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LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 4TH, 2020 FOURTH LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDY SESSION. LET RECORD REFLECT ALL STUDENTS ARE AND WE HAVE THE HONOR TO HAVE ALL OF OUR STUDENT PRESENTED OF HERE THIS EVENING. THE FIRST TOPIC
[1. Policy Review and Development: OE-10, Learning Environment/Treatment of Students]
THIS EVENING IS GOING TO REVOLVE AROUND THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND TREATMENT OF STUDENTS OF HOMEMADE.>> TONIGHT, WE DID INVITE ALL OF OUR STUDENT REPS BECAUSE OE 10 IS ALL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT OF OUR SCHOOLS AND THE TREATMENT OF STUDENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. SO, AS THE BOARD IS THINKING ABOUT THIS POLICY, IT POLICY THEY HAVE NOT DATED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. SO IT'S ONE THAT BEEN ON THE DOCKET FOR CONSIDERATION. THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER ELEMENTS RELATED TO OE 10 THAT THE BOARD WANTED TO REVIEW .
FIRST THINGS FIRST, THEY WANTED TO HEAR FROM STUDENTS. TONIGHT, IT REALLY IS ABOUT OUR STUDENT REPS HELPING TO GUIDE THIS CONVERSATION , THAT WILL BE SUPERINTENDENT GOING HIM WALKING THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH YOU. TONIGHT, IT REALLY IS ABOUT GETTING TO SOME OF THOSE COMPONENTS THAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR IDEAS TO REALLY HELP SHAPE THE BOARD'S UNDERSTANDING AROUND THIS POLICY AS THEY CONSIDER MAKING UPDATES TO THEM. WITH THAT, I HAND IT
OVER TO MATT. >> THANK YOU, DR. HOLMEN. I WANT TO PROVIDE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A SET, BUT ACTUALLY FOR OUR STUDENT REPS. BUT ALSO USE , I'M ALSO GOING TO ASK YOU TO GET SOME WRITING TODAY. SO, WE WILL BE ASKING YOU AROUND, ESSENTIALLY THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY IS ABOUT. AND SO, I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU SHORTLY TO ENGAGE IN TRYING TO CORE ELEMENTS OF THIS EXPERIENCE, THAT'S BOTH YOURS. TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN KIND OF REPRESENT THE EXPLAIN THAT'S FOR OTHER STUDENTS AS WELL. AND THEN WE WILL GO TO A PROTOCOL THEN ACTUALLY TRIED TO DO THE WORK OF MAPPING THAT TO OUR POLICY. AND THEN ENGAGING IN OUR ADULT BOARD MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF ENGAGE IN SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND. SO AS THE BOARD CONTINUES TO ENGAGE IN THIS WORK , THEY FEEL LIKE NOT ONLY HAD A CHANCE TO KIND OF ARTICULATE SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES, THAT WE CAN DATE INTO WHY THOSE EXPERIENCES ARE IMPORTANT TO WHAT THEY SAID THEY ABOUT THE CONNECTION TO ULTIMATELY THEIR STUDENT OUTCOMES. SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING TODAY.
JUST AS A QUICK KIND OF REFRESHER, YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE POLICY, OE 10 IS ABOUT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND TREATMENT OF STUDENTS. THERE ARE FIVE PACIFIC TO THE SUPERINTENDENT . -- AND THERE ARE THREE SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS AS TO WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT MAY NOT . SO, WE WILL ACTUALLY GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF TRYING TO MAP OUT YOUR EXPERIENCES RELATED TO EACH OF THESE AREAS. AS WELL AS IDENTIFY WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED HERE. I BELIEVE THE BOARD HAS AN INTEREST IN TRYING TO SAY THIS MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT FOR STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND HOW STUDENTS ARE TREATED WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, AS WE HAVE WORKED ON KIND OF REVISIONS TO POLICY , IS WE HAVE OFTEN TRIED TO LOOK AND SAY WHAT ARE THE MODELS OR THE BEST PRACTICE OR THE PHILOSOPHICAL THEORETICAL MODEL FRAMEWORK THAT WE WOULD APPLY TO THAT POLICY AREA. AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OE THREE AND OE NINE, WE WERE INVITED TO THE BOARD AND THAT HEARS BEST PRACTICE FOR KIND OF EMERGING STRATEGIES OR PHILOSOPHIES THAT ARE CERTAINLY INFORMING THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. AS THE BOARD DID WORK TO REIMAGINE RESULTS THREE , WE BOUGHT AN INFORMATION ON THE NATIONAL AND STATE FRAMEWORK ON THE SOCIAL MARSHALL LEARNING TO SHAKE HOW DO WE BRING COHERENCE OF THIS POLICY AND THE CONNECTION WHICH IT CAN DRY THE BEHAVIORS OF THE ADULTS IN THE SYSTEM TO GET THE OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT OR EXPERIENCES, FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
THIS WAS A LITTLE INTERESTING, AS THE CABINET TEAM WERE KIND OF TALKING THROUGH TREATMENT OF STUDENTS, IT'S VERY COMPLEX.
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THERE IS NOT ONE , NOT FAMILIAR WITH, THE OVERARCHING UNIVERSE. THIS IS WHAT OUR STUDENT EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE WE COULD CERTAINLY CAUSE THE BOARD ENGAGES INTO THIS, BRING SOME ADDITIONAL MODELS. ONE OF THE KEY KIND OF THINGS WE INK ABOUT WHERE THIS POLICY MIGHT FIT IN IS EVERY MEETING NEEDS OF STUDENTS. AND THE DEPOSIT IS THAT THERE'S A SERIES OF BASIC NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE REALIZED IN ORDER TO ACCESS KIND OF -- WE THINK ABOUT ACCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT . IT LESS LIKELY THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AT HIGH LEVELS AND PAIN THAT ACHIEVEMENT OF HIGH LEVELS IF SOME OF THESE OTHER NEEDS ARE BEING MET. SO WE THINK ABOUT THE PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS, SAFETY NEEDS, CAN SPEAKS A LOT TO THOSE TYPES OF NEEDS THAT CAN SENSE OF BELONGING AND CARE.WHEN THOSE NEEDS ARE MET , MIGHT AS WELL POSITED THAT, THEN YOU ARE ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY REALLY ENGAGE AT A HIGH LEVEL OF WHATEVER IT IS YOU ARE TRYING TO DO . I THINK FOR THE BOARD TONIGHT, YOU ESSENTIALLY HAD TO QUESTIONS.
ONE IS HOW EFFECTIVELY DOES THE CURRENT POLICY LANGUAGE CAPTURE THE VALUES AROUND THOSE ASPECT OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE THAT ULTIMATELY SUPPORTS THE SUCCESS. AND THE ASPECTS OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE THAT SUPPORT THAT SUCCESS ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN THE CURRENT POLICY. SO, WHAT I'M GOING TO INVITE NOW IS OUR STUDENT REPS . ONCE ELLA GETS HERE, WE WILL INVITE HER TO ENGAGE IN THIS AS WELL. THEIR POST-IT NOTES AND STICKY NOTES RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU WITH A PEN . WE ARE GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A WRITING EXERCISE. YOU DON'T NEED TO WRITE INCOMPLETE SENTENCE IS, YOU DON'T NEED TO WRITE AN ESSAY. YOU ARE NOT APPLYING FOR COLLEGE OR SCHOLARSHIPS HERE. ESSENTIALLY, IT'S JUST CAPTURING IN A WORD OR A PHRASE, ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE . I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU TO WRITE ONE IDEA PER POSTED. ONCE YOU HAVE IDEA, POST IT, TAKE IT OFF AND ADD ANOTHER. I'M JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME POTENTIAL AREAS OF EXPERIENCE IN YOU JUST START WRITING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPLY TO WHAT I'M SAYING. I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU GET SOME IDEAS GOING. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE RIGHT FOR PROBABLY A GOOD FIVE, 10 MINUTE. WE WILL SEE WOULD IT APPEARS THAT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY DONE WITH THIS EXERCISE. AND THEN I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU THE WHOLE THING RIGHT NOW. AND THEN THE NEXT STEP OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU LOOK AT OE 10. AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE DO THOSE EXPERIENCES -- WHERE MIGHT THEY BEST ALIGN . IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT, BUT WHERE MIGHT THEY BEST ALIGN. YOU WILL SEE THEM ALL ALIGNED HERE. I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU PLACED THEM ON EACH ONE OF THESE SECTIONS. YOU ARE GOING TO TRY TO ALIGN THE EXPENSES THAT YOU COME UP WITH WITH THESE DIFFERENT POLICY AREAS AS BEST AS YOU CAN. AND THEN IT IT DOES NOT FIT SOMEPLACE AND YOU'RE NOT SURE, JUST GOES UP RIGHT HERE IN ASSOCIATED EXPERIENCES. AND I WILL EXPLAIN THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS AFTER THAT. DOES THAT SOUND GOOD? SO, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT DOCUMENT WILL START WITH YOUR KIND OF DAY AND EXPERIENCE . WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ARRIVE AT SCHOOL THAT HELP YOU FEEL CONNECT , READY TO LEARN , EXCITED ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE. SO KIND OF TRY TO VISUALIZE, WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT USE FOR YOU HERE AND THE INTERACTION YOU MIGHT HAVE WITH PEOPLE THAT HELP YOU GET READY TO LEARN TO BE YOUR BEST .
