School Population
I am a Special Educator providing emotional support services to middle school students diagnosed with mild to severe emotional disturbances. My students are primarily African-American males. During the 2004 - 2005 school year, my classroom was comprised of four (4) female students and eight (8) male students. We provide service for approximately eight hundred (800) students from the southwest and west areas of the city of Philadelphia. The majority of my students have also been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Our middle school is a predominantly African-American urban school that services students in grades six (6), seven (7), and eight (8). In compliance with TITLE I guidelines, eighty-nine point nine percent (89.9%) of the school population receives free or reduced-priced lunch. The school is comprised of four (4) academies - Arts & Music, Health & Nutrition, Journalism & Media and Science & Technology. Students are assigned to a particular academy based on academic skill and/or interest. Additional services offered to the students include not only emotional support to students with emotional disturbances but also learning support to those students with learning disabilities. The majority of our students reside within close proximity to the school. However, a small percentage of our students are bussed in from surrounding areas within the city.
It is important to mention the school's population and the general make-up of my special education class because these were significant factors in determining what the unit would be and what the curriculum unit content would entail. I believe the chosen topic would appeal to young African-American males who make up a large portion of the special education population. The African-American male soldier is a figure that they can identify with. The African-American male during the Civil War period was more likely a slave or a poor freedman fighting issues surrounding slavery. The chance to be a soldier in the Civil War was a promising way out. The soldiers tended to be young, poor males seeking to improve their lot in life. Students, especially African-American males, are more likely to develop a personal connection through their own personal experiences. This would pique their interest.
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