Upon receiving the first email in late August about our class schedule change to Central Falls High School, I had a lot of questions. Among them of course, was why? And immediately following was, oh no! They're going to just throw us into the classroom! And so my period of terror began...
After our first SED class however, my fears were altogether calmed. As a person who learns through "doing" and discussion, the format of our weekly trips to Central Falls seemed to perfectly cater to my needs. Also, I look forward to joining the world of business casual dressing and young professionalism even if it is only for two hours a week.
On my first drive to Central Falls, I still wondered what to expect. And I have to admit, I thought it would be similar to my experiences in school. For me, who was just an average student in a well preforming school district, the picture of school I have is memorable mostly for my social interactions. When I entered Central Falls High School though, I could tell there was something different. Right away we were greeted by a "community" of highly motivated individuals excited about getting their kids to succeed in many different ways. On one hand they wanted to inspire learning and on the other they respected the needs of their students both in school and out. Although funding was limited, the emphasis on college and further education was also clear in their attitudes. What was most engaging for me was how the faculty took risks. The implementation of the new uniform policy, and then the willingness of the faculty to accept criticism and change the rules to accommodate all their students needs (ex. the wording of the "polo" shirt price issue and availability issues) is something I am not used to seeing. In my opinion, the openness to judgement the school allowed only inspires a healthier learning environment for the students attending.
Furthermore, knowing that Central Falls generally is a lower income community, I have to be honest and say I expected a more chaotic high school. Embarrassing, I also pondered whether metal detectors or violence would be issues there and whether or not students would have access to college prep courses. Knowing know that I was overwhelmingly wrong and clearly stereotyping the school and town, I cannot say enough how impressed I was with the progressiveness of Central Falls.
Overall, I think most of my preconceived ideas about Central Falls High School held few truths. And I'm glad. I think working and learning there will both challenge and strengthen my abilities, making me a more effective educator in the future.