AND YOU CAN EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT EVEN HAPPENS BEFORE YOU
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GET TO SCHOOL THAT MIGHT MAKE YOU FEEL EXCITED, OR IF YOU TAKE THE BUS OR WALKING, BEFORE YOU GET IN ANY LASS, WHAT ARE THOSE NOTES THAT SCHOOL SENDS TO YOU THAT MAKE THIS A PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE AT YOUR BEST.OKAY, AND AS YOU ARE DOING THIS , YOU GUYS ARE RECOGNIZING THAT YOU ARE ALSO VERY UNIQUE PLACES, BECAUSE YOU ARE JUNIORS AND SENIORS. SO YOU CAN ALSO THINK BACK ON MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WAS TRUE WHEN YOU WERE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR ALGAE SCHOOL THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS APPLICABLE NOW THAT CERTAINLY, WAS KIND OF A MEMORY OR SOME STUCK OUT FOR YOU THEN.
HI, ELLA. SO WE ARE GOING TO CATCH YOU UP BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A WRITING EXERCISE RIGHT NOW. IRONICALLY , THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WRITING ABOUT. SO, WHAT YOU IN FRONT OF YOU IS YOU DIGGING A AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE WRITING , WE ARE ASKING YOU A STUDENT REPS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY -- YOU HAVE THE RECORDING ONE. WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY KIND OF WHAT OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE THAT HELP YOU BE AT YOUR BEST AND WE WILL EXPLORE THINGS THAT ALSO INHIBIT THAT. WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO LOOK AT WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT STUDENT EXPERIENCE AS WE THINK THAT WILL THEN HELP INFORM THE BOARD AS WE HAVE LOOKED AT A POLICY THAT'S AROUND THE TREATMENT OF STUDENTS IN THE STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE. I JUST ASKED EVERYBODY TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S NOW AS A HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL OR AM INTERESTED AS YOU STARTED YOUR DAY THE FIRST DAY CAME TO SCHOOL. WHAT WERE THE SIGNALS OR THINGS OR INTERACTIONS THAT YOU HAVE THAT MIGHT HAVE HELPED YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE READY TO TAKE ON THE DAY? LIKE COMING TO SCHOOL AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE AT YOUR BEST. I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING AND YOU CAN RESPOND TO THINGS, YOU CAN NOT RESPOND TO THINGS. THE KEY THING IS ONE IDEA PER STICKY NOTE, BECAUSE WE WILL SWITCH IT OUT. NO ESSAYS, WORD OR PHRASE, NO ESSAYS.
NOW , KIND OF AS YOU'RE COMING TO OR GETTING READY AND COME TO SCHOOL, ARE THERE ANY THINGS THAT , WHEN INHIBIT OR MAKE THAT -- KIND OF MAKE YOU NOT WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL OR THAT WOULD KIND OF MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE NOT AT YOUR BEST THAT DAY .
NOW I WANT YOU TO KIND OF IMAGINE THAT AS YOU ARE MOVING ABOUT THROUGH THE HALLWAYS OF YOUR SCHOOLS AND YOU WANDERING AROUND , IT CAN BE THE END OF THE DAY, I CAN BE THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, IT CAN THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY. BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN THOSE COMMON SPACES WITH YOUR PEERS, WHAT ARE THOSE KIND OF EXPERIENCES OR THINGS THAT HELP YOU MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE CONNECTED, THAT YOU BELONG, THAT AGAIN, YOU ARE EXCITED TO BE THERE . AGAIN, IT COULD BE FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, TO SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, PRESCHOOL. REMEMBER THAT.
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OKAY. NOW, I WANT YOU TO KIND OF PICTURE WHEN YOU ARE IN A CLASSROOM, SO YOU'RE IN A CLASSROOM WITH YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS , WITH A TEACHER , MAYBE EDUCATORS OR OTHER ADULT IN THEIR . WHAT ARE THE EXPERIENCES IN THAT SPACE THAT REALLY HELP GET EXCITED AND READY TO LEARN IN FEEL LIKE YOU ARE SUPPORTIVE TO LEARN AT YOUR BEST.MIGHT HAVE, IF THIS WAS AN ENGLISH CLASSROOM. BUT SINCE WE ARE BEING BROADCAST AS A MEETING. AND CONVERSELY, ARE THERE EXPERIENCES -- I FORGOT TO ASK YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN COMMON SPACES. BUT WHETHER EXPERIENCES IN COMMON SPACES OR IN HALLWAYS, JUST PASSING WITHOUT THAT KIND OF RUN COUNTER TO MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ACCEPTED OR THAT YOU ARE BELONGING OR FEEL EXCITED OR PREPARED TO BE AT YOUR BEST.
WHETHER HIS BRIDGES IN YOUR CLASSROOM, WHETHER IT'S A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT OR ELEMENTARIES DUE TO THE ALSO KIND OF -- YOU KNOW, DON'T LEAD YOU TO FEELING LIKE YOU COULD BE AT YOUR BEST OR THAT YOU'RE EXCITED TO LEARN THAT YOU BELONG TO FEEL CONNECTED.
AND THEN ARE THERE THINGS -- WHERE WE MIGHT ABOUT -- EXTRACURRICULARS, IT'S KIND OF THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE KIND OF OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY THAT , WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT THAT HELP YOU FEEL CONNECTED OR FEEL LIKE YOU CAN BE -- THAT YOU CAN BE LONG OR YOU CAN BE AT YOUR BEST .
JUST THINKING ABOUT EXTRACURRICULARS AND EVENTS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, THEY ARE PART OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT LOWE'S ? ARE THE THINGS THAT HELP YOU FEEL LIKE LONGING OR AT YOUR BEST?
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IN THE LAST, I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO THINK ABOUT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE IS DOWN, BUT I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO SHARE YOUR COMFORTABLE WITH, IS I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT, ON A TYPICAL DAY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FEELINGS THAT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU COME TO SCHOOL? IF YOU ARE WILLING TO KIND OF SHARE THAT, I WILL EXPLAIN . I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND ON A TYPICAL DAY, WHAT SORT OF FEELINGS DO YOU NORMALLY HAVE. WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IS RECOGNIZE , FOR THESE EXPERIENCES, HOW THAT KIND OF CONNECTS TO HOW YOU MIGHT FEEL AT SCHOOL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE IT OUT. IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH SHARING, AND YOU CAN PASS, IF YOU ARE NOT.INTO SCHOOL, I THINK IT'S A GIVEN, BUT I FEEL STRESSED.
THAT'S NOT MY ENTIRE EXPERIENCE, BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT. I'M ALSO EXCITED TO BE THERE, BECAUSE THERE'S TEACHERS AND FRIENDS THAT I LIKE BEING AROUND, SO IT'S LIKE COMING BACK TO A COMMUNITY EFFORT LIKE I BELONG IN. IT'S ANOTHER THING, BELONGING. I FEEL LIKE I BELONG IN SCHOOL AND IT'S ONE OF MY SAFE PLACES. SO I WOULD SAY THAT TOO. I DON'T KNOW. I WILL COME BACK TO IT.
>> SO WE ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT BLUNT HERE. BUT THE MOMENT I WAKE UP, I WANT TO GET TO SLEEP. WHEN I WALK IN THE SCHOOL, I WANT TO BE DONE WITH IT, AND I'M NOT EXCITED. I DO ENJOY SCHOOL, AND I DO ENJOY SOME CLASSES, BUT IT FEELS TOO REPETITIVE. I JUST KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IS GOING TO BE A VACCINE. IT'S NOT EXCITING BECAUSE THERE'S NO VARIATION AND HOW THE LESSONS ARE GOING TO BE TAUGHT AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. SO, THERE'S NOT SOMETHING NEW OR SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, EXCEPT FOR OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL EVENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER SCHOOL. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD, GUYS.
>> THANK YOU, ELLA. >> I THINK FOR ME, VERY SIMILAR TO ELLA, IT'S VERY REPETITIVE TAKING IN INFORMATION TRYING TO MEMORIZE IT AND THEN REHASHING AND SOME FORM OF ASSIGNMENT, WHETHER IT'S A TEST, A PROJECT, GIVING A SPEECH , AMONG OTHERS. I WOULD SAY SOME POSITIVE THINGS, MORE RELATE TO FRIENDSHIP BUILDING AND ALSO SOME OF THE TRAITS THAT SCHOOL BILLS, LIKE A HUGE FOCUS AND ARE CLASSES NOW, SINCE WE HAVE STANDARD BASE GRADING, A LOT OF IT IS FROM LEARNING PERSPECTIVES , TRYING TO DEVELOP RESEARCH SKILLS AND TRYING TO GET ALL THESE TRAITS USEFUL IN THE WORKPLACE OTHER THAN MEMORIZING AND PUTTING CONCEPTS.
