Christa Scheffler Schools Students and administrators appear to have different purposes of schooling in mind.

Students are going to school because they have to, either because their parents want them to or because they know that they need schooling in order to be successful. When talking to students, I had asked what a passing grade was and the students responded with 65 and above. The students were very aware of what a passing grade was, and were sure to reach that grade. One student had thought she had done fairly well on a test, but when she found out her grade was in the 70s, she stated, Well, at least its passing. Students enrolled at CV-tech also know that in order to continue attending the school, they must do well in their traditional school classes as well (according to my PDE). The implications of students learning to the bare minimum and only because they have to are concerning. How are students supposed to be prepared for the future if they only work for the bare minimum? Students will continue this habit of work when they have careers, creating a very lax and minimalistic society. They will never be excited about their jobs, because they will never be motivated to do work. However, administrators view schooling in terms of cost. According to my PDE, the school is taking a vote on whether school should start at 9am instead of 8am in order to condense bus routes and save the districts money. My PDE stated that a few teachers will vote against this proposition because it will affect their personal daily routines or the teachers will not be susceptible to change. This proposition is also troublesome because it means that some students will spend over an hour on the school bus to get to and from school. In order to save district money, the high schools library is getting cut because high school libraries are not mandated by the state. In addition, four teachers are going to be cut, one from each core department. In regards to supplies, teachers need to ask for the

equipment that would be automatically provided in my high school. This is so no cost is wasted on unused equipment. The administration cutting unnecessary costs implies that it cares more about how much money the administration has left to spend more than how well the students are learning material. This could be because money is so tight that the school needs to penny pinch as much as possible so the school can still exist. This could also be because funding other things (free or reduced lunch) is becoming very expensive. However, this minimalistic view of schooling is concerning because students need options and outlets for expression in order to have successful schooling experience. The school displays itself to its students, parents, and community in a very positive way. There are many bulletins around the school that have all the news articles related to the sports teams on them. Currently there is a basketball grid on the schools lobby wall describing the results of a basketball tournament. There are also scrap books in the library which hold all the news articles about the school from every year. There are posters all over the school advertising different things, from charity events to healthy eating. Things that students need to know are advertised on the walls so that students are informed. In the Spanish wing, there are posters in Spanish about how students have friends, get good grades, and do homework. The school tries their hardest to portray a positive image to its students and community, which implies that there has been a correlation between the schools advertisements and the students behavior. Positive or informative advertisement means that students are not only well-informed, but behave well. However, not all the schools advertisements are regarded positively. Teachers have expressed to me how annoying they find the morning announcements that occur before class. The announcements are for both the middle and high school, so often times the announcements are unrelated to half the student body and staff. The announcements that occur after the pledge also

go unnoticed by students. Both times I have observed, students have talked to their friends over the announcements. This implies that the students dont find the announcements very useful, or that the announcements should be broadcasted at a different time in the day. If students cant hear the announcements, they will be less informed about what goes on around them. If announcements occurred at the end of the day, they might receive a better reception. Difference among students is handled well by students, teachers, and administrators. Formally, students are treated as equally as possible. Students with IPEs are mixed with regular students, and often the difference between them isnt noticeable. Some IPE students have aids or a special teacher so that collaboration with regular students is possible. Students that attend CVtech take classes with students who only attend NCCS. The only way I could tell if students attended CV-tech is if I asked them. This implies that there isnt a difference between CV-tech students and NCCS students. For impoverished students, the school provides ways in which the students can still assimilate with the financially secure students. The school offers free or reduced price lunches for students who cant afford the price of lunch. The school is also currently hosting a coat drive, where students who have old coats donate them to the school so that students who dont have coats will still be warm next winter. I also couldnt tell the difference between impoverished students and financially secure students, implying that the school doesnt advertise the difference between these two types of students. Informally, teachers try their best to create fair learning environments for all the students. My PDE told me that when creating groups for assignments, he tries his best to separate all the smartest kids in his class as well as all the disabled students so that the assignment isnt easier for one group than it is for another. This implies that students need an equal and similar learning environment in order to be

successful in their learning. I might not agree with this, but I can see the benefits of an equal learning environment.