March 23, 2011: Day 3
We woke to snow falling outside our window this morning! Who would have thought we would still be experiencing Winter on our Spring Break? Luckily there was no accumulation because of the above freezing temperatures so our commute to school wasn’t really hindered, just a bit damp.
Upon arriving at school, everyone who had class went off to their usual rooms to help out. A few of us were left in the main office though, either because our teachers did not have class that period or, in my case, the students were taking a test so there was nothing the teacher needed me to do. Instead, we took on small tasks helping out the administration. Working in the office most of the day gave me the opportunity to observe how the school is run. I finally was able to witness firsthand some of the issues we had talked about as a group on previous days. It quickly became clear to me that the biggest problem was not a lack of resources available to the school, but rather the allocation of those resources.
On Monday during our orientation, Liana told us about the lack of funding being a key problem in the success of establishing after school programs as well as improving the school in general. She stressed how the school was in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the Bronx and did not have the money to make necessary improvements. After our first day in the classrooms, we began to question this. Almost every classroom had a smart board (an expensive alternative to a projector) and the math classroom I work in had new graphing calculators for every student. It seems that with no after school programs this money could have been better allocated. What’s wrong with a good old fashioned chalk board?
As the day progressed, the office began to fill with students who were in detention or waiting to be sent home after getting in a fight of some sort. As I was sitting in the office during class change I could hear another fight going down in the hallway. This fight led to the absence of the administrators from the office for the next half hour. Their already large load of work had now been interrupted by them having to deal with the situation and get everyone back under control. Perhaps the main focus of the funding should be on increasing staff. Technology can only do so much in helping kids learn, what they really need is simply to be in an environment in which they can focus. Of course this is easier said than done.
As an outsider, only having observed the situation for a few days, I really can’t come in and suggest what needs to be done especially when these suggestions are based off my personal experiences in a school that is nothing like Bronx International High School. Dealing with these students who can often times barely understand each other is a completely different, not to mention difficult, task and I truly commend the teachers and administration who have dedicated their lives to doing so. Through their hardship and sacrifice they are giving these kids a chance at an education that they would not otherwise have gotten. So, even if they haven’t perfected the system yet, they are already well on their way and continue to make progress everyday.
Tonight at the school was Family Financial Aid Night. Parents and students were invited to come by to get help filling out the FAFSA and to ask us any questions they had about college. Being a part of this was one of the most rewarding things that we as a group have partaken in thus far on the trip. It was truly amazing to see the progress some students have made in their years at Bronx International. To go from 9th and 10th graders who barely speak English and have the attention span of 2 minutes or less to mature young adults, basically fluent in English. The transformation from always talking and misbehaving in class to students who truly want to learn, go to college, and make better lives for themselves was enough to prove that the teachers must be doing something right. Overall the day was a very eye-opening and rewarding experience, definitely worth the extra hours we put in tonight at the school. We can’t wait to see what surprises tomorrow brings and we’re ready to make the most of the last 2 days we get to spend with the kids!
-Sara
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