>> THANK YOU. >> KIND OF BUILDING OFF WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE SENSE OF BELONGING, I DON'T KNOW BELONGING NECESSARILY IN A SCHOOL SETTING, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M BELONGING WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND ME. I COME TO SCHOOL LOOKING FOR THEM, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT I'M THERE TO LEARN. I THINK I AM OPPOSITE FROM WHAT ELLA AND JOHN HAD SAID. FOR ME, IS NOT REPETITIVE, WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL IS BASED ON A BLOCK SCHEDULE. IT ALSO INFLUENCES ME BECAUSE THEIR SUNBLOCK DAYS THAT I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO TO. SOME DAYS, I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO, EVEN CLASSES AND OTHER DAYS I DON'T WANT TO GO TO MY AUNT. SOMETIMES, I CAN BE REALLY HARD TO GO TO SCHOOL KNOWING I HAVE TO GO SIT IN A CLASS FOR 90 MINUTES, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE THERE AT ALL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FOR THOSE FEELINGS CAN'T EASILY BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOME SPECIFIC KIND OF THINGS IN THE POST-IT NOTES THAT WOULD SPEAK TO THAT ? IN THOSE WHICH SHOW UP? NOW, HERE'S THE TRICKY PART. THERE ARE EIGHT DIFFERENT
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POLICY AREAS . I CAN JUST READ THEM OUT FOR US. STARTING OVER HERE, 10.1. MAINTAINING THIS COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE THAT ASSURES HIGH EDUCATION AND SUCCESS ON DIRECT ON THE SYSTEM SUPPORTS. I WANT YOU TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT AND -- ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU WROTE DOWN THAT SEEM TO KIND OF RELATE TO THAT. ESSENTIALLY, WE ARE GOING TO FIGURE THAT OUT, WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE? I'M GOING TO ASK YOU HOW YOU WANT TO DO THIS. -- I CAN EITHER -- WE CAN GO THROUGH AND HAVE YOU THINK ABOUT IT AND JUST MOVE AROUND IT INDEPENDENTLY OR WE CAN KIND OF GO EACH ONE AT A TIME. IS THERE PREFERENCE THAT MAKES IT EASIER. OKAY. DO YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THE SESSIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THAT, DO YOU HAVE A COUPLE AND YOU PUT THEM UP THERE.AS YOU'RE GOING AROUND , IF YOU LOOK AT SOMEBODY'S THAT HAVE SOMEBODIES, MAYBE YOU DID NOT WRITE THAT DOWN, BUT THAT'S ME. TAKE A STICKY.AND STICK IT RIGHT NEXT TO IT. THAT WILL ALSO HELP GIVE US A SENSE OF EVERYBODY HAD THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE OR THAT PERSPECTIVE. SO I'M JUST GOING TO BITE YOU. YOU ARE GOING TO BE UP AND ABOUT. FOR THE ADULTS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO DO , HAVE A CHANCE TO START PUTTING SOME STUFF OUT, WE GOING TO INVITE YOU TO GO OUT AND HAVE YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE WRITING AND THINK ABOUT WHAT QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR OUR STUDENT BOARD REPS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES THEY HAVE IN EACH AREA. WE ARE GOING TO GET THEM OF MINUTES. ONCE WE STARTLINGLY IN GETTING A SENSE, WE WILL COME BACK AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS. OKAY? ALL RIGHT, GO FOR IT.
WILL IF WE DID IT , HONESTLY, WE WOULD NOT HAVE ASKED.
YES, I THINK YOU CAN GET IT. I THINK JUST LETTING THE STUDENTS, YOU PUT IT WE FEEL IS BEST FIT. LET'S JUST SEE WHAT WE ASSOCIATE WITH THAT.
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STUDENTS, ONCE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KIND OF GOT ALL YOUR STUFF PLACED , IF YOU GO AROUND IT KIND OF LOOK TO SEE YOUR PEERS , I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT ANY OF YOUR POLICY AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STICKY NOTES AND JUST MY WONDERING WOULD BE OTHER EXPERIENCES THAT YOU WOULD WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW THAT RELATE TO THOSE AREAS . SO, IF THERE ARE , THAT YOU CAN THINK OF, JOT THEM ON A STICKY NOTE AND ADD THEM UP THERE, IF THERE'S NOT, THAT'S FINE, IT'S NOT AN INDICTMENT AT ALL. IT MAY BE THOSE AREAS MAY NOT BE CONNECTED TO YOUR EXPERIENCE.I THINK IT'S TIME. THE STUDENTS HAVE GOTTEN THEIR THOUGHTS OUT THERE. YOU CAN START TO CIRCULATE AND THEN STUDENTS, AS YOU KIND OF GO ROUND, IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS YOU CAN THINK OF, GO AHEAD AND WRITE THEM DOWN AND TOSS THEM UP THERE. AND FOR THE BOARD, WE WOULD LIKE , AS YOU ARE LOOKING, TO BE THINKING WHAT RUSSIANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE STUDENTS BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING . THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AROUND THEIR PAIN AND THIS POLICY. SO WHAT ARE THE CURIOSITY THAT YOU HAVE BASED ON WHAT THEY HAVE SHARED SO FAR?.
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ALL RIGHT , SO I IMAGINE THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS. I SEE[00:46:57]
SOMEONE WRITING SOME QUESTION DOWN. LET'S GO AHEAD AND[00:47:03]
ENGAGE WITH OUR STUDENTS. >> I HAD ONE CLARIFICATION QUESTION. THERE WAS A STICKY NOTE ON 10.1 THAT SAID I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I WAS WONDERING WHOEVER WROTE THAT, COULD JUST CLARIFY WHAT THEY MEANT I THAT.
>> SURE. I THINK IT WAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL , WHEN WE USED TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN I GUESS THAT DIED DOWN NOW. MY MAIN POINT THERE WAS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BRING SOME SORT OF NATIONAL PRIDE WHENEVER WE WERE IN CLASS AND AN APPRECIATION OF THE COUNTRY WE LIVE IN AND WHAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO AND KIND OF LIKE THE NATIONAL BRINGS OUT SOME OF THOSE THEMES. BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT LIKE A TYPE OF RELIGION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I THINK WE EVEN DID A MODIFIED VERSION WITHOUT SAYING THE UNDER GOD HEART. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS AN
INTERESTING ASPECT . >> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. I HAD ONE QUESTION. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS FOCUSED ON INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. SO, REALLY MORE ABOUT KIND OF YOUR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH FELLOW STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, RATHER THAN, I SAW VERY LITTLE ABOUT ACTUAL ACADEMICS CURRICULUM OR SUBJECT MATTER . AND I THINK PEOPLE THINK SCHOOL, AND YOU'RE LEARNING SOMETHING. BUT WHAT I READ WAS IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT THE BUILDING OR WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND FRIENDS AND THOSE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. THAT WAS ONE THING I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING. AND I SAW THIS INTERESTING DICHOTOMY BETWEEN , WHAT IS THAT ? 10.6 IN THE CORNER? AND 10.1 AND 10.2 AND THERE WERE STICKY NOTES THAT WERE VERY POSITIVE ABOUT FEELING SAFE WITH TEACHERS OR BEING HAPPY TO SEE FRIENDS AND KIND OF THESE GOOD EXPERIENCES AND THEN WE SEE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE STATEMENT, THE CONTRADICTORY STATEMENT ON 10.6. AND I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT DEGREE DOES EXIST IN YOUR SCHOOL DAYS. IS IT EQUAL, 50-50? SOMETIMES YOU FEEL SAFE AND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T ? HALF-AND-HALF? IS IT 90%, 10% ? IS THERE A BALLPARK OF CAN WE TRY TO EXPLAIN THE DEGREE TO WHICH THESE TWO EXIST ?
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>> I THINK FOR ME, THERE ARE CERTAIN TEACHERS, REGARDLESS IF I HAVE THEM OR NOT, I ALWAYS COME BACK TO THEM. THOSE ARE THE TEACHERS I PUT ON THAT SIDE. BUT THEN THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO THAT I HAD SINCE KINDERGARTEN THAT JUST KIND OF STUCK WITH ME AND HAVE OVERSHADOWED CERTAIN SUBJECTS OR JUST CERTAIN EXPERIENCES THAT I COULD HAVE , BUT SINCE I HAD A CERTAIN EXPANSE WITH THE TEACHER, IT'S KIND OF PREVENTED ME FROM DOING CERTAIN THINGS, BECAUSE I'M SCARED THAT EXTREMES WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THAT DOES NOT OCCUR VERY OFTEN,
BUT IT HAS LONGER EFFECTS. >> YES.
>> ADDING ONTO THAT, I WOULD SAY THE STUFF I PUT ON THE SIDE IS PROBABLY 90% OF MY EXPERIENCE. THE CONNECTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE EVEN RIGHT NOW, THEY CAME BACK TO SCHOOL ITSELF, I'M EXCITED TO BE AROUND THE TEACHER THAT HAVE MEANT A LOT TO ME. I WILL ALWAYS COME BACK TO VISIT THEM IF I'VE HAD TO. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD THOSE CONNECTIONS TO STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO BE IN SCHOOL.
I THINK ACADEMICS ARE JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS TO GO TO SCHOOL.
>> ALSO, THANK YOU. >> I AM 90% WITH SIOBHAN AND CHERYL, 99%, RIGHT DAYS , JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS THERE. YOU SEE A LOT OF 10.1 AND 10.2 FOR ME WITH THE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKING FRIENDS AND JUST TRYING HARD IN CLASS , MY DAILY ROUTINE, AFTERSCHOOL ROUTINE, SO ON AND SO FORTH. BUT THEN OVER THERE, THERE'S MORE, I GUESS YOU WOULD CLASSIFY IT AS TRAUMA OR EXPERIENCES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY, LIKE THE ONES YOU REMEMBER, BUT THERE STUFF THAT IS NOT GENERALLY POSSIBLE.
>> I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THEY SAID. FOR THE MOST PART, THE TEACHERS ARE GREAT, BUT SOMETIMES COFFEE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE IN ONE PERIOD, THAT CAN BOG DOWN THE REST OF THE DAY AND MAKE YOU KIND OF GENERALIZE BEING ALL OF THESE TEACHERS, I DON'T LIKE BEING AT SCHOOL BECAUSE I GOT TREATED POORLY BY JUST ONE TEACHER. I THINK WE CAN SOMETIMES FORGET THAT WE MIGHT HAVE ONE TEACHER THAT IS NOT OUR FAVORITE, BUT THEN OUR OTHER SIX ONES ARE REALLY GREAT TO US. BUT WE JUST FOCUS ON THAT ONE NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE AND GENERALIZE IT TO TEACHERS NEED TO BE BETTER, BUT THEY ARE ALREADY DOING GREAT.
HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? >> JUST ADDING ONTO THAT.
