The first of many love letters to BDEA
This is the first post I'm writing about the alternative high school I work at, so I'm going to start off with some background information and fully catch everyone up to speed on the amazing place I graduated from.
So I came to BDEA (Boston Day and Evening Academy) in January 2012. I had done a week (four day weeks, Mon-Thurs) of orientation in December that informs you more about the school, some diagnostic testing, and meeting some current students/staff. Even from the beginning of orientation, I knew this school had something really special about it, mostly because of the final 'project' we were to complete to finish orientation. It was about us. It was about what we liked, where we came from, what brought us here, what we wanted to do. I spent 5 years at BLS (no offense to BLS students...only offense to the school community as a whole. and i mean the offense. i really do) and not once did I have teachers asking me about myself, what I liked, not really...not with that genuine interest. Never once was a project about me, what I did, why I came here, what my real life goals were. Never once did I give a presentation, on myself no less, where students were listening (really listening) and asking me questions about who I was. We all heard each other's stories, found out that we all had shit happening in our lives that made other school's difficult to function at, expectations we couldn't reach, anxiety. different learning styles, and tons of ambitions we weren't willing to let go of. We wanted to finish school. We wanted to do well in school. We wanted to graduate.
My first day at BDEA was a whirlwind. I had a math class, which I was nervous about (math was never my strong suit), a science seminar class (basic science. this was because the school does not accept anything below a C, as well as the testing score I received), a research class (this class is how to write a research paper, a walk-through of all the steps which i found IMMENSELY helpful in college and like life in general), and a biochemistry class. There is also a period of the day called advisory, instead of a study hall or a guidance counselor, you have this period every day to do work, debates, watch tv (my advisor was fond of snacks and the simpsons one day a week), and talk to your advisor about your schedule and expected graduation date. Classes are smaller, teachers check in on every students, and a lot of the work is hands on. There would be 'Do-Now's, which I was accustomed to. There would be projects, more projects than papers, and I found myself with little to no homework (this is because many students work, have children, or have complicated home lives that don't always allow them a lot of time to do a bunch of homework). As the days went on, I became close with teachers. They had personality, they had their own teaching styles, and I knew them on a real level. I also found that students, despite my introverted way of never really speaking, seemed to like me. They wanted to talk to me. They struck up conversation. I have never felt so genuinely myself around these peers, I wasn't worrying the whole time if they found me annoying or ugly or generally terrible to talk to. I had friends I really enjoyed seeing in class everyday.
Surprisingly (to me) I did well in math, I even was able to help out other students. I don't know if it was just me, but the ability to help other students, to talk to other students while doing work, was just amazing to me. So different. I excelled in my science classes, and if I wanted extra work it was given to me freely. BDEA operates on a competency-based system, it has students demonstrate their knowledge in different ways. I think I took a few quizzes and can only remember one test. It was mainly projects, it was about really really knowing this stuff. You earn competency by earning benchmarks. Each class has certain benchmarks to reach, certain assignments allow you to make multiple benchmarks. Getting the lowest amount needed is called 'basic competent', there is also 'competent', and 'highly competent'. If I took a test or did a project, there was always a section available to earn a highly competent, which I usually tried to do. In fact, a lot of people did as much as they could. It wasn't an *easy* school, the work wasn't *easy*, I was challenged. I mention this because I came from such a prestigious and advanced high school, I had my worries about being bored in class. I never was, and that's honest. I left these classes KNOWING the material, even if some of it triggered vague memories of a class I barely passed two years ago.
Wow, this post is getting quite long. Not apologizing, just remarking. I'm rambling, but I'm quite fine with that. Moving on
At the end of the trimester (there is a fall trimester from sept to nov, a symposium project month in december-more about that later, a winter trimester from jan to march, a spring trimester from march to june, and a summer trimester in july-more on that later as well) there is assesment week. Here, students can finish up work that they might have missed somewhere in the trimester (YES you can finish a paper you might not have been satisfied with, finish up your notebook, do whatever shit you feel you need to do!!!) as well as work on their final project. For this trimester I had a project for math, a final exam/binder check for biochemistry, I don't quite remember anything for science seminar, and my final research paper/presentation. I wish every day that I could find this paper somewhere, as well as the doooooooooope presentation I made. My years at BLS had taught me to be very very anxious and all around freak out about finals. I stressed out about my math project, even asked the teacher to look at i before I handed it in to make sure I had even done it correctly (I had). I even helped classmates finish the project in class. She was so kind to me, I remember, assuring me that there was no need to worry. I felt relieved. My biochemistry class exam went fine, I found I knew everything necessary and had completed all the assignments. There was no need for me to have worried, I was told.
And yet, I still had that final paper and presentation for Research. This teacher, who i would have again and eventually work for, is one in a million. She busted my ass, and I'm quite good in English classes (though you might not be able to tell from reading this). She busted everyone's ass. It was like she knew what these students were capable of, and pushed them to that point. Demanded the best out of them. I had had teachers in the past who busted my ass, made me really do things I wasn't comfortable doing (hello, declamation), but never in a way that showed they cared. During her class, she would see a journal entry I had just barely done, thrown together, and would call me on it. Not in a you're-in-big-trouble way, but in a way that showed she knew my potential and wanted me to tap into it. She would ask how my day was, she would talk to each of us before class in casual conversation. Now, I must state this or it will truly bug me. She never asked us to give 100% every single day, I mean, teachers know students have bad days (sometimes they just don't quite give a shit). She just asked us to give what we could to class every day. Imagine a school where every staff member understood that concept, because it's incredible. If I was having a shitty day, if I was just tired, if something was going on in my personal life, and I merely had 25% to give that day, all that was asked of me was to try and give that. This teacher was kind, but intimidating. I never wanted to disappoint her, and I still hope I never do. Once, I cut her class (which, at BLS would result in detention and like a berating basically) and I remember seeing her the next day, just knowing that she knew. She asked me why, and I explained that I just felt like going home, just couldn't be in class that day. She didn't act angry, she maybe showed a bit of disappointment, but moved on. She never held a grudge. She just went on teaching, and I gave 110% that day, never wanting to see her look at me that way again.
