School and students
My school, Phoenix Rising, which meets a primary probation requirement, was created to serve adjudicated youth; it is the last stop for most of our students academically. It is a therapeutic, not punitive, program with the intention of breaking the cycle of suspensions and absences that have come from litany of small and large offences that—rather than academic progress—have marked our students’ school experience. Often our first priorities for our students are for them to learn how to be students and feel safe and successful again. We want to send them on as productive, engaged citizens who are on the better side of the social justice system. Decisions about the structure, philosophy, and content of the curriculum are made with our students’ specific needs, deficits, and strengths in mind. Two pieces of this philosophy are essential for students with histories of life trauma or chronic academic frustration. The first of these is relationship-building. Students’ learning is weakened in situations in which they do not feel safe or comfortable; conversely, students’ learning is enhanced in environments where they do. The second is relevance; reluctant students are more inclined to strive for academic success when they see its relevance to their lives, needs, and personal interests. This is one reason we often include social justice elements into class content and student projects, as with this unit. They should feel safe, empowered, and challenged by work we assign to them.
My students are amazing young people who have endured struggles that many cannot imagine. Their lives, at least temporarily, have been defined by situations beyond their control. Near 100 percent are victims of poverty and trauma, whether chronic or singularly devastating. Often they are substance abusers, have poor sleep habits and poor nutrition. Many have living situations that are non-traditional, to say the least, and are often inadequate or temporary. Many also face the problems, such as living in food and transportation deserts that go along with being a member of a minority in a very segregated city. These conditions have significant negative influences on the quality and quantity of learning. The students tend to be years behind their grade level in academic skills and credits, especially with math and reading. Needed interventions for behavioral problems or social service appointments will interrupt the unit flow for some students, but our flexibility allows for accommodations.
Our status as an alternative school gives us the liberty to create schedules that we hope are good for our students. Because so many are behind in credits, we now teach six-week semesters with two core subjects each day. Advisory, an additional class woven into the week, is a time for students to work on online classes, individual projects, and post-graduation work, all with an emphasis on literacy. Most years we do school-wide literacy projects. This unit is to be used school-wide, with all four advisories, in partially mixed-age groups (grades 8-12) and very mixed literacy skills.
Many contemporary high schools, especially in high-poverty or inner city situations, encounter similar students; they just do not have criminal records or have not found their way into alternative education environments. All or parts of this unit would be appropriate for any students facing these realities.
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