Final Project EDL 318

Hannah Bakies, Abby Cook, Sam Eucker, Amy Mirlisena

Sorted and Categorized Education Tensions
Through collaboration, we developed tensions that regard rigor, relevance, and
relationships. We chose tensions that we were exposed to during our field experiences, which we
felt needed attention and aid.
One example of rigor tension that we witness, is the lack of discovery and collaborative
learning in the classroom. We recognize this problem, as we felt that student centered work
should be incorporated into the childs educational journey. Due to the lack of inquiry based
experiences, there in lies a parallel lack of different student curricula. Differentiation is pertinent
for each individual child to reach their fullest educational potential. Without this element,
students are left defenseless against their cognitive challenges created through this disparity. Not
only are the teachers marginalizing students through lack of opportunities to show growth, but
they are also diminishing the students self-efficacy, confidence, and ultimately their dreams.
Our tensions do not end at rigor, but these tensions also feed into relationship. For
example, teachers use inappropriate disciplinary threats when addressing their students. Teachers
also show bias towards students and often hold grudges. These acts diminish the students view
of their own probability of success not only in school, but also in life. In accordance to this, the
community feels a dissonance and disconnection with teachers, faculty, administration, and the
happenings which occur inside the school walls.
Due to the disregard for the students varying needs in rigor and moreover the lack of
consideration for the damaged relationship with the community, the school has created a tension
where the school is unable to relate to its student body. The student body is directly correlated to

the community. Without seeing this bond, the school can never truly form a sense of relevance. A
school is blinded to students needs when they disregard their race, culture, background, and
social class. This blindness creates a divide between the teachers and students partnership in
learning.
This overwhelming amount of tension seen in a school can be disheartening. One must
recognize such tensions to make a change, thus addressing the student's need for rigor, healthy
relationships, and ultimately relevance. Instead of viewing these tensions as a determinant, we
intend to use these tensions to drive us to better our students, school and community.
Create and identify a curriculum that addresses these tensions.
Administrators are seen as the face of the school. They are in charge of creating mandates
which shape the way of the school. Due to the amount of pressure this position bares,
administrators are often put in the spotlight both, for good and bad. However, our schools
administrative position looks rather different. The administrator is viewed as a partner in growth
to the faculty, a guide to success for the students and a friend to the community. Because the
administrator wears many different hats, they play a unique role in decision-making. They act as
a partner when making school-wide decisions through collaborating and conferring with the
faculty. They act as a guide through schoolwide collaborative work such as Town Hall meetings,
an agent to both see and hear every voice through a democratic setting. Furthermore, they act as
a friend by making the community needs a priority.
When imagining a typical classroom, in a typical school, one often pictures a teacher
lecturing the class at the front of the room. In our school, we do not view our students as
someone to be talked down to, but rather a partner in learning. Our overarching objective is for
each classroom to approach all curricula through a student-centered lens. Research shows that,

students learn best when given the opportunity to explore, discover and collaborate. Project
based learning encompasses all three of these student-centered practices. We intend to
incorporate project based and inquiry based learning in each classroom experience.
In addition, classroom management is often a struggle for teachers as a large portion of
their implicit curricula in the classroom experience. A democratic approach allows each students
voice to be heard, while creating the classroom rules and content curricula. This democratic
approach to the explicit and implicit curricula is grounded in community values. Community
value is the heart of our school.
Our schools community values consist of multiple layers. Not only is our goal to serve
and support our students needs, but it also brings the community into our school and into our
classrooms. As administrators, faculty, and students collaborate to explore the community culture
to enhance our communal experience. In order to form this partnership we will not only
encourage the student body, faculty, and administrators to explore and engage within the
community, we also encourage the community to reciprocate these ties by actively engaging with
the school.
Rationale
Without children, schools would not exist. This statement may seem easily perceived or
understood, yet this foundation of our school system is consistently overlooked. We have
recognized this overarching tension in the world of education, therefore we have decided to
make change rather than follow the fold. Christopher Edmin speaks to this in his book, For
White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y'all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban
Education. He says, It holds that uniqueness about the youth experience as a fundamental and
essential piece of teaching and learning. Before you teach content, you first teach to understand

the youth experience. If you understand the youth experience that allows you to deliver content
more effectively and that better allows you to deal with classroom management. (Edmin). The
childs experience can never amount to what a worksheet can offer, but instead the childs
experience goes far beyond the classroom.
Beyond the classroom, lies the community; another essential component to understand
the child. In order to understand the students within a context of the school you must not only
offer opportunities to include the community within the school, but also integrate the school into
the community. This is a pertinent concept, because the community directly affects the students
learning experiences. The community acts as a window to the student perspective.
Dutro states, I turn a different lens on students perspective, focusing on the everyday ways that
children and youth chronicle their perspectives on and experiences within schools. (Dutro 2009
pg. 2). Student centered curricula both implicit and explicit are rooted in the values of
community, student choice, and the student perspective. In other words, relevance is key.

Works Cited:
Dutro, Elizabeth. 'Children's Testimony and the Necessity of Critical Witness in Urban Classrooms',Theory
Into Practice, 48:3,231 238. Web. 2009. Feb. 2016
Emdin, Christopher. For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood ... and the Rest of Y'all Too: Reality Pedagogy
and Urban Education. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.