1. my school has been ok in terms of how it has helped with my life's development. i think socially it taught me a lot about the real world and what to expect with the ups and downs of life and made me a much stronger person. but with academics it wasn't as good. a lot of my time spent in classes i felt was pointless because sometimes (depending on the teacher), being in class felt like the biggest waste of time and where i would walk away at the end of class feeling like i learned nothing valuable for the future. oftentimes though, it was beneficial because students at my school get a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing which classes to take which really benefits the individual because they get a little wiggle room to be in a class that they take because they want to (espcially senior year), but in the end it all depends on the teacher, because some really want to be there and some are there because they have to.
2. i learned a lot of life skills while at berkeley high because nothing's sugar coated, the school will seriously make you or brake you, which sounds a little dramatic but if you cant handle the work and the independence then you pretty much fail. it's not the life learning skills that needs to be fixed, its more like the amount of support that's lacking. because if you don't care, than neither do the teachers, and there's no one there who will push you to try. if you do care though and need a little extra support, there are a good amount of teachers that will stand by you.
3. there's a big mix of everything at my school. there are the students that have supportive families, are good students and good with the teachers, and who's families try to be in contact with the teachers and work for the school. the majority of the school doesn't have the support from their families which makes it harder to be a good student, or even care. some teachers really try to give support to those who don't have the support at home, but there's about 3,500 students at berkeley with only so many teachers. having this as a reality at my school is sad for me because i know that every person has a place in the world if they try but a lot of those students dont see it that way. the hard thing to is that berkeley high is for all of berkeley so there are students coming from the bad parts and the good parts. the mix makes it kind of intense and makes it so there are a lot of clicks. not everyone really meshes together, most everyone sticks to their group. the relationships between all the students put together isn't very nice because everyone is just so different and there are a lot of people with a lot of attitude and they make sure that everyone knows about it.
4. only one thing to change about my school? there are a lot of things id like to change about my school. i would say that most of all id want to change the racial separation among students and the support from staff and students.
13 April 2010
Ali Bock El Cerrito High '10
1. School is somewhere I have to be from 10-2 every day. Especially as a second semester senior I do almost nothing. There have been a few good classes along the way, I learned to write in AP Language and Comp, learned AP U.S. History, and learned a good amount of Economics. That's honestly about it. I take two classes in the four hours I'm at school, Probability and Statistics(designed for seniors trying to take something lightweight easy to relax with second semester) and I assist and grade papers for an English 4 remedial teacher (I used this class to describe the secondary scenario from the first question). Kids at EC are often drunk, or high in class, or simply just screw around in the lower level, less academic classes. I guess El Cerrito teaches you how to interact with other students. But not a lot beyond that.
2. I think public schools, especially in the district I find myself in, are in a disaster state. There's no money, no teachers willing to work for almost nothing, and a lot of kids who don't really care about their education, they just want a diploma. I think drug and alcohol classes should be mandatory for freshmen, something like a health class. I've found myself shocked, hearing the things that our freshman classes do. One kid tried to sell my best friend ecstasy last week, the dealer's age? 14. It's kinda scary. I think the freshmen need better life skills.
In short, I think when the economy finds itself in a better place, public schools will be better off.
3. El Cerrito is kind of like jail. We're under constant suspicion and are watched by a multitude of unqualified high school drop outs that call themselves "site supervisors". They can chase you down, and give you a WAS (work alternative to suspension). Basically, you get to go pick up trash for a half hour after school, as if that will teach you to be on time to school. This year (2010) I've been searched 4 times, and asked if I was the leader of a gang. As one of the more affluent white kids with good grades I was appalled to hear this, and actually laughed at the cop who asked.
Basically, students are expected to have eachother's backs no matter what, any authority figure is ridiculed, and parents have no standing with the kids. The school treats the kids like convicts and it'll take you two weeks to get an appointment with your counselor, unless your mom calls, because that'll take you about 15 minutes.
