Day 2

Day two (February 14):

Today I worked with Riley. We went through a quiz over parts of literature such as identifying the plot and the types of conflict within the story. The quiz that she was taking was only a ten question quiz, but it a few of the questions had long stories that went with them. To help her stay encouraged rather than sigh every time she pulled up a question that had a story with it, I told her to read the questions first. I told her about how when I would take tests that had long stories like that I would read the questions first to help me identify what I needed to know to answer the question while reading the question. This proved to be helpful. There were a few times that she would have questions about what the question was asking and we would work through it together. I tried to help her by giving her different ways to approach the question. The one that I told her I generally like to use when I don’t know what an answer is is to eliminate the choices I know are not the answers. Most of the time Riley was able to eliminate at least two of the choices that she was given.  I also helped to explain internal and external conflict after one of the first questions and she was asked a question about it in a later assignment and remembered exactly what I had told her about it. Riley took longer to take the ten question quiz than I would have, but she went at her own pace and actually made a 100. She was so excited because she told me that she never makes 100s. That made me feel awesome knowing that I had helped her. It also made me feel appreciated when she thanked me for helping her.

Riley is 17. She told me the reason she was enrolled at Classic City High was because her and her mom had come to an agreement that it was probably what was best for her. She said that she was too social at the regular high school, Clarke Central, where she had been going. Rather than staying on task and doing her work she said she would talk to her friends. By going to Classic City she said she would be able to pay better attention and graduate a little sooner than she normally would have. Although Classic City High would be ideal for Riley, she said she doesn’t really like it much more than regular high school. She told me that she doesn’t really like having to go through all the lessons on her own and that the lectures she has to sit through and listen to are extremely boring. The monotony of the E-2020 program makes the learning process for Patrice more difficult. At certain times the classroom’s teacher holds small groups. In these small groups they do what teachers would normally do in a regular high school setting like activities to help explain ideas and concepts. Once the students complete the small groups activities the teacher removes some of the assignments from the E-2020 program that the student is supposed to do. Riley likes the small groups much better than the work on the computer program.

Also, while at Classic City High I get to hear some of the conversations that occur between the students. On this particular day I overheard a girl telling Riley that her boyfriend was about to get out of jail in three weeks and then she asked Riley about a boy and when he would be getting out of jail but she didn’t know. Then the girl proceeded to tell Riley about two other boys who had gotten arrested, but Riley was not familiar with them. After the girl who was telling Riley about the boys being arrested RIley looked at me and said “I don’t know who she’s talking about. I don’t like to be around folks like that, that get in trouble and all.” I think Riley may have told me this because she didn’t want me to think that she was the kind of kid who is usually involved in things like that. It’s just interesting to me to hear the conversations between kids her age (17) and know that they have friends who are already in jail. I am definitely in a setting unlike most of my life experiences and I appreciate it. I think it’s extremely helpful to see all different aspects of the education system including alternative schooling like at Classic City High.

On a lighter note, I was told that I looked like I was 17 by one of the girl students and Riley agreed. I’m not exactly sure how to take that since I’m 20, but I took it as a compliment!

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.