The school is located in a very young town that is rapidly growing. The population of the school is currently 900, but that has the potential to change quickly as neighborhoods are built. This is one of the older schools in the area, so it is more established than most. There are several trailers to hold overflow classrooms.
The students who attend this school are mainly middle class, but surprisingly, 28% of them are considered economically disadvantaged. 16% of the students have disabilities, and 2% are learning English as their second language. Although some are bussed, many children live within walking distance of the school. The Great Schools website gave the school a low rating on children learning English as a second language. That area was ranked as critical.
Many of the children of the area are allowed a generous range of exploration. After school hours the streets and yards are full of kids at play with each other. They usually have plenty of friends and siblings to walk to school with. The parents in the community are generally very involved, helpful, and supportive of the school and teaching staff.
I'm very excited to have this opportunity to participate in real experiences in a public school. It will help me to understand the realities of this career- both the positive experiences, and the things that are challenging. I am very interested to see how one teacher interacts with a room full of students to maintain order and learning. I'm also looking forward to observing many different techniques in presenting information since I believe children learn best with variety. I'm wondering how my experience as a Mom of six will translate to the classroom- or if it will at all!
The community this school is in is mine, though not the school my own neighborhood children attend. I'm invested in the future of this city. Many members of this community have helped me with my own children, and I'm ready to return the favor. I want to be of help. Getting to know the educational system and participate in it will be a great way for me to invest in the future of the children of this area. Teachers here are in charge of very crowded classrooms, and I hope to be useful in easing some of the workload.