SOMETIMES I THINK IT'S MADE WORSE BY THE FACT THAT ALL THE STUDENTS AROUND YOU CAN SEE HOW A TEACHER IS TREATING A STUDENT, LIKE IF THEY ARE TREATING THEM POORLY. I FEEL LIKE I CAN MAKE IT WORSE SOMETIMES, BECAUSE CAN RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG BUT NO ONE FEELS COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO SPEAK UP TO THE TEACHER ABOUT HOW THEY
ARE TREATING THE STUDENT. >> I WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT THIS TO DIRECTOR YOKO, I THINK THE WHOLE TEACHER THING COMES DOWN TO I DON'T THINK THERE'S A CHANNEL OR CONCRETE CHANNEL FOR STUDENTS TO REPORT THESE THINGS. IT KIND OF JUST BOILS DOWN TO WE FEEL UNSAFE ON THIS ONE TEACHER, BUT IT NEVER GOES FURTHER THAN THAT BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP TO AN AUTHORITY FIGURE OR FIND A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO AND PEOPLE WILL LISTEN AND ALSO SOME WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I GUESS PUTTING THOSE CHANNELS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
LIKE THE SOMETHING WE DON'T DO RIGHT NOW.
>> SIOBHAN HE STOLE MOST OF MY POINT. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HIGH UP. LIKE ESPECIALLY, IN THESE POSITIONS OR WITHIN AN ACTUAL SCHOOL . MOST STUDENTS DON'T GENERALLY KNOW ABOUT THEM. I THINK VERY SIMILAR, HOW DO YOU BUILD THAT CONNECTION ? IS THERE A WAY YOU CAN HAVE MORE STUDENTS KNOWING ABOUT -- I GUESS IS THERE A WAY TO HAVE STUDENTS KIND OF , MAYBE ON YOUR PT ESSAY HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE CONNECT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEY CAN HASH INFORMATION TO STUDENTS CONNECTED TO THE BOARD AND MOST IT IS CONNECTED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OFFICE. I WAS A TRY TO CREATE THOSE CHANNELS IS VERY NECESSARY.
>> ADDING ONTO THAT KIND OF LIKE TO BRAINSTORM OF WAYS YOU CAN MAKE THIS MORE KNOWN IS, I KNOW THERE'S POSTERS IN THE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, LIKE WASH YOUR HANDS AND PREVENT COVID TYPE OF THINGS. THERE BY THE DISTRICT AND YOU HAVE THE LITTLE STICKERS. DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? THERE ARE STICKERS THAT GO YOU BELONG HERE . I'M GUESSING IN THAT WAY, MAKING LIKE HAVING STICKERS OR POSTING AROUND THE SCHOOL WHERE THERE ARE THE NAMES OF PEOPLE AND EMAILS FOR
[00:55:05]
PEOPLE AND ANONYMOUS HELP BOXES THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT TO FOR HELPING , THAT WAY YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE THE BURDEN OF REACHING OUT FOR HELP IS NOT ON YOU. YOU CAN REACH OUT FOR HELP BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE HELP IS RIGHT THERE. ALSO ON THE BACK OF I.D. CARDS, THEY HAVE A LIST OF HELP RESOURCES THAT YOU CAN GO TO. ALSO, HAVING THE NAMES OR BUILDINGS TO THESE PLACES WHERE STUDENTS CAN REACH OUT TO IF THEY NEED THAT HELP.UP ON YOUR QUESTION. I HEARD THAT THERE IS POSITIVE OR JUST GOING ABOUT MY DAY. I KIND OF JUST WANT TO SAY 90% IS POSITIVE AND 10% IS NEGATIVE. WHAT WOULD BE NEUTRAL? WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO TAKE FROM THAT POSITIVE TO BE MORE IT'S JUST KIND OF NEUTRAL VERSUS THIS ? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CATEGORY PERCENTAGE PEACE IN THEIR.
>> I GUESS SOMETHING YOU COULD TAKE A WAY TO MAKE THIS NEUTRAL WILL BE THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS. IF YOU TAKE THAT AS SCHOOL IS JUST BLAND, I FEEL LIKE THOSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE EXPERIENCE WHAT IT IS. I THINK GOING -- I'M NOT GOING TO, 10 YEARS FROM NOW, EVEN NOW, I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC AS I LEARNED IN CHEMISTRY, BUT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER MY CHEMISTRY TEACHER, AND I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE FRENCH TRIPS I MADE IN CLASS. THE ONE THING I WOULD TAKE A WAY TO BRING MY SCHOOL EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WOULD BE
THE PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOLS. >> ONE WORD, HUMANITY.
>> SORRY. I WAS JUST TRYING TO DO EYE CONTACT, IT WAS NOT
WORKING. DIRECTOR LALIBERTE . >> ON THE DIFFERENT BOARDS, THERE WERE WORDS EXCITING ON ON OTHER SIDE, THERE WERE WORDS LIKE COMPETITIVE. CAN YOU HELP ME UNPACK THAT A LITTLE BIT? WHAT ABOUT YOUR DAYS MAKES IT EXCITING? AND WHAT IN THE ACADEMIC , OR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IS REPETITIVE? I AM STARING AT CHIOVANI, I'M SORRY DID NOT MEAN TO DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING ME. I GUESS REPETITIVE IS THE ACADEMIC PART. I GUESS I KEEP SAYING THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT KIND OF LIKE THE PEOPLE ARE WHAT MAKE IT EXCITING. IT'S LIKE PEOPLE, YOU CAN NEVER GUESS WAS GOING TO BE ABLE PEOPLE EVERY DAY. IT SOUNDS KIND OF WEIRD, BUT IT'S KIND OF, LIKE PEOPLE SAY INTERESTING THINGS, PEOPLE DO INTERESTING THINGS . EVEN PEOPLE ARE NOT FRIENDS WITH, JUST THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU THAT WOULD SAY THE FUNNY JOKES IN CLASS. I'M NOT FRIENDS WITH THIS PERSON, BUT THEY MAKE ME WANT TO COME BACK TO THIS CLASS. IT'S JUST THAT ENVIRONMENT LIKE THAT. THE SENSE OF BELONGING MAKES IT EXCITING . THE ACADEMIC PART IS SO REPETITIVE. IF YOU TOOK THAT ACADEMICS AT SCHOOL, I WOULD GO EVERYDAY, BUT THAT KIND OF DEFEATS THE PURPOSE. BUT IN THAT WAY, IT'S EXCITING IN THAT WAY, AND I DO UNDERSTAND , WHERE THE STREAMS ARE COMING FROM, THEY FEEL SO REPETITIVE, BUT IF YOU TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK, IT IS REPETITIVE, BUT IN A WAY, IT'S ALSO NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
REPETITIVENESS, LIKE AFTER COVID, SPECIAL . THERE CERTAIN CLASSES WHERE I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ALL THE WORK AT HOME BECAUSE ALL THE WORK IS ONLINE. I FEEL LIKE I WAS TALKING TO MY HISTORY TEACHER ABOUT THIS , HE CAME TO ONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS AND HE SAID HOW DOES THE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RELATE TO THE FACT THAT ALMOST ALL OF OUR WORK IS ONLINE AND I COULD DO ALL THE WORK AT HOME. I THINK THAT THAT'S THE REPETITIVE -- REPETITIVENESS OF IT IS THAT I CAN DO THE WORK AT HOME BY MYSELF WITH NO TEACHER INTERVENTION , BULIMICS EXCITING IS MY FRIENDS AND JUST THE WEIRD THINGS THAT HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY. BUT THE REPETITIVENESS COMES FROM THE FACT THAT I COULD TECHNICALLY DO ALL THE WORK IF I REALLY TRIED AT HOME. AND THAT'S AT LEAST MY EXPERIENCE
IN CERTAIN CLASSES. >> IN YOUR THING THAT'S
DIFFERENT FROM PRE-COVID? >> TO MAKE TEACHER THERE, BUT WITH SO WORK IS ONLINE.
[01:00:04]
>> ALL RIGHT. >> I WANT TO BRING UP A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT IDEAS. ONE IS ATTENDANCE, AND ONE IS GREAT INFLATION. I THINK A HUGE REASONING WHY MANY PEOPLE FROM MY BACKGROUND TYPICALLY GO TO SCHOOL IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T -- I DO WHATEVER I NEED TO DO TO GET THE GRADE. THIS ABLE TO DO WHATEVER IT IS I NEED, WHETHER I'M TRYING TO GET A JOB , GO TO A TWO YEAR OR FOUR YEAR, WHATEVER THE CASE IS, AND AT MY SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR , ATTENDANCE WAS A SIGNIFICANT WE DROPPED. I THINK STUDENTS ARE STILL RECEIVING VERY HIGH GRADES , BECAUSE A LOT OF TEACHERS AND SAYING , YEAH, I WILL GIVE YOU YOUR GRADE. A LOT OF KIDS ARE FEELING THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO ATTEND THE CLASS, BECAUSE IT IS NOT NECESSARY. WHY DO I NEED TO ATTEND THIS CLASS? WE ARE JUST GOING TO DISCUSS THIS BOOK I DON'T NECESSARILY CARE ABOUT. AND I THINK THE ISSUE I AM COMING TO IS SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT RIGHT NOW , IT'S ABOUT INTERPRETING INFORMATION OR GETTING INFORMATION, OR IS IT ABOUT DOING SOFT SKILLS AND TRAITS THAT CAN BE BILLED FOR YOUR FUTURE? AND I THINK THAT'S THE REAL QUESTION THAT IS UNANSWERED . IF OTHER STUDENT REPS WOULD LIKE TO SHARE AS WELL.
