• Introduction
  • Welcome!
  • My Philosophy
• Background
  • Introduction
  • Resume
  • Transcript
  • Bag Speech
• Psychology Concentration
  • Introduction
  • Child Development
  • Senior Thesis Project
• Issues in Education
  • Introduction
  • Disparities in Special Education
  • Promoting Positive Adjustment for Struggling Students
• Experiences in Education
  • Introduction
  • Exploration Summer Programs
  • JBFCS Child Development Center
  • Sauquoit Valley Elementary
  • Middle Settlement Alternative Academy
• Resources
  • Introduction
  • Student Motivation
  • Classroom Management
• Next Steps
  • What's ahead?

Experiences in Education

MIDDLE SETTLEMENT ALTERNATIVE ACADEMY

"The child to be concerned about is the one who is actively unhappy, [in school].... In the long run, a child's emotional development has a far greater impact on his life than his school performance or the curriculum's richness, so it is wise to do everything possible to change a situation in which a child is suffering excessively. "

– Dorothy H. Cohen

For my education 350 field placement, I chose to observe at Middle Settlement Academy, an alternative school for “delinquent youth”. I observed in two classrooms: a 6th grade math classroom (with Mrs. S) and a 12th grade government class (with Mr. B). At first glance the two teachers and courses could not have been more different; Mr. B was lenient and goofy while Mrs. S was more strict and structured. However, throughout my time, I noticed that the students spoke very highly of both teachers in comparison to the other school personnel. After many hours of observation and discussions with both students and the teachers, I understood that despite their differences, these teachers both cared for their students very much and their commitment and dedication to the students was evident.

Amidst a largely hostile environment, these two teachers put in the time to develop positive student-teacher relationships, to make them feel cared for, and to show that they still had high expectations and hopes for the students’ futures. In talking with many students, many of them described Mr. B's and Mrs. S' classrooms as a safe place where they were respected and cared for. I learned that school is about much more than just academics and cognitive/intellectual development, but also about social and emotional nourishment. Students will not learn academically if the school climate is negative, and they are unhappy to be there. So, the first step in fostering student motivation is to ensure that the environment is safe and caring. These were always things that I knew to be true for the elementary classroom, but I was very surprised and happy to notice that student-teacher relationships are one of the most important aspects of education at all levels.

The following link includes my ethnography on this experience, which focuses on the role of student-teacher relationships in student success and motivation.

Click here to view my ethnography.