4. I have no idea what I'd change. Everything? Nothing? Probably funding for better teachers to be hired. Not sure that'd help though.
2. I think public schools, especially in the district I find myself in, are in a disaster state. There's no money, no teachers willing to work for almost nothing, and a lot of kids who don't really care about their education, they just want a diploma. I think drug and alcohol classes should be mandatory for freshmen, something like a health class. I've found myself shocked, hearing the things that our freshman classes do. One kid tried to sell my best friend ecstasy last week, the dealer's age? 14. It's kinda scary. I think the freshmen need better life skills.
In short, I think when the economy finds itself in a better place, public schools will be better off.
3. El Cerrito is kind of like jail. We're under constant suspicion and are watched by a multitude of unqualified high school drop outs that call themselves "site supervisors". They can chase you down, and give you a WAS (work alternative to suspension). Basically, you get to go pick up trash for a half hour after school, as if that will teach you to be on time to school. This year (2010) I've been searched 4 times, and asked if I was the leader of a gang. As one of the more affluent white kids with good grades I was appalled to hear this, and actually laughed at the cop who asked.
Basically, students are expected to have eachother's backs no matter what, any authority figure is ridiculed, and parents have no standing with the kids. The school treats the kids like convicts and it'll take you two weeks to get an appointment with your counselor, unless your mom calls, because that'll take you about 15 minutes.
4. I have no idea what I'd change. Everything? Nothing? Probably funding for better teachers to be hired. Not sure that'd help though.
Lisa Gilliland CPS '10
1. Describe an average day at your school (give us a feel of a walk through the halls).
welll first of all we don't have halls, hehe, um but lets see I get there at around 7:45 usually to get a good parking spot, then i sit in my car and finish my hw or talk with friends until the bell rings at 8. First period i have Animal Behavior which is fairly boring, just lecture and reading with occasional interesting points, then i go to math, yippee. On mondays and thursdays we have assemblys during the break period (each class is 45 minutes, break is 50- new schedule this year), on tuesdays we have a school-wide forum and fridays we have various meetings. Third period I have World Religions which is a really interesting class, new this year. Fourth I have English - Currently I'm in the Urban Bohemians seminar. Next is lunch which is like 40 minutes? Then I have AP Spanish Language, then Advanced Vocal Ensemble (i'm in a senior a capella septet) and 7th I have free so I leave for softball.
2. How much of a resource is your school in your life’s development? Do you think it actively contributes to your greater learning in life? Do you feel that your classes cater to your immediate and future needs?
I'd absolutely say that my school and my education have contributed greatly to my learning and desire to learn. Since I came to CPS I have learned a lot both in the subjects and in the art of being a student- how to best study, when to ask for help, how to write a paper etc., things that I think are essential in the future. Some of the classes, while very interesting, are not particularly useful for daily life, however these classes are seminars, however most of the classes & seminars are very current (World Religions, Issues in Science, Psychology, etc.)
3. How do you think your curriculum could be better formatted to teach you life skills?
I think it would be really fun and helpful to have a one semester shop like class- one of the ones you see on cliche TV shows where students learn to cook, sew, and clean and build and fix things. If it were a class taken for one semester in the Junior year (freshman and sophomores take 1 semester of various Sex Ed classes) that would be pretty helpful and fun!
4. Is there respect at your school between students? Students and teachers? Teachers and parents? Parents and students? How does this affect your learning environment?
There is a lotttt of respect between students and teachers. Students are held responsible for all of their actions and because of the success by the students to act maturely and intelligently teachers have gained a lot of respect. Likewise we respect the teachers because we know how much they love and respect us. I also haven't heard about there ever being any disagreement between the teachers and the parents, but because I am neither I don't have an inside view. I find that the overwhelming amounts of trust and respect the teachers and students have for each other, and the respect that we have for the administration (and vice versa) have affected the learning environment in a very positive way. It is this strong relationship (student-teacher) that make CPS a strong academic school, and one that middle schoolers want to go to. I believe it is one of the most unique attributes of College Prep.