>> I THINK THE POINT ABOUT GRADING ALSO RELATES TO WHAT I PREVIOUSLY SAID. REGARDLESS OF YOU ARE THERE OR NOT, YOU CAN PERCEIVE THE SAME GRADE , AND ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID, THERE WAS A LOT MORE LENIENCY WITH HOW THINGS ARE GRADED, AND JUST A LOT OF, I GUESS, ROOM TWO NOT TRY AS HARD. I HAVE HAD TEACHERS MENTION IT TO ME BEFORE , WHEN I AM ONE-ON-ONE WITH THEM AND JUST TALKING, THEY HAVE NOTICED THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING LESS , BUT THEY CAN STILL RECEIVE THE SAME GRADE BECAUSE THE LENIENCY CAUSED BY COVID. I DON'T KNOW.
PREVIOUSLY CLASSES, BEFORE COVID, THEY HAD NO RETAKES, AND NOW THEY ARE OFFERING THOSE CONSISTENTLY. LIKE, YOU CAN TAKE THE TEST MULTIPLE TIMES. REALLY, IF THAT GRADING THING, AND THE FACT THAT I DON'T NEED TO BE AT SCHOOL TO RECEIVE THE
GRADE THAT I WANT. YOU KNOW? >> I HAD ONE MORE THING TO ADD ON. GOING OFF OF YOUR POINT, SO, LATE WORK IS ONE THING.
THERE IS A TON OF LENIENCY WITH LATE WORK. IT WILL GET CREATED 100%. SO, YOU HAVE A STANDARD OF YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO TRY, JUST TURN IT IN WHENEVER YOU CAN. I UNDERSTAND LENIENCY IS NEEDED , BUT I THINK THERE IS JUST NO STRUCTURE. MANY ASSIGNMENTS, PEOPLE JUST USE AI TO GENERATE ANSWERS . THEY SPEND, LIKE, FIVE OR 10 MINUTES ON THE ASSIGNMENT , AND PEOPLE ARE INCENTIVIZED JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THEIR GRADES AND DO AS MANY THINGS AS THEY CAN FOR THEIR FUTURE.
GO TO STEM, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT LENIENCY I FEEL LIKE? LATE WORK IS, LIKE, OH, IF IT IS LATE, IT IS A ZERO. SORRY, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER, BUT GOING BACK TO THE WHOLE POINT OF SKIPPING SCHOOL , NOT THAT I HAVE BEEN SKIPPING SCHOOL , BUT THE WHOLE REPETITIVENESS OF SCHOOL WHERE IT IS, LIKE, WHEN THERE ARE STUDENTS AT MY SCHOOL WHO DO NOT SHOW UP TO SCHOOL, AND THEY HAVE STRAIGHT A'S OR WHATEVER. THEY DO SHOW UP ON THE DAYS OF TESTS, AND EVEN SKIPPING THE DAY OF THE TEST, AND STUDENTS CAN GET ANSWERS FOR THE TEST OVER THE WEEKEND, AND STUDY, SO IT'S A FORM OF CHEATING. IT HAPPENED SO, SO, SO FREQUENTLY, AND IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE UNFAIR WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE CHEATING ON EVERY SINGLE TEST ? IT'S ALMOST DEMOTIVATING , AND IT IS REALLY HARD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. BUT GOING BACK TO SHARE HIS POINT ABOUT ONLINE SCHOOL, AND HOW INFORMATION IS TAUGHT, I WILL SOMETIMES SKIP SCHOOL TO STUDY FOR A TEST OR SOMETHING , OR THERE ARE SOME CLASSES WHERE IT'S LIKE TO EVEN NEED TO BE HERE, BECAUSE, FIRST OF ALL, I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO THIS ON MY OWN TIME, AND DO
[01:05:02]
THIS FASTER IF I WAS AT HOME THAN IN THE CLASSROOM. THEY WANT US TO PULL THOSE CONNECTIONS AND BE AT SCHOOL, BUT SOMETIMES, I FEEL LIKE IT IS A WASTE OF TIME, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT REALLY LEARNING ANYTHING. THERE ARE SOME CLASSES WHERE I AM, LIKE, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE HERE, BUT THERE ARE SOME CLASSES THAT I WOULD SAY ARE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. LIKE, EVERY DAY I AM IN THE CLASS , I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO, THINKING FORWARD TO THOSE CLASSES, I COULD GET THIS DONE IN 20 MINUTES VERSUS HOWEVERLONG IT TAKES IN CLASS. >> CAN YOU DESCRIBE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES? WHAT MAKES ONE OF THOSE DIFFERENT THAN THE
OTHER? >> YEAH, SURE. SO, I GUESS SOME OF MY CLASSES HAVE BEEN VERY COLLABORATIVE CLASSES.
CAN I NAME THE NAME OF THIS CLASS? NO? OKAY. BASICALLY, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS AND STUFF. SO, YOU ARE IN CLASS WITH YOUR TEAM, AND YOU HAVE TO WORK TOWARDS A DEADLINE, AND SOME OTHER CLASSES HAVE BEEN, LIKE, I GUESS THE CLASSES THAT I FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO BE IN SCHOOL FOR THE ONES THAT I OPT ACTUALLY HAVE TO COLLABORATE WITH. WITH DOING WORK INDIVIDUALLY, HE GOES BACK TO WHY AM I EVEN HERE? JUST IN CLASS, WE ARE GIVEN A WORKSHEET, AND JUST DOING THE WORK SHE, AND EATING HELP OR ASKING THE TEACHER FOR HELP IS JUST LIKE, OH, I COULD JUST DO THIS AT HOME. I CAN SEARCH FOR THE ANSWERS THEY GET THE SAME VALUE OUT OF THE CLASS THAT I AM NOW. THAT ALSO JUST GOES BACK TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT AT THE VERY BEGINNING. THE MORE COLLABORATIONS YOU HAVE, -- IF YOU TO GET THE COLLABORATION FROM THE SCHOOL, THAT ALL HAS GOING FOR IT. THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WITH THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE CLASSES.
>> I ALSO THINK THAT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES ARE, LIKE, SOME OF MY CLASSES, EVERY SINGLE DAY IS, LIKE, A WORK TIME, AND SOMETIMES, THAT WORK TIME IS ENJOYABLE AND HELPFUL TO ME, BUT OTHER TIMES, THERE IS THIS ONE CLASS IN PARTICULAR WHERE I JUST HAD A WORK TIME FROM NOVEMBER. EVERY DAY, I DOING WORK FOR OTHER CLASSES , OR DELAYING WORK FOR THAT SPECIFIC CLASS , OR JUST, LIKE, TALKING WITH MY FRIENDS, AND THOSE THE CLASSES WERE I FEEL LIKE I DON'T NEED TO BE THERE, AND I'M JUST HAVING THAT WORK TIME. IT FEELS THE CLASSES ARE WASTED, BECAUSE TEACHERS CAN'T FILL THE 90 MINUTES, OR THEY JUST WANT TO SAY I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO ANY WORK AT HOME, THAT IS WHY I'M GIVING YOU THIS WORK TIME. BUT IN THE END, IS NOT BENEFICIAL. WHY AM I SITTING THERE FOR 90 MINUTES IF I CAN ALSO HAVE WORK TIME AT MY HOUSE, OR ANY COFFEE SHOP WITH
FRIENDS? >> THIS IS AGAINST THAT, BUT I LOVE WORK TIME. I DON'T THINK IT IS BECAUSE, LIKE, SURE, I AM DOING WORK, BUT I AM AROUND PEOPLE I WANT TO BE AROUND IN SCHOOL. IF I'M SITTING AT A TABLE WITH MY FRIENDS, OR THEM SITTING AT A TABLE GROUP OF MY CLASSMATES THAT I NORMALLY WOULD NOT HANG OUT WITH OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, IT'S ALSO JUST A COLLABORATION WHERE IF I NEED HELP, I CAN HAVE ONE ON ONE FOR THAT HELP THAT I NEED . I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING
ELSE, BUT I FORGOT IT. >> SO, YOU HAVE REALLY PRODUCTIVE WORK TIMES, AND WERE TIMES IN MY SCHOOL ARE NOT
VERY PRODUCTIVE. >> THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS
TRYING TO SAY. >> QUESTION? THE WORK YOU SAY IS REPETITIVE , BUT THE INTERACTIONS YOU HAVE ARE WHAT MAKE IT WORTHWHILE. IT SOUNDS LIKE, SCHOLASTICALLY, YOU WOULD JUST AS SOON BE AT HOME WORKING. AND YOU SAY BEING IN CLASS IS A WASTE. BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE TO MAKE THAT DAY.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REPETITIVE, I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN RID OF OUR HOTLINE SCHOOL. BUT IF WHAT IS KEEPING YOU UP AND GOING AND POSITIVE ABOUT THE SCHOOL EXPERIENCES THE INTERACTION , IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE A NEGATIVE TO SAY THAT GOING TO SCHOOL IS BORING. MAYBE I AM CONFUSED ON THAT, MAYBE I AM TOO DENSE?
>> WE HAVE STUDENTS EAGER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MARK.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO START IN PARTICULAR?
