On my way to CF high school, I was anticipating many things. I had expectations of what to expect because I went to a similar high school about five minutes away from CF. We were on the bus, having conversations of our expectations. When it was my turn, I told the class that I was expecting it to be similar to the high school I went to. I mentioned that I expected it to be, "diverse like the school I went to." Our professor quickly reminded us to not base our own high school experiences on this one. He said that, "all high schools are different." Well, maybe for some of the other students in the class, I though to myself. I was pretty positive that there would be some striking similarities. We finally approached the school, I made my way up the concrete steps, expecting to see the vision of "my high school."
We were greeted by the principal, who gave us a brief overview of CF high and some of the initiatives the school was taking to promote learning. After the brief conference, we were split into groups and sent out to the classrooms to observe. While walking through the school, I noticed that there was apart of the building that was old and in need of renovations and the other half of the school looked almost brand new. Obviously, the newer part of the school exuded more of an inviting feeling. The older portion of the building, was quite small and the hallways seemed confined. However, when it was time to switch classes, it didn't seem too overcrowded with the students. This was the first instance, where my expectations went out the window and the visions I had were starting to fade away. I made a comment earlier on the bus that the school was going to be diverse. To my surprise, it wasn't as diverse as my school. The majority of the students were of hispanic origin.
I ended in a tenth grade english class, that Mrs. G was teaching. The students were at lunch when my classmate and I arrived so we waited in the classroom. This was great because it gave us an opportunity to check out the classroom details. Mrs. G was extremely pleasant and willing to answer any questions we might have. She told us that the students that would be coming back to the class were apart of an inclusion class. Some of the students had a learning disability or a behavioral problem and that it would be almost impossible to identify them. The students arrived and I noticed that there weren't many students in the classroom. The students again, were mainly of hispanic origin and not much diversity. I couldn't really identify any other. Not, that race is important. This was just another instance where my vision was blurred. The students knew exactly what was expected of them. Once, they returned they immediately began on their work. Mrs. G was actively engaged with her students and always remained in the center of the students. I do think that it is beneficial to set up the classroom in a circle of square so that everyone has eye contact with one another. Mrs. G. uses the set up of the classroom to reel in class discussion and obtain the attention of every student. To aid Mrs. G., there was a assistant teacher Ms. C. who would actively go around helping individual students who needed it.
The bell rang and we were likely to observe yet another class. This time, it was an AP class and it was bustling with more students. This class was a tad more diverse. Both of the classes were in the process of taking a test on To Kill A Mockingbird. It was interesting to see how both different classes handled taking the same test. The inclusion class required more individual help. Whereas, the AP class were more independent.
Both classes, had students engaged in what they were doing. It was joy to see how the students were drawn to Mrs G. and someday I have the same effect on students. By the end of our first visit, I had a better understanding of what the school was all about. Overall, I enjoyed the school. Some of the school, may need renovating but the building is still functional. It is the students who brings it to life. I no longer have the preconceived notion that a high school is like mine. Even though, my high school and CF is only separated by five minutes worth of time, there are some differences.
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