A Trip to Bowers/Whitley Career Center

 

     It seems Bowers/Whitley Career Center is more than just a school. It is a second chance for students to better themselves despite family issues, community problems and learning disabilities.

     It is October 22nd, 2013 and I have just arrived at Bowers/ Whitley Career Center. Their aim is to provide quality performance based career planning programs and training facilities for at-risk students. The school is well exemplified by the Principal, Mr. Anthony Colucci. He goes on explaining, in detail how the school works and differs from regular high schools. In his introduction he states that career centers provide a different way for students to earn a high school diploma. Any pupil who is at least 16 years of age or older, who is at least one grade level behind in school and who does not have a history of severe behavioral problems may apply. The interesting part is if the student is accepted at the age of 16 and is not able to complete grade level he/she is bumped up to the 11th grade, depending on their FCAT scores. What makes Bowers/Whitley different from other high schools is that they eliminated the 2.0 G.P.A, the standard diploma, and the 24 credits earned, as explained in Mr. Colucci's presentation. What the students earn is a performance based high school diploma, which does not get them into college or the armed forces, but does allow students to attend community college, as would a G.E.D. Career programs provided are Building Construction Technology, Culinary Operations, Digital Design and Early Childhood Education, just to name a few. After are brief introduction with Mr. Colucci and selected staff, the practicum class are split up into groups, by colored wrist bands provide upon arrival and observe the different classes as scheduled.

     We begin our tour by observing Mr. Alexander's class who teaches auto mechanics, where the students wear red shirts. From my perspective, in each career program the students wear different colored shirts to give them a sense of individualism and to differentiate the classes. Each class is observed for approximately 15 minutes, giving the group and I barely enough time to write notes, but enough time to visit various other career programs. Though our observation is short Mr. Alexander is a teacher who gives his students tough love by being stern and to the point.

      The class observed next is Mrs. Simpsons reading class. It is to my understanding that though the students have been accepted at Bowers/Whitley, before they can be placed in the appropriate grade curriculum, the students must pass the FCAT and GED testing. Mrs. Simpsons class helps the students prepare for such task.

     Mr. Hess teaches marketing. He utilizes the group and I to help teach his students about product and sells. Written on the bulletin board are three types of soft drinks - Pepsi, Coke, and other. Two members of the group are asked to conduct a taste test. Both members appear to be drinking Coke instead of what they believed they were drinking.  The result of this test is to ensure the product and provide the marketer valuable information from the customers response.

     The 4th class being observed is Mrs. Brown, who teaches gaming. On this day the students conduct a power-point, where they must talk about themselves giving brief information and in addition, add photos. The last three classes visited were Mrs. Maye teaching administrations, Mrs. Brooks teaching nursing and Mrs. Hatfield teaching fashion design. 

     The majority of these students go through family issues, not knowing how to resolve or get through the problem(s) presented. These students grow up in low poverty areas, not knowing they can change the outcome of their living situation. These students may also have some sort of learning and/or behavioral disability that makes them feel unworthy in the eyes of other non-disabled. I found Bowers/Whitley Career center to be interesting in a way that assists students through troubled times, giving them other alternatives and making good choices.

 

 

A Trip to Pepin Academy

     I have arrived at Pepin Academies. According to Pepin they are a tuition free, public charter school, for students with identified learning or learning related disabilities, and having an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Pepin's mission is to create a high intensity, low threat therapeutic learning community that celebrates the gifts of every student. Pepin's vision is to prepare students to meet the academic, social and emotional challenges encountered in everyday life providing them the necessary skills to successfully transition to the next grade level and to eventually pursue post secondary options and transition to an awarding career.
     Pepin Academies have two sites, one in Tampa (K-12) and the other in Riverview (3rd-7th grade).
Our class visits Pepin Academies in Tampa (Hillsborough and 40th), comprising 500 students. Before we split up into groups with our professors, we are welcomed with a brief introduction at Pepin by the principle, Dr. Butts. He explains that Pepin is not only a K-12 school, but is also a transitional school where students can stay being taught and trained in life and working skills. Butts also explains that they are a charter and public school where they work independently from the school district. After we are welcomed to Pepin Academies our tour begins.
     My group first observes a mixed class of 4th and 5th graders. Mrs. Brooks is the ESE teacher  who is paired with Mrs. Williams (a paraprofessional) in a self-contained class. It seems all the elementary classes are self-contained and include  a paraprofessional. The ambiance of the room is small, but cozy with bulletin boards surrounding the room and made-up of spelling, reading, math and a character table. Mrs. Brooks speaks through a microphone where some people would think is just for the hearing impaired, but can be also be used to filter out noise and helping students focus. After viewing Mrs. Brooks class the group and I move on to the next observing.
     Mrs. Amy is an 8th grade teacher who is teaching her students punctuation and grammar in a unique manner. Mrs. Amy administrates an assignment where the USF group and I participate with the 8th grade students. The pupils are asked to interview us, by asking simple questions and writing down the answers given using correct punctuation. After asking the group questions and writing down the answers provided the pupils then read the answers out loud, but using punctuation sounds.  Punctuation sounds? Before the assignment is carried out Mrs. Amy gives a sound to each punctuation. Here are some examples: Coma means Swoop, Space-bar means Tap, Period means Boink and Quotations means Mir Mir. One student writes, Mr. G replies, "I am from Tampa". The same student says out loud, Mr. G replies (swoop) I am from Tampa (mir mir/boink). What the group witnessed was the best display of a teacher interacting with her students. What the group noticed was that the boys were separated in one classroom from the girls in another classroom...possibly keeping away distraction and a variety of embarrassments from both sex. 
     Our last observing is Pepin's high school level. The group and I briefly witness a U.S. History/Govt. class and Art class. Not much is taken from these classes except for the unnoticeable character of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). What the students did show was their broad childlike innocents, with an eager to learn and respect for one another.
    On a personal viewpoint, I did feel a sense of' "feeling needed" compared to the other school visits.  For instance, Pepin is in an area of a low to middle class community where the majority of students may not experience the same living situations as students raised in a middle to upper class community.  Pepin is a transitional school where students after graduation can continue to take additional social, life and working skills. Pepin specifically caters to students with learning disabilities giving them hope of not feeling excluded from the community surrounded.