[01:10:08]
>> SURE. >> I CONSIDER THIS HEAVILY WHEN I WAS DECIDING LAST YEAR IF I WANTED TO GO TO RUNNING START OR NOT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE STUDENTS THAT REALLY PREFER, YOU KNOW, THAT TIME OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL , OR LIMITED TIME IN SCHOOL, MORE TIME WITH FRIENDS DECIDED TO PICK THAT RUNNING START OPTION. I HAVE A BUNCH OF FRIENDS ENDED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WANTED TIME OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. THEY WEREN'T IN A CLASSROOM. BUT WHAT KEPT ME IN SCHOOL RATHER THAN RUNNING START OR ONLINE SCHOOL IS THOSE FRIENDS . I WOULD TO SAY, OH, WOW, I WAS DAY EVERY HOME THAT -- IT IS THE FRIENDS THAT ARE
KEEPING ME AT SCHOOL. >> I WOULD SEE IF WE LOOK AT ATTENDANCE , IT'S A VERY ON AND OFF THING. PEOPLE WILL BE THERE FOR A PERIOD OF THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, AND THEN THINGS GET STRESSFUL AND TOUGH . THAT IS JUST A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN THEY WILL DO A GRIND, AND THEN THEY WILL MOVE ON. I THINK THE, LIKE, SOCIAL INTERACTIONS PLAY A PART. FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AT ICS, IT'S TRYING TO RECEIVE A CERTAIN
GRADE . >> YEAH, THE COMPETITION I CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK TO. THE LEVEL OF SKIPPING A TEST TO GETTING THE ANSWERS AND TAKING IT LATER , FOR ME PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SOME WEEKS WHERE I AM SO STRESSED OUT WHERE I FEEL LIKE I CANNOT DO EVERYTHING WITHIN THE TIME AFTER SCHOOL THAT I HAVE. I HAVE TO SKIP A DAY OF SCHOOL SO I CAN, LIKE, GET MYSELF BACK ON TRACK, AND IT IS NOT BECAUSE, LIKE, I AM LAZY , BUT MENTALLY, I CAN'T DO IT. I DON'T KNOW, HAVING LITTLE HEALTH DAYS OR SOMETHING WHERE STUDENTS HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER WHERE YOU CAN, LAY, USE THAT TO GET YOURSELF BACK ON TRACK, I KNOW THAT IS IMPORTANT . AND THEN GOING BACK TO THE WHOLE REPETITIVE THING, I DO AGREE WITH WHAT SHIRA SAID. THE REASON WHY I GO TO SCHOOL IS BECAUSE OF MY FRIENDS. I CAN SPEAK AS A SENIOR ABOUT SKIPPING SCHOOL, BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD DO IT A LOT MORE. BUT NOW I AM ACTUALLY IN THAT STATE, THERE IS LITERALLY NO POINT. THE ONLY THING I LOOK FORWARD TO IS ACTUALLY GOING TO SCHOOL. WHEN YOU HAVE THAT CHOICE , I WOULD THINK I WAS TOTALLY SKIP SCHOOL IF I HAVE THE CHOICE , BUT HAVING THAT ACTUAL CHOICE, I WOULD NOT. IF THERE WERE SOME CLASSES THAT ARE BORING, THERE ARE SOME CLASSES WHERE I FEEL LIKE I COULD DO THIS AT HOME, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE CLASSES AND STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH IF I WAS NOT AT SCHOOL. I GUESS THE EXCITING, FUN PART OF SCHOOL IS THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT WORTH IT.
>> JUST TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO WHAT SHIVANI SAID, I THINK WE SOMETIMES FORGET HOW PRIVILEGED WE ARE THAT WE ACTUALLY CAN GET AN EDUCATION, AND THAT WE CAN DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE SUCH A FRUITFUL LIFE, AND SO MANY THINGS TO DO. IT'S JUST A LOT OF WORK THAT WE FEEL LIKE IT IS NOT BENEFICIAL AT ALL , BUT IT IS REALLY, LIKE, THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO AT THIS AGE AT THIS POINT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. I THINK I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ATTENDANCE. LIKE, SOME OF MY FRIENDS WILL SKIP A CLASS BECAUSE IT MOVES SLOWLY, AND WE DON'T GET A LOT DONE ON A CERTAIN DAY, AND I AM STARTING TO FEEL PRESSURE TO DO THAT AS WELL. IF I AM, LIKE, WAIT, IF THEY ARE SKIPPING, WILL THEY GET MORE OUT OF IT? SHOULD I SKIP OUT SO I DON'T LIKE BEHIND? AND I THINKING TO BE A BIT OF A SNOWBALL EFFECT. YOUR FRIENDS ARE SKIPPING CLASS, I SHOULD DO IT TOO. MY FRIENDS ARE SKIPPING A TEST, I SHOULD DO IT TOO SO I COULD GET A BETTER GRADE. I SHOULD CHEAT ON MY TESTS I CAN GET AMAZING GRADES OF MY FRIENDS WERE GETTING GATE GOOD GRADES TWO. I THINK MY INTEGRITY IS STARTING TO GET CRUMBLED BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, AND IT IS HARD TO, LIKE, PINPOINT HOW DO YOU FIX THAT ISSUE. BUT, YEAH, I THINK YOUR PRESSURE IS DEFINITELY, LIKE, AFFECTING MY INTEGRITY, AND MY LIFESTYLE AS A STUDENT.
>> ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO ADD WAS WE WERE ONLY LOOKING AT ONE TYPE OF STUDENT. WE ARE ALL VERY DRIVEN AND DEDICATED, SO I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH WE WILL BE SKIPPING SCHOOL TO DO OTHER THINGS BESIDE SCHOOL. I FEEL LIKE I WILL SKIP SCHOOL AND DO SCHOOL AT HOME , BUT THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS WHO SKIP EITHER TO GO TO STARBUCKS, OR GO TO SAFEWAY, OR CHICK-FIL-A, OR STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT ALSO JUST HAS A BIG EFFECT ON THE CULTURE OF OUR SCHOOL, BECAUSE IF YOU ALREADY
[01:15:03]
SERVE STUDENTS, THEIR NAME IS GOING TO BE CALLED FOR ATTENDANCE, BUT YOU KNOW THEY WILL NOT BE THERE. IT JUST AFFECTS YOU PERSONALLY, BECAUSE YOU ARE LIKE, WHY AM I HERE? BUT ALSO, LIKE, IT'S JUST TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF STUDENTS THAT WE NEED TO CATER TO. I'M COMING TO SCHOOL FOR MY FRIENDS, BUT I AM ALSO CONSIDERING WHY AREN'T THEY COMING TO SCHOOL? THEY SKIPPING WITH THEIR FRIENDS? OR IS THERE NOT, LIKE, A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THEM AT SCHOOL? FOR THEM TO BE MOTIVATED TO COME?>> SORRY, I WAS WRITING DOWN WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. I THINK THE WHOLE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT SKIPPING SCHOOL AND SKIPPING CLASSES AND FEELING THE PRESSURE TO SKIP CLASSES , I HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN IN CLASSROOMS WERE SOMEONE HAS BEEN LIKE WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING IN CLASS TODAY, LET'S GET. AND BY ANYTHING, IT'S NOT SITTING AROUND NOT DOING ANYTHING, BUT JUST THIS IS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY VALUE TO ME AND I COULD DO THIS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. SOMETIMES I WILL SKIP CLASSES, AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE, I SHOULD SKIP TO, BECAUSE MY FRIENDS ARE SKIPPING. WHAT I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS BESIDES A BEING IN THIS CLASSROOM? I GUESS THAT YOUR PRESSURE IS JUST A REALLY VALUED PART OF THAT. AND THEN ALSO, THE WHOLE CHRONIC SKIPPING , LIKE, SKIPPING CLASSES, OR SKIPPING A CERTAIN PERIOD, I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WILL SKIP JUST A CERTAIN PERIOD OF SCHOOL, BUT COME TO THE REST OF THE CLASSES. YOU JUST WON'T SEE THEM AT THAT PERIOD, BUT AT THE NEXT ONE, THEY ARE SUDDENLY BACK AT SCHOOL. IT HAS GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I THINK PEOPLE MAKE JOKES ABOUT IT. LIKE, OH, THESE PEOPLE WON'T BE IN CLASS TODAY, AND IT IS AN EVERYDAY TYPE OF THING. I DON'T WANT TO PLACE THE BLAME ON THE STUDENTS, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, IT IS NOT REALLY ANYBODY'S FAULT , BUT IT IS HARD TO BE IN A CLASSROOM WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE NOT GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF IT. I KNOW IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT. LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE TODAY.
IT KIND OF JUST COMES BACK TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WHERE ME PERSONALLY, THE CLASSES THAT I AM SKIPPING HER SKIP CLASSES WHERE I FEEL LIKE I DON'T BELONG. I WILL NOT BE IN A CLASS WHERE I FEEL LIKE I AM NOT GOOD AT THAT SUBJECT, OR THE PEOPLE IN THAT CLASSROOM MAKE ME FEEL DUMB. SO, I WILL SKIP. THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF MY DAY WHERE I FEEL LIKE I WILL STARE AT THE CLOCK THE ENTIRE 120 MINUTES IN CLASS, AND I WILL BE COUNTING DOWN THE MINUTES. FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T FEEL SMART ENOUGH TO BE IN THAT ROOM. THOSE ARE THE CLASSES WHERE I AM JUST FEELING SAFE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HAVING A GREAT TIME. THOSE ARE THE CLASSES I WANT TO STAY IN.
IT IS ABOUT BUILDING A COMMUNITY , BECAUSE I SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF, LIKE, BEING BORED.
>> SHIVANI GAVE ME THE NICE SEGUE TO TALK ABOUT THE ASPECT OF SCHOOL. I THINK WHATEVER ASPECT WE GO TO, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION WITHIN THE STUDENTS, BUT ALSO BETWEEN SCHOOL SOMETIMES. JUST DRIVER LUIS THAT I KNOW CERTAIN SCHOOLS HAVE HER PETITION FOR THIS. I THINK AFFECTS THE STUDENT BODY AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE THERE IS NOT COMPETITION THAT YOU ARE COMPETING AGAINST THE OTHER STUDENTS IN YOUR GRADE, OR, LIKE, A CERTAIN SCORE ANY TEST, OR TO BE A TEACHER'S FAVORITE, BUT YOU ARE ALSO COMPETING TO BEAT OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT SCHOOL WILL PRODUCE THE BEST RESULTS ? THERE'S A LOT OF STIGMA AROUND IF YOU GO TO THE SCHOOL, YOU WILL GET INTO THIS COLLEGE, OR STUFF LIKE THAT. I THINK IT IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY AND CULTURE AS A
WHOLE. >> CAN I ASK, WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT COMPETITION SENTIMENTS COMES FROM?
