Teaching In An Urban School

Context and Teaching Analysis

I’m often asked by friends who are not teachers what is Jean Childs Young Middle School like.  They ask me what is so special about the school and specifically being a teacher there.   Young Middle school as it is referred to is a middle school offering 6th through 8th grade.  The demographics of the school is unlike any I have encountered.  Over 90 percent of the students are African American.  There is a 8 percent population that is Hispanic and the rest White.  I am currently teaching a connections class in the area of broadcast and communication as well working with English Language Learners in their core content classes.   It’s amazing I reach and teach 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade.  All of the courses are semester or roughly 5 months long. Connections courses are 90 minutes with core content being 50 minutes every day.  Jean Childs Young middle is located in the heart of Atlanta, GA.  “We”,  meaning students and teachers affectionately call it “ATL”. 

The school sits right off the historic district of Martin Luther King Jr. and Lynhurst Drive.  It is the old stomping grounds of civils right icons such as Andrew Young, Martin Luther King Jr., Joseph Lowry and a whole host of leaders who changed the course of history.  It’s a school in the city; an urban school and it feels like a city. The hustle and bustle in the halls confirm along with it sitting in the city of Atlanta that boast over 5 million residents; more than what the 50,000 the US Census requires to be categorized as an urban school.  Some classes I have noticed have co-teachers depending on the students in each class.   In whole group instruction allows those students who may need individualized attention to succeed in the course.  Planning for each content department happens on an individual and group or team basis.  Subject leads meet with their specific content teachers once a month.  Teachers generally have a planning period every day.  

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My mentor teacher explained to me for my department ESOL there is no book.  It was explained to me that we are trying to give students the best opportunity to be successful in all content areas.  In the ESOL department we follow the content and pacing of the core content.  We teach and reinforce the core content by working with ELLs on their English understanding of the content.  I have been fortunate to be able to be hands when we use the strategy of “pushing in” to a core content class such as math.  I’ve been working with 8th graders understanding order of operations in math.  I have found the numbers are easy for them. The problem comes when there is a word problem.   I work with them to understand the meaning of the words in context and outside of context. At Young Middle we use the MTSS system every second of the day.   At our school we integrate the MTSS system into the fabric of the school known as “the Den.”  Seeing the framework is extraordinary.  Everyone from our instructional coaches to our social workers, to counselors to our behavioral specialists helps in identifying academic shortfalls and appropriate interventions.  I have been able to witness an individualized Education Plan meeting.   It was the most eye-opening experience.   It showed everyone who is important to the child’s success along with immediate family coming together for the success of the child.   

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My mentor teacher again says she does not use a textbook but as far as technology she uses Google translator along with other language learning apps that accomplishes our goal of students English competency in our  four domains of reading, writing, speaking and listening.  The ESOL class I teach in is alive.  I say that because walking into the room I feel the energy of the students.  That energy is displayed in pictures of the students, their families and their pets. Many of the home country flags are displayed in the classroom and in the hall outside of the classroom.  Talk about a benefit.   I have seen students walk through the door and smile because they saw their flag or saw a picture of their family.  The environment makes them feel safe.  My mentor teacher has her students’ desk facing each other so students are sitting in a collaborative state.  It Is easy for them to think and share together.

Students in my ESOL class are about 20 in number. They range in age from 12 to 14 years of age.   There are a majority of girls.  There are 15 girls compared to 5 boys.  Most students are bridging English Language Learners with about three who are categorized as entering ELLs.  The majority of students speak Spanish with two speaking Mandinka.  At Young middle the messages as a whole are conveyed in English.  Correspondence that we send home for families are translated in the home language.   Most times we send the English and the home language copy with students.

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The teaching and learning I have observed makes so much sense.  At Young Middle teachers are taught to give students activities from “bell to bell”.   It begins with a routine, an opening routine that starts off with what we call a “Do Now. “ It prepares students for the work to come during class. In the ESOL classes students’ relationships I have observed are very close. The students in my mentor teachers class conduct themselves as if they’ve known each other forever.   The students in the class share common backgrounds. Some share common experiences.

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When it comes to ideologies, I will say I was blown away at the approach I’ve seen some educators take in instruction.  By that I mean it is common knowledge that some teach based on student deficit. Some teachers have used a colorblind ideology.   I have learned this is an error that doesn’t serve the student or educator.  It also does not help in the curriculum.  We have learned that operating from an asset mindset is what allows students successful input.  You must see a student for what race they are, what their economic background is and their unique learning style.

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My mentor teacher is awesome at inclusivity.   She takes a step back and puts herself in her students’ shoes to see a different perspective of how she may approach the curriculum.   I like that she if very honest and forthright.  I initially went into my class speaking the dominant language which is Spanish.   I had forgotten that this can be looked at as condescending by some students.   The students already understand, speak and write Spanish.  They are here to learn English.  In self -reflection  I was trying to find some way that I could relate to students very quickly.  So whereas before I was speaking 70 percent Spanish I am now doing strictly English and I only scaffold if I cannot reach them any other way.  I have just begun this journey with my new ESOL students.  I am really looking forward to bringing the real world of English and America to my students.

References

Muhammad, G., & Williams, P. (2023). Unearthing joy: A guide to culturally and historically responsive teaching and learning. Scholastic Inc.

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Wright, W. E. (2019). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and Practice. Caslon.

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Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis (2007). Human Learning