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.