Classroom Context
I teach at Daniel Webster High School, located in West Tulsa, Oklahoma. Built-in 1938 as part of the Work Progress Administration (W.P.A.) program, Webster is on the National Register of Historic Places. Webster is an art deco building on nineteen acres near Historic Route 66. It has proudly served multiple generations of Westside families and continues to welcome students from all over Tulsa. The school population consists of Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Micronesian, Native American, Asian, and Multiracial students. Webster is a Title 1 school, as many of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch based on their parent's income.7 Many of our students (25-30%) are on I.E.P.s (Individualized Education Plans), and some students are English Language Learners (E.S.L.).
Last year was a challenging school year for students and teachers, especially during distance learning due to Covid-19, We did finish the school year in person, but with many students struggling to finish the school year academically. I look forward to a full year in person with the start of the school year 2021/2022, teaching U.S. Government, the U.S. Constitution, and Oklahoma History, focusing on the Tulsa Race Massacre. Students are excited and interested in learning about their Constitutional rights, gaining further knowledge of their responsibilities as citizens, and their civic duty. Focusing on civil rights, social movements, and activism will inspire students to enact change at school and in the community. Students are excited to be back in the classroom to engage with teachers and others in social-emotional learning and academic collaboration.
I teach ninth and tenth-grade U.S. Government and Oklahoma History as part of the Tulsa Beyond Summit Learning platform. I will teach this curriculum unit during the 2021/2022 school year. The Summit learning platform and curriculum presents opportunities that implement project-based learning (P.B.L.) and self-directed learning (S.D.L.). This platform includes significant projects, content-specific rubrics, mentoring, and leadership goals. The Summit curriculum focuses on content and assignments to involve students in their education, advocacy, and civic responsibilities for success during the upcoming school year. Within the Summit Learning Platform, students can move at their own pace while critically learning the subject material and engaging in project-based learning to master specific cognitive goals.
There are many reading, writing, and cognitive skills to master in the Summit platform. Creative, engaging, and meaningful projects will help students to be able to meet Oklahoma standards and gain new insights into historical context. In teaching about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, my students enjoy learning about their civil rights and legal provisions. Experiences that will expand students’ horizons and deepen connections to opportunities are essential to future success. Students will participate in real-life lessons such as writing a letter to their elected representatives, writing a timeline, participating in a Socratic seminar, designing a poster campaign, and debating gender inequality and the E.R.A.
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