5. If you could change one thing about you school, what would it be?
I would probably want there to be a little bit less stress involved, but obviously that is part of the way the school shapes us to become successful human beings. There is great spirit (although clearly we're not the most athletic school...) and a lot of opportunities that students at other schools don't have (snow trip, retreats, events etc.)
welll first of all we don't have halls, hehe, um but lets see I get there at around 7:45 usually to get a good parking spot, then i sit in my car and finish my hw or talk with friends until the bell rings at 8. First period i have Animal Behavior which is fairly boring, just lecture and reading with occasional interesting points, then i go to math, yippee. On mondays and thursdays we have assemblys during the break period (each class is 45 minutes, break is 50- new schedule this year), on tuesdays we have a school-wide forum and fridays we have various meetings. Third period I have World Religions which is a really interesting class, new this year. Fourth I have English - Currently I'm in the Urban Bohemians seminar. Next is lunch which is like 40 minutes? Then I have AP Spanish Language, then Advanced Vocal Ensemble (i'm in a senior a capella septet) and 7th I have free so I leave for softball.
2. How much of a resource is your school in your life’s development? Do you think it actively contributes to your greater learning in life? Do you feel that your classes cater to your immediate and future needs?
I'd absolutely say that my school and my education have contributed greatly to my learning and desire to learn. Since I came to CPS I have learned a lot both in the subjects and in the art of being a student- how to best study, when to ask for help, how to write a paper etc., things that I think are essential in the future. Some of the classes, while very interesting, are not particularly useful for daily life, however these classes are seminars, however most of the classes & seminars are very current (World Religions, Issues in Science, Psychology, etc.)
3. How do you think your curriculum could be better formatted to teach you life skills?
I think it would be really fun and helpful to have a one semester shop like class- one of the ones you see on cliche TV shows where students learn to cook, sew, and clean and build and fix things. If it were a class taken for one semester in the Junior year (freshman and sophomores take 1 semester of various Sex Ed classes) that would be pretty helpful and fun!
4. Is there respect at your school between students? Students and teachers? Teachers and parents? Parents and students? How does this affect your learning environment?
There is a lotttt of respect between students and teachers. Students are held responsible for all of their actions and because of the success by the students to act maturely and intelligently teachers have gained a lot of respect. Likewise we respect the teachers because we know how much they love and respect us. I also haven't heard about there ever being any disagreement between the teachers and the parents, but because I am neither I don't have an inside view. I find that the overwhelming amounts of trust and respect the teachers and students have for each other, and the respect that we have for the administration (and vice versa) have affected the learning environment in a very positive way. It is this strong relationship (student-teacher) that make CPS a strong academic school, and one that middle schoolers want to go to. I believe it is one of the most unique attributes of College Prep.
5. If you could change one thing about you school, what would it be?
I would probably want there to be a little bit less stress involved, but obviously that is part of the way the school shapes us to become successful human beings. There is great spirit (although clearly we're not the most athletic school...) and a lot of opportunities that students at other schools don't have (snow trip, retreats, events etc.)
Caitlin Taffe El Cerrito Highschool '10
1. An average day at my high school varies a TON depending what group you are with. My school is about 60% black and it makes a huge difference in the attitude and dress. Many of the students are from the hood, the school is very urban. A typical day at my high school involves lots of laughter and at least two collisions with people in the halls, it involves seeing or hearing about a drug transaction and figuring out who is carrying the best weed.
2. My school taught me a lot about a world I didn't really knew existed except for on tv. I think I understand a lot more about a lot of the stuff that happens in the world especially outside of the areas I spent my younger years in. I think that ECHS teaches you a lot about the outside world, because we get a huge variety of people because we are a public school and students are coming from lower, middle and upper class (Richmond, El Cerrito, Kensington). I think that the classes offered at ECHS do help with my immediate needs but I wish there was more help towards getting to college.
