Reflections from my first day

Day one: ( February 7)

Today I went to Classic City High for the first time. Ms. Mimi assigned me to a girl who was named Riley. She had started the program a few weeks into the semester so she was behind on the assignments already. The program that the students use is basically a self taught program. They have slide shows that go along with a lecture given by an instructor on the computer. In the classroom the teacher offers a chance to have group time. This time entails the teacher going over what the students are currently learning in their program. This is different though because it gives the students a chance to ask questions and participate in a real classroom setting. When group time was offered, Riley jumped at the chance to take part because she said that she learned better when the teacher could explain it to her.

Once she began working with the group I was assigned to work with a different student named Dylan. Turns out that Dylan is the same age as me, 20, and only has 5 credits left to finish before he can get his diploma. I got to spend more time with Dylan than Riley so I learned a lot more about his background. Dylan told me that the reason he was not on track and at the same place I was in my life was because he had gotten into some trouble with the law that ended up with him having to spend a year in jail. This blew my mind. He said that he had literally been out of jail for three weeks and was now back in the program to finish. I asked him if he had attempted to continue going to school while he was in jail since he had already been enrolled in the Classic City high before he had went to jail and he told me yes he had. Unfortunately he was moved around a few times and spent time in different jails so that he was unable to take the test for his GED. Instead of just giving up once he got out of jail he said he wanted to go back to school since he only needed five more credits to graduate. He is now ahead of the program in certain subjects.

The School

I am currently taking part in a course that allows me to tutor at a local high school. The high school that I tutor at is not an ordinary high school. This high school is an alternative high school called a Performance Learning Center, also referred to as the PLC. The PLC that I tutor at is called Classic City High. The typical classroom is set up with computers lining the wall where the students do their work.
The classroom has a teacher, but she is not necessarily teaching. The students are at their computers working on on a class through a program called e2020. This is an online program that allows the students to work by themselves in their subjects. They are able to work on their own and at their own pace, although they do have target points that they should be meeting. The students are still required to take the same standardized tests just like other students in the public school system in the state, but they do not have the same classroom setting. The classroom has a different air about it. The environment is much more relaxed because the students that are in the program are generally there by choice.
The staff seems to be very helpful. When I was in the office waiting to be assigned a student to tutor, the receptionist was more than happy to helpful to the students that walk in. All of the people involved with the school seem to be more than willing to help anybody who needs assistance.
The school is located in the middle of a neighborhood. Based off of looks alone, I would say the neighborhood is on the lower end of the socioeconomic status chart. The school itself is a pretty small school with just one main hall. There is usually an officer that is in the school. That was nothing out of the ordinary to me because we had an officer in my high school as well. I was not at all intimidated by the school or the students. I have tutored several times before and had to work with students that had backgrounds unlike mine.
My background would probably be considered the "All American" high school type situation. I was an honors student that played softball and tennis. I graduated 4th in my class with a 4.0. I would consider my family to be middle class. I am given things that I need not necessarily all of the things that I want.
In comparison to the students that attend Classic City High, I enjoyed the regular public high school. Many of the students that are at Classic City are there because they do not like the typical curriculum set out in the traditional public high schools.
I am going to be tutoring students that are different than me and hopefully will be able to help them along in their high school career,as well as learn a few things from them in the process.