For her class I did a project on propaganda in World War 2, included examples and research from all sides of both the Axis and Allied powers involved. I loved doing that project. I loved researching something I was interested in. Topics in the class varied wildly, from careers they wanted to pursue (I remember one girl doing a project on hair braiding, it was great) to legalization of marijuana. We had a larger question, I believe mine was something about how propaganda can be used as a wartime tactic and how effective it was, that had to be answered through research and analysis. I stood outside of the school, smoked a couple cigarettes, and considered leaving. One student who was playing basketball out back, who I consider a friend to this day, reassured me that there was no need to worry, in probably the most caring way a classmate could. He lifted me up off the curb and personally walked me into the classroom, adding a 'She's nervous!" before wishing me final luck and leaving.. A few students were in the room, all doing their own work, as I set up my presentation. She sat at one end of a table with me at the other (wow why do I remember this so vividly????) and I began to talk. I had written notecards and done all this preparation for exactly what I was going to say, and as the presentation continued, I stopped looking at my notes and stopped speaking so mechanically. I simply just talked about the topic, because with all the research, I knew exactly what I was talking about. I must have gone on for a while, because as I was describing the uses of color in Russian propaganda, there were those few students gathered around my table, intently listening. When I was done, they asked questions. Not scripted 'oh I have to ask a question' inquiries, but to gain real understanding. NEVER in a million years did I imagine people at BLS or any other school for that matter (yes, i am that bold and that proud of BDEA and I dare you to try and contradict me) taking time out of their day to listen to me ramble about history, becoming so interested in it that they stopped what they were doing and took the time out to listen, and then to ask me questions for no other reason than they really wanted to know. I immediately had a feeling that now still plagues me, why was I so freaked out and nervous? I was prepared, I was fine. Even if I wasn't fine, this teacher wasn't going to fail me, be malicious. She would simply ask me to fix some things, try again. I never needed to be afraid to raise my hand with a tentative answer to a question I wasn't sure of, I sure as hell never had to fret about asking a question at all. Other students weren't going to think less of me, other teachers weren't going to think I was foolish or insolent or simply not paying attention. And that's how schools should operate. With support. With understanding. With an undying desire to HELP their students learn, and really learn, not regurgitate.
At the beginning of the next trimester, there is a *Town Hall Meeting*, which is an assembly during advisory period. Teachers give awards from the previous trimester for things like 'Most Improved', 'Academic Achievement' 'Good Character', or whatever else feels necessary. Every teacher decides how many and which awards to give to which students for all four of the classes they teach. They get up on stage, one at a time, and celebrate their students. I was wholly impressed to get academic achievement for Math, Biochemistry, and Research. They might just be pieces of laminated paper with your name and the class on it, but students go nuts. I cried. I had never been praised before, besides getting a good grade and I had to basically pat myself on the back, for work done in a class. Sure, you might get a causal 'hey good job on that est you aced' from a teacher every now and then, but this is in front of the whole school. Not only did I find it incredible and beautiful for this to take place in of itself, but then something even more amazing happened. Students clap, whoop, scream, and applaud their classmates. Even now, it gives me goosebumps to think about. Kids I had met like two months before clapped for me, I clapped for them, I congratulated them on their work done. Other teachers came over to me and to other students, congratulating them. I hugged each and every teacher that gave me an award. Hugging is a big thing at BDEA. Texting as well, you can text 'hey I'm running late' or 'hey, sorry I missed class today', and it's totally normal. Teachers just give out their numbers to students, I mean it's usually on their frickin syllabus. And the hugging, the hugging that means so much more than that, especially coming from BLS. It was a way of showing that they cared about us as people, wanted to watch us grow as students, and were genuinely happy to watch us succeed. It is said many times at graduations and assemblies, BDEA is a family. The guy who works the front desk and sees who goes in and out is nicknamed 'Uncle', you pass teachers in the halls who say 'hey, hows it going?' and students look out for each other. It is an ideal family. Everyone wants the best for everyone, everyone respects each other. You know that nightmare that you have that all your teachers sit around together and shit talk you? Or even worse, that all your teachers are so disconnected they don't even know each other or who all their students are or that they both even have the same students? At BDEA, these teachers might get together and talk about what kind of help you need, what learning style seems to work best for you, what tactics or kinds of lessons work best in what classes, and mostly, how awesome you are. Seriously. Even now, I sit and chat with the teachers I work with about students and how awesome they are. That's no joke,. And that's what family is. That's what a school community is. They don't push when yo udon't want to be pushed, they ask what's wrong and try to help, and they genuinely care. I cannot stress that enough. These people give a shit about me (I keep saying me which makes me sound like I'm all important or whatever, but just consider me an example because it really is for every single student) and want to know me, really know me. That is something I never expected from teachers, or from anyone in this school. I just came to do my work and graduate. It's funny to remember that now, two years since graduation and I've been working here sine I graduated. I plan on completing college and applying to work here. Once you see a school operate this way, it's hard to imagine going anywhere else. Hard to imagine ever leaving my family.
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