3. I think that it would be really helpful to have ECHS students taking a class that taught about the options after high school and what you need to do to get to whichever you want to get to.
4. Students respect each other for the most part, but we do have fights and sometimes students don't understand each other because they come from such different backgrounds. There is respect between students and teachers, but AP students do not respect teachers as much as the other students. Parents tends to be fairly uninvolved at ECHS, those involved tend to be of white or asian background.
5. If I could change one thing about my school I would give the students off campus lunch.
2. My school taught me a lot about a world I didn't really knew existed except for on tv. I think I understand a lot more about a lot of the stuff that happens in the world especially outside of the areas I spent my younger years in. I think that ECHS teaches you a lot about the outside world, because we get a huge variety of people because we are a public school and students are coming from lower, middle and upper class (Richmond, El Cerrito, Kensington). I think that the classes offered at ECHS do help with my immediate needs but I wish there was more help towards getting to college.
3. I think that it would be really helpful to have ECHS students taking a class that taught about the options after high school and what you need to do to get to whichever you want to get to.
4. Students respect each other for the most part, but we do have fights and sometimes students don't understand each other because they come from such different backgrounds. There is respect between students and teachers, but AP students do not respect teachers as much as the other students. Parents tends to be fairly uninvolved at ECHS, those involved tend to be of white or asian background.
5. If I could change one thing about my school I would give the students off campus lunch.
07 April 2010
Erik Battista: Mission statement
As the being Erik Anthony Battista, I strive to treat the people and world around me with a balance of respect and honesty that may earn me the respect of others. After establishing stable bonds with those I trust, the goal moves to communicating mutually beneficial truths to my surrounding constituents. By aiding those around me and sharing what I know, the hope is to ease the burden upon myself while bettering those around me, leaving myself time to learn what others have to show and teach me. By keeping myself intimately integrated with my surroundings, I hope to be able to direct the focus away from myself and to those issues that affect all of us. Guiding all the aforementioned, I will stay true to my passions and use my strongest drives to behoove all who stay true to themselves and remain compassionate to their fellow man.
Hilary's Personal Mission Statement
I want to look at my experience in education objectively, and at the same time be aware of and appreciate all of the opportunities that I have been provided. I want to question my own understanding of what a "quality education" is, and try to push myself to better understand why there is such a substantial divide between the quality and price of educations. I hope to communicate effectively with students of all backgrounds and do whatever possible to help mitigate the disparities of education. I want to question my understanding of success and help to redefine the role of a school in a students life.
Jasmyn's Personal Mission Statement
To raise awareness that the discrepancies between the public and private education system are not a distant idea, but for a massive amount of American youth public schools are their reality. Metal detectors, in class disruptions, unmotivated teachers, feeling unsafe and unprotected in their learning enviroment, and a government monopoly of the education system is real. To heighten my awareness of the sheer luck that has enabled me to be in an enviroment where I can harness whatever type of intelligence that I may be and feel safe. To keep in mind that throwing money at a problem is not a solution, and math and science aren't for everyone. At times calculus can be less valuable then a life skill. To be considerate that the situation of others does not necesasarily enable them to go to highschool five days a week, there are always the exceptions and the exceptional.
Harry Waters: Mission Statement
Growing up in such a fun, loving, competitive city like San Francisco, has been a blessing far superior than any gift I could receive. Having the opportunity and access to private education has first hand showed me the importance of courses that cater to the student’s desires. Education shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be a necessity. Never should anyone’s access to higher education be denied due to financial reasons. I believe that for someone to be truly content and happy with his or her life, they must not give up but pursue the qualities and facets of their life that mean most to them. We see more and more students dropping out of education because of the lack in quality, funding and catering, in relation to the student’s dreams or aspirations. Students should be doing what they love, schools should offer students access to their dreams as a life without education means a life without experience. To reach my full potential in what I dream of being, guidance must be present, to pick me up when I fall and challenge me when I succeed.