>> I PERSONALLY DON'T KNOW. I JUST HEARD ABOUT IT EVER SINCE IT WAS A FRESHMAN, YOU KNOW? THE SCHOOL GIVES US RESULTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING JUST YOU JUST HEAR . OH, YOU JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS THAT SCHOOL, AND THIS TEACHER PRODUCES THE SABER STUDENT, AND THIS TEACHER PRODUCES ESTATE THE STUDENT. IT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT GET CONTINUOUSLY PASSED OUT. IT'S A CYCLE THAT NEVER ENDS . I WILL KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T NECESSARILY LIKE IT. THAT SOPHOMORE IS GOING TO HEAR, AND IN THE FRESHMAN WILL HEREIN , AND WHEN MY BROTHER COMES TO HIGH SCHOOL, HE WILL HEAR IT
TOO. IT JUST NEVER ENDS. >> WE WILL GO IN A CIRCLE.
>> HI. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REALLY BACK THIS UP --
[01:20:06]
THIS IS A PREDOMINANTLY ASIAN, SOUTH ASIAN, MIDDLE EASTERN DISTRICT, RIGHT? IF YOU FACTOR IN HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS TO REESES IN GENERAL , YOU WILL HAVE A LOT OF COMPETITION GETTING CREATIVE, BECAUSE THE STUDENTS WHO ARE THE MOST HIGHEST ACHIEVING , AND WHO WANT TO HAVE A FOUR YOUR BUDGET , YOU KNOW, YOUR HARVARD'S, YOUR STANFORDS, YOU'RE VERY COMPETITIVE UNIVERSITIES . I THINK THAT THIS DISTRICT ESPECIALLY , YOU SEE A LOT OF THAT COMPETITION STEM FROM A GENERATION BACKGROUND. BUT ME PERSONALLY, THERE IS A STEREOTYPE WHERE ALL INDIANS ARE GREAT AT SCIENCE AND MATH. OR, YOU KNOW, COMPUTER SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS. I THINK THAT STEREOTYPE, IT DOES HOLD SOMETHING, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT CORRECT. A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET THESE HIGH SALARIES. ANYTHING COMPETITION IS WHAT DRIVES THAT. A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS FACE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. A LOT OF STRESS THATIS UNHEALTHY FOR THEM. >> I WANTED TO GO BACK TO WHAT SHIRA SAID . BEFORE HE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, I MOVED HOUSES, AND I HAD A COUPLE OF CHOICES. BUT THE REASON WHY I CHOSE THE HIGH SCHOOL IS BECAUSE I HAD A NOTION THAT THAT WAS MORE ACADEMIC, AND THE STUDENTS WERE MORE ACADEMICALLY FOCUSED. I THOUGHT STUDENTS WERE ALL SPORTS, AND THEY WERE LESS SERIOUS. I CHOSE TO GO INSTEAD, AND I THINK THAT DOES NOT HOLD TRUE ANYMORE. PEOPLE AT -- ARE EQUALLY AS HARD-WORKING AS THE PEOPLE AT MY SCHOOL, BUT THE FACT THAT I WENT INTO HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE PREDISPOSED NOTION ABOUT THIS HIGH SCHOOL NOT BEING AS ACADEMIC SO I WON'T USE IT CAN KIND OF MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT OTHER SCHOOLS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS, AND GIVE A SENSE OF OH, I AM SUPERIOR TO ANOTHER SCHOOL BECAUSE MY PEERS ARE MORE ACADEMIC BECAUSE WE GO TO
A BETTER COLLEGE. >> GOING TO STEM, WHICH IF YOU LIKE WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCHOOLS ANYWAY -- OKAY, SORRY.
I KNOW THE STEREOTYPES AS WELL. THERE'S A REALLY ACADEMIC ONE, AND THEN THERE'S THE REALLY SPORTY ONE. I FEEL LIKE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE THINKS, BUT PEOPLE SAY IT TOO. IT WAS INTERESTING, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GIVEN. BUT TAKING A STEP BACK, THAT MAKES NO SENSE. LIKE, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ARE THERE. AND GOING BACK TO THE WHOLE COMPETITION -- CONVERSATION, I FEEL LIKE COMPETITION IS BREAD FROM COMPARISON. I KNOW FOR ME PERSONALLY, SHARING THIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES THAT I HAVE WITH COMPARISON, IT IS LIKE WHEN I GET A TEST BACK AND GET THIS GRADE, I AM LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M OKAY WITH WHAT I GOT. AND IN THE PERSON NEXT TO ME LOOKS AT MY PAPER, AND IT CERTAINLY DOES NOT FEEL SO GOOD ANYMORE. I FEEL LIKE THAT COMPARISON IS WERE MORE COMPETITION BREEDS FROM. IF I TOOK A STEP BACK AND I THOUGHT ABOUT MYSELF AND MYSELF ONLY, I WOULD BE PROUD OF MYSELF AND HOW FAR I HAVE COME. BUT SUDDENLY, WHEN IT IS COMPARING MYSELF TO EVERY OTHER CHILD AT MY SCHOOL , I FEEL LIKE SOME COMPETITION IS HEALTHY, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION WHERE YOU WANT TO DO OTHER THINGS. BUT AT A POINT, IT GETS REALLY BAD. AT THAT POINT, IT'S NOT FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH, BECAUSE THIS COMPARISON MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH, OR I WILL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH. I GUESS IT IS A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE , NOT JUST IN STEM, BUT SO MANY OTHER SCHOOLS. I KNOW IN STEM ESPECIALLY, YOU NEED TO EITHER BE THE BEST AT SOMETHING, OR THERE IS NO POINT IN DOING IT.
I LOOK AT IT SO HARMFULLY, BECAUSE IT ALSO BREEDS FAILING , BECAUSE I'M ALSO SCARED TO FAIL. SKIPPING TESTS TO GET A BETTER GRADE, I AM SO SCARED TO GET THAT BAD GRADE. YOUR SO
[01:25:02]
SCARED TO FAIL. AND ALSO, THE NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE IS ANOTHER THING. LIKE, PEOPLE IN STEM WILL ALWAYS BRAG ABOUT GOING TO FEND FOR THREE HOURS A NIGHT. LIKE, WHO CAN ONLY GET THREE HOURS OF SLEEP AT NIGHT? IT'S LIKE, OH, I DO NOT DO ALL OF THAT. I GOT 10 HOURS OF SLEEP LAST NIGHT, AND I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I GUESS ALL OF THOSE COMBINED ARE NEGATIVE FOR MENTAL HEALTH. YOU KNOW, THE REASON WHY WANT TO GO TO THE SCHOOL, AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT TO BE THERE EITHER. I FEEL LIKE I'M BELITTLED AS A STEP INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M GOOD ENOUGH.>> I HAVE TWO POINTS TO MAKE. ONE IS MORE POSITIVE CONNOTATION OF COMPETITION. I THINK WITH COMPETITION, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S JUST NATURAL. THERE WAS COMPETITION , YOU KNOW? AND THEN THERE WERE DIFFERENT STAGES TO GET EACH BOARD OR PRECISION. NATURALLY, THERE IS GOING TO BE COMPETITION, YOU KNOW? MOVING UP IN A JOB, THAT IS COMPETITION. IF YOU CAN'T REALLY GET RID OF THAT. I THINK IT IS WHAT DRIVES MANY OF US HERE TODAY. THAT BEING SAID, LIKE MANY OF PEOPLE , WE TALK ABOUT THOSE HEALTHY ASPECTS OF DEALING WITH COMPETITION. SO, I WOULD SEE IF THE DISTRICT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES ON THAT . MY SECOND POINT IS ALSO GOING TO GO BACK TO THE NEXT THING.
I THINK THE BACKGROUND GROPING INFLUENCES OF A LOT OF COMPETITIONS. IN INDIA, AS A COUNTRY, THEIR WHOLE SYSTEM OF GETTING INTO COLLEGE IS BASED OFF OF ONE TEST YOU TAKE , AND THEN HOWEVER WILL YOU DO ON THE TEST , YOU CAN APPLY TO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COLLEGE. AND THERE IS A VERY SIMILAR SYSTEM THERE. I THINK THAT'S TYPE OF BACKGROUND IS WHAT INFLUENCES SO MUCH OF NEEDING A CERTAIN GRADE. I LOOK AROUND, AND I SEE 21 OUT OF 21. 21 OUT OF 21. THAT IS WHAT CAUSES SO MUCH OF THAT NEGATIVE ENERGY AMONG COMPETITION AFTER YOU
COMPETE FOR SOMETHING. >> AND I THINK IN ADDITION TO THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS, I THINK IT IS ALSO THE EXPECTATIONS THAT OTHER PEERS AND YOUR TEACHERS HAVE FOR YOU.
LIKE, THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES WHERE I HAVE PERSONALLY HEARD, OH, I SURPRISED YOU GOT SO AND SO GREAT ON THIS TEST. LIKE, YOU ARE KNOWN FOR THIS, WHY DO NOT DO THIS? IT IS THE SAME FOR EXTRACURRICULARS. OH, YOU SHOULD HAVE MADE VARSITY, OR WHY THEY DO NOT PLACE AT THIS COMPETITION? WERE KNOWN FOR THIS? AND IT IS THIS CONSTANT PRESSURE FROM OTHERS PUTTING THEIR EXPECTATIONS ONTO YOURSELF. SOMETIMES, I FEEL IT FROM THE TEACHERS, OR OTHER SUPPORT SYSTEMS AROUND ME WHERE THEY EXPECT ME TO BE ONE THING, AND IF I DON'T REACH THEIR EXPECTATION, THEN SOMETHING IS CLEARLY WRONG. I THINK THAT ALSO PUSHES YOU AWAY FROM DOING THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO FAIL.
