Reading Reflection 1 - Rethinking High School

There were many reform concepts that resonated with me in Daniels, Bizar, and Zemelman’s first chapter of Rethinking High School. First and foremost, I think that school climate is one of the most important school characteristics that must be focused on in reform movements. We are unfortunately part of a society where many students feel disconnected from others and as the authors point out we are part of a society where some students “are dangerously close to the edge.” What could be more important than creating a school climate where students feel accepted and appreciated, and where they feel they belong? I think that this sense of belonging and safety opens students up to discover their talents, to improve their communication skills, to learn to collaborate effectively with others, to use critical thinking skills to solve problems, and to trust themselves enough to construct their own meaning when learning.

I am drawn to schools that feel small to students, whether they actually are or because they are divided into smaller academies or learning communities. I think that this change in schools would foster the climate of belonging that students need to grow and feel appreciated and known. I think that allowing students to have a voice in selecting which academy or house they want to belong to based upon their own individual interests and goals is an especially powerful way to engage them in learning. To further foster a positive school climate, I agree with the authors that all teachers ought to adopt the mantra that they teach kids first and their content area second. There are so many skills in addition to our content skills that we want our students to learn about cooperating with others, expressing themselves, and being creative, that we cannot afford to stick to only our content standards.

I think that teaching students topics that matter is another important piece of reform that is discussed in Rethinking High School that resonates with me. I agree that integrated units of study that address themes relevant to students and that take place in classrooms where students have not been tracked by ability increase the potential for learning. Students all have unique perspectives to contribute to a classroom and they must learn to work with all types of people with various strengths and limitations. Students are more likely to want to work cooperatively on topics that they value. I also agree that providing students with skills they will need upon graduation and allowing them to have experiences in the community serves them well. But, in order for these community experiences and interdisciplinary learning opportunities to take place, I agree that faculty must have built in time for collaboration and planning.

There really are not any reform measures that were discussed in the first chapter of Rethinking High School that I did not feel would be useful. Some seemed harder to achieve than others in our current school environment, but they all seemed important to strive toward. Additionally, I noticed many parallels between the reform measures mentioned and the Second to None article we read about students at Bayside High School. Students at BHS were part of smaller learning academies based on interest. They took part in self-directed learning projects as well as experiences in the community and preparation for future goals. I am definitely interested in learning more about interdisciplinary thematic units, how to play the role of a coach and guide in the classroom, and how to incorporate more student-directed learning projects and technology into my curriculum.