Paraphrased interview with a history teacher (Lincoln HS)
Over a two hour discussion, the following are some key/ memorable points of the dialogue:
At Lincoln HS, cultural differences sometimes hinder the educational process of the student. First and second generation Chinese American families, for example, view the school as responsible for nurturing and fostering the child's academic success; Latino families demonstrate a prioritization of the family over the individual's education; parents from backgrounds of lower education sometimes feel a distanced relation between themselves and their child's academic career, leading to less involvement in and support of the student's educational opportunities. And while none of the aforementioned stands as a rule for any one of the groups, this Lincoln High School teacher acknowledges these trends as realities in his classroom.
This general problem only served as a lead in to the discussion that would ensue - a discussion which would touch upon the divergent interests of the school's administrative and student bodies. While teacher unions, superintendents, and the general bureaucracy strive to perpetuate the availability of jobs in the educational system, they actively reinvest funds into new salaries, not student needs. This teacher vehemently believed teacher unions impede and muddle progress for both parties (those of the students and the school system itself).
Community, opined this teacher, is what's lacking in the current SF school district. Students who have to travel crosstown every morning and afternoon feel removed from their learning environment, detached from the school and surrounding community. Programs such as affirmative action place integration above education, citing the experiential knowledge gained from transracial interaction as more valuable than any detrimental qualities it may bring. Is this correct? Perhaps yes, perhaps no, but this is not for us to judge. From an objective lens of our mission, however, we can say in fact that charter schools catering to local communities (regardless of racial makeup) perform better than their orthodox counterparts. A school catering to a primarily Latino student body (>90% to be exact) in the Bayview/ Visitacion Valley area of San francisco reports that its students back this assertion, performing far higher than the local public schools in testing and daily class performance.
Furthermore, the parents of the students at these charter schools have a markedly higher turnout to school events, showing a greater level of interest and involvement with the school overall.
The idea of reducing the realm of a school to the local community may foster better results, but change will be hard to come by unless the political climate changes in the school system. According to our same Lincoln HS teacher, teachers have always voted Democrat, and the Dems have always therefore catered to their cause. Because of this dominance at the polls across this demographic, the Republicans have ceased to challenge this liberally-dominated realm, ceding the vote to their counterparts. What this causes, says our teacher, is a lack of competition - a one-sided vision without the checks and balances that makes a healthy democracy.
And while the general school structure may now be better understood, the nuances must be examined. Our teacher cites that students in his class lack basic life skills, ranging from how to formulate an argument in writing to something as simple as talking to their teacher. It's the little things that set back the whole curriculum, and it is these issues on which we will focus.
At Lincoln HS, cultural differences sometimes hinder the educational process of the student. First and second generation Chinese American families, for example, view the school as responsible for nurturing and fostering the child's academic success; Latino families demonstrate a prioritization of the family over the individual's education; parents from backgrounds of lower education sometimes feel a distanced relation between themselves and their child's academic career, leading to less involvement in and support of the student's educational opportunities. And while none of the aforementioned stands as a rule for any one of the groups, this Lincoln High School teacher acknowledges these trends as realities in his classroom.
This general problem only served as a lead in to the discussion that would ensue - a discussion which would touch upon the divergent interests of the school's administrative and student bodies. While teacher unions, superintendents, and the general bureaucracy strive to perpetuate the availability of jobs in the educational system, they actively reinvest funds into new salaries, not student needs. This teacher vehemently believed teacher unions impede and muddle progress for both parties (those of the students and the school system itself).