>> SORRY, ONE LAST POINT. EVERYONE, WHEN THEY GET SOME TYPE OF POSITIVE RESULT, HAVE TO SHARE. AND I WILL TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT MY RESULT IS IN THERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE LIE ABOUT THE RESULTS. THEY WILL LITERALLY SAY, LIKE, OH, I GOT A 1380 ON THEIR S.A.T. WHEN THEY GOT A 1500. THAT JUST CAUSES A LOT OF YOUR MENTAL SETTING TO DROP. YOU ARE OUT THERE, BUT THEY ARE DOING BETTER THAN YOU. THAT IS JUST HOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IN THIS DISTRICT. I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW YOU SOLVE THAT , BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE ABLE TO DESTIGMATIZE COMPETING AGAINST OTHERS, AND REALLY EMPHASIZE
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WORKING FOR YOURSELF, I'M NOT QUITE SURE YOU WOULD DO THAT, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD GOAL AROUND COMPETITION.THE DIRECTOR HAD ANY QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO IS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO ASK A QUESTION.
>> IS THIS AN IN PERSON COMPETITION? OR HOW MUCH THE
SOCIAL MEDIA PLAY INTO THAT? >> HONESTLY, I THINK IT IS BOTH. I THINK BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS, IT IS A LONG LINE. I KNEW THERE WERE A LOT OF POSTS ABOUT THEM WINNING, BECAUSE THEY CAME BACK AFTER LOSING ALL OF THE GAMES, AND THAT WAS A LONG SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT IN THE IN PERSON COMPETITION IS SO, LIKE, THE ACADEMIC WAY OF IT. IS THE INTERPERSONAL THING WITH THE STUDENTS AROUND YOU WILL SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BROADER SCHOOL. BOTH HAVE THEIR NEGATIVES , AND THEY BOTH BREATHE A LOT OF COMPETITION.
>> SPEAKING ON, LIKE, IN PERSON AND ONLINE, I THINK I SEE SO MUCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PEOPLE POSTING THE BEST HIGHLIGHTS OF THEIR LIVES. THE LINKEDIN STOCKING ON MY SCHOOL , PEOPLE HAVE PEOPLE'S LINKEDIN'S UP. IS LITERALLY CRAZY. LIKE, I DON'T FEEL ANY GOOD ANYMORE, BECAUSE I HAD MEMORIZE THE NAMES OF STUDENTS FROM STEM OR STUDENTS OUTSIDE THAT HAVE GONE TO TOP SCHOOLS, OR HAVE DONE INSANE THINGS. GOING BACK TO WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT NOT KNOWING ABOUT A WAY TO FIX THIS, ACTUALLY HAVE AN IDEA. A LOT OF IT IS SITTING COMPARISON EARLY ON, BECAUSE ALL LOT OF IT COMES EARLY ON TO -- I FEEL LUCKY TO HAVE PARENTS WHO DO NOT PUT THE PRESSURE ON ME TO BE BETTER OR COMPARING TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN TEACH STUDENTS EARLY ON. LET'S NOT COMPARE WHAT WE HAVE FOR EACH OTHER. IF THESE ARE DOING THAT EARLY ON , DON'T COMPARE THIS TO THIS. YOU ARE YOUR OWN PERSON. WHEN YOU GROW UP AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN THESE POSITIONS WHERE THIS STUFF ACTUALLY MATTERS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK ON THAT AND START COMPARING OTHER STUDENTS.
THERE WAS A TEACHER THAT STOOD OUT TO ME . SHE SAID SOMEONE ELSE'S AGE DOES NOT COMPARE TO YOUR OWN. IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS, ANYTIME YOU HAVE SOMETHING, AND SOMEONE ALSO SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU HAVE, THIS DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING ANYMORE. WE ARE ALL AT THE SAME LEVEL. AND I FEEL LIKE IT IS SOMETIMES CONCERNING , NEEDING PEOPLE TO BUILD THAT HIERARCHY , LIKE, OH, I AM BETTER THAN YOU. BECAUSE NOW, ALL THE TEACHERS GO DON'T COMPARE YOUR TESTS, BUT WE ARE STILL SO FAR GONE THAT OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE GOING TO. IT IS SO HARD TO JUST SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CHANGE FROM DAY ONE. I GUESS PUSHING BACK AGAINST THAT, AND THEN THE WHOLE EXPECTATIONS I THINK IS SUCH A BIG THING, BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSOCIATE CERTAIN STUDENTS WITH CERTAIN THINGS. LIKE, I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN TOLD THIS BEFORE , LIKE, OH, I THOUGHT INDIANS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD AT MATH.
LIKE, I AM SORRY I'M NOT GOOD AT MATH? AND IT HURTS TOO. I KNOW IT'S A JOKE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW. AND THEN THERE ARE TEACHERS OR STUDENTS IT WILL GO OH, OF COURSE YOU DID WELL. LIKE, OKAY, SORRY? BUT ANYWAY, THAT ENVIRONMENT IS SO HARD TO BE IN WHERE YOU ARE EXPECTED TO DO WELL, BUT WHEN YOU DO WELL, IT IS LIKE, OH, OF COURSE YOU DID WELL. EVEN MY COUNSELOR TALKS ABOUT THE WHOLE LYING ABOUT GRADES AND STUFF. WHEN THEY DO THE YEARLY COUNSELOR VISITS, THEY WILL TELL US LIKE, OH, DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR CLASSMATES SAY. THE LIE ABOUT THEIR GPAS ALL THE TIME AND ALL THAT. IF YOU LOOK AT MY COUNSELOR HAS TO COME OUT AND SAY THAT , THERE IS AN ISSUE WITHIN THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES.
ANYTHING WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THIS OUT?
>> OKAY. ONE THING I WANTED TO ADD ABOUT THE SHARING OF SCORES
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THAT I FORGOT TO PUT ONTO ONE .6 OR 10.6, SOMETIMES TEACHERS THEMSELVES WILL SHARE THE TALK SCORES. THEY WILL SAY ALL TOP 100 PERCENTS , AND IF SOMEONE IS EXPECTED YOU TO GET 100% , AND YOUR TEACHER DO NOT NAME YOU THE 100%, THAT IS ALMOST DEHUMANIZING, AND IT REALLY HURT INSIDE. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT ADD BEFORE. ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ADD, I KNOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL COMPETITION, AND HOW YOU ARE DOING ACADEMICALLY , BUT THERE IS A LOT OF SOCIAL COMPETITION TWEEN THE SCHOOLS , AND WHAT EACH SCHOOL IS KNOWN FOR SOCIALLY. SO, I ALSO THINK THAT IS AN IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, AND HOW PEOPLE VIEW YOUR SCHOOL.>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, STUDENTS. I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH THE AMOUNT THAT YOU SHARED BOTH IN WRITING, AND THE BUILDING OFF OF EACH OTHER. I BELIEVE DR. HOLMAN AND TRAMMELL TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS AS FAR AS HOW THIS INFORMS THE RECONSIDERATION OF THIS POLICY.
>> FIRST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE , THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HONEST AND BEING WILLING TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. I KNOW IT IS HARD TO SAY THESE THINGS, ESPECIALLY TO A ROOM FULL OF ADULTS. I WILL SAY PERSONALLY , IT WAS ALMOST REASSURING TO HEAR SOME OF THE COMMENTS , BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY TO BE BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL.
IT'S SO INTERESTING TO SEE THAT AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME, -- AFTER ALL THIS TIME , SO MANY OF THESE THINGS PERSIST FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. AND BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, FAR AWAY FROM IT , THE DO SHAPE WHO YOU ARE TO AN EXTENT. SO, JUST THANK YOU. I ENCOURAGE BOARD MEMBERS TO REFLECT ON WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD. WE'LL BE BRINGING THIS BACK UP DURING OUR EXTENDED STUDY OR EXTENDED RETREAT NEXT WEEK , TWO WEEKS.
WE CAN HAVE. SO, WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT THIS BACK UP FOR DISCUSSION, SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU SELECT EVERYTHING THAT YOU HEARD FROM OUR STUDENTS. IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO SHARE, OR IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK OF, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME, AND I WILL MAKE SURE TO SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD DURING A DISCUSSION AS WELL. THIS ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS THINK OF THE NEXT WEEK OR
TWO. ALL RIGHT? >> I ALSO APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR STORIES AND YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUTS. I ALSO APPRECIATED THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WERE STUDENTS NOT IN THE ROOM TODAY THAT POSSIBLY HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. THOSE ARE PROBABLY EXPERIENCES THAT THE BOARD WILL WANT TO ALSO HEAR ABOUT. SO, IT IS IMPRESSIVE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING , AND I THINK EVERY ADULT IN THIS ROOM WOULD RECOGNIZE HOW REMARKABLE YOU ARE AS PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE AND SHARE WITH US THIS EVENING WHAT YOU HAVE. THAT IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. HE SAID IT WITH CANDOR, BUT YOU ALSO SAID IT WITH WIT, AND MADE A FLAP A NUMBER OF TIMES. SO, WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR ALL FOUR OF YOU SHOWING UP TONIGHT, BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BUSY SCHEDULES. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY IF YOU'RE GETTING 10 HOURS OF SLEEP TONIGHT, YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING BETTER FOR THE MIND AND GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SLEEP. IF YOU'RE GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF
SLEEP, THAT IS AWESOME. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, EVERYONE. SINCE THERE IS NO OTHER AGENDA ITEMS,
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.