- YIKES!
Ashlee--One day recently, I was over on Smith Street at 3:30, trying to cut across the city, past the Mall, across the bridges that span Route 6 and Atwells Ave to make my way to Westminster Street and Central HS. I was AMAZED by the groups of high school students walking home. The line of students that began near Central/Classical High Schools remained consistent for my entire drive. There were as many groups of students walking down Westminster as there were walking down Dean Street as there were over on Smith Street (they came all the way from Central). When I finally arrived, to meet Susan Dillon and Susan Friendson, we talked at length about how far these folks have to go to get to school and how the city does not provide buses for older kids. They walk or take city buses, which make an okay attempt at running on time. This is a problematic way to get your butt to school, it seems to me. Good lord. I drove to school when I was in high school. What a privileged brat. This one simple logistical problem--getting to school--suddenly isn't so easy nor cut and dry. If a kid misses the bus, as you've discovered, what are her options? Walk miles. Take a cab. Wait for the next city bus. This is how the morning begins for so many young people in our urban centers: How will I get to school today? W.O.W.
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