Community, opined this teacher, is what's lacking in the current SF school district. Students who have to travel crosstown every morning and afternoon feel removed from their learning environment, detached from the school and surrounding community. Programs such as affirmative action place integration above education, citing the experiential knowledge gained from transracial interaction as more valuable than any detrimental qualities it may bring. Is this correct? Perhaps yes, perhaps no, but this is not for us to judge. From an objective lens of our mission, however, we can say in fact that charter schools catering to local communities (regardless of racial makeup) perform better than their orthodox counterparts. A school catering to a primarily Latino student body (>90% to be exact) in the Bayview/ Visitacion Valley area of San francisco reports that its students back this assertion, performing far higher than the local public schools in testing and daily class performance.
Furthermore, the parents of the students at these charter schools have a markedly higher turnout to school events, showing a greater level of interest and involvement with the school overall.
The idea of reducing the realm of a school to the local community may foster better results, but change will be hard to come by unless the political climate changes in the school system. According to our same Lincoln HS teacher, teachers have always voted Democrat, and the Dems have always therefore catered to their cause. Because of this dominance at the polls across this demographic, the Republicans have ceased to challenge this liberally-dominated realm, ceding the vote to their counterparts. What this causes, says our teacher, is a lack of competition - a one-sided vision without the checks and balances that makes a healthy democracy.
And while the general school structure may now be better understood, the nuances must be examined. Our teacher cites that students in his class lack basic life skills, ranging from how to formulate an argument in writing to something as simple as talking to their teacher. It's the little things that set back the whole curriculum, and it is these issues on which we will focus.
Interview with Sean Carey (Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep)
•Describe an average day at your school (give us a feel of a walk through the halls).
Hella fuckers, I hate about 90% of the kids. I try to not be cynical, but it’s hard, when you’re surrounded by douche bags (one word?). It consists of running past hordes of people who seem, to coalesce into clumps like they’re white blood cells. It’s pretty much get in, get out.
•How much of a resource is your school in your life’s development? Do you think it actively contributes to your greater learning in life? Do you feel that your classes cater to your immediate and future needs?
There have been a few teachers who I believe have truly helped me, but I feel that my school is unrelated to my personal development. I have received a good base in classes, but most of the classes that I have taken are unrelated to my future plans.
•How do you think your curriculum could be better formatted to teach you life skills?
More opportunity for honors and accelerated classes for the lower divisions. More classes that directly apply to development practical things like personal finance.
•Is there respect at your school between students? Students and teachers? Teachers and parents? Parents and students? How does this affect your learning environment?
The older grades tend to be more respectful, but there are always a few obnoxious and disrespectful people. The good teachers respect their students, but there are many who have limited or no respect for their students. When a teacher lacks respect for his or her students then learning is impossible. I am unaware of the relationship between parents/teachers or parents/students.
•If you could change one thing about you school, what would it be?
Detach the school from its’ religious affiliation.
Hella fuckers, I hate about 90% of the kids. I try to not be cynical, but it’s hard, when you’re surrounded by douche bags (one word?). It consists of running past hordes of people who seem, to coalesce into clumps like they’re white blood cells. It’s pretty much get in, get out.
•How much of a resource is your school in your life’s development? Do you think it actively contributes to your greater learning in life? Do you feel that your classes cater to your immediate and future needs?
There have been a few teachers who I believe have truly helped me, but I feel that my school is unrelated to my personal development. I have received a good base in classes, but most of the classes that I have taken are unrelated to my future plans.
•How do you think your curriculum could be better formatted to teach you life skills?
More opportunity for honors and accelerated classes for the lower divisions. More classes that directly apply to development practical things like personal finance.
•Is there respect at your school between students? Students and teachers? Teachers and parents? Parents and students? How does this affect your learning environment?
The older grades tend to be more respectful, but there are always a few obnoxious and disrespectful people. The good teachers respect their students, but there are many who have limited or no respect for their students. When a teacher lacks respect for his or her students then learning is impossible. I am unaware of the relationship between parents/teachers or parents/students.
•If you could change one thing about you school, what would it be?
Detach the school from its’ religious affiliation.
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