Emma Burns

Setting and Context: Rocky Mountain High School

The Lobo Way

School Community

Climate

The community at Rocky Mountain High School is inclusive and enthusiastic.

The moment you open the doors to the front entrance you are greeted by the word
welcome in almost every language. From their weekly video announcements to their
energetic pep rallies, students show their love for their school and their peers. In this day
and age, teenagers seem to have established school as a place that is boring. At Rocky,
teachers fight hard to combat that stigma, and try to make the content applicable and
engaging. Also, the various speakers who have come into our class who work at Rocky
have all advertised how deeply they care about what is going on in the lives of their
students. Students operate in an environment where the adults around them know that
school may not be their top priority when hard things are going on in their life. The
mission statement of the school is, Rocky Mountain High School inspires, guides, and
supports our students, faculty and staff to reach their maximum potential in a caring,
challenging and safe environment. After spending so much time in the school, it is
evident the schools actions directly reflect their mission statement. Rocky is enthusiastic
in the ways they teach content and inclusive in the ways they promote cultural
differences.

Clubs

There are various clubs for students to engage with around campus. Students have
the opportunity to design and orchestrate their own clubs at school, and they meet at
various times during lunch. These clubs include: African History club, Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, Glee club, Social Justice Club, Write around the World, and many
more. From this list, it is apparent students care about diversity, and inclusion. The wide
variety of clubs show all students interests are accessible to students, which makes all
voices heard within the walls of the school. There are also school-sponsored clubs like:
American Sign Language club, debate and forensics, DECA, the school newspaper, and
others. Rockys faculty goes above beyond to provide spaces for students to interact with
deep passions they have that exist outside of the classroom.

Other Resources

Besides the variety of clubs students can be involved with, there are also other
programs to help students academically. There is the gifted and talented program for
students who need a more supportive and challenging learning environment. This
program provides book discussion groups, college visit field trips, research field trips,
and much more. Also, another program Rocky has is the ASCENT program. This
 program was set in motion with the goal of getting more students to graduate high school.
Other programs such as Mind Center and Voyager work to assist struggling students, and
help them meet their academic goals. These programs work to support the varying
academic levels, and ensure that no student gets swept under the rug. All in all, Rocky
provides clubs and programs that are tailored to every kid.

Parent Involvement

The schools website provides a variety of information for parents to access in

order to involve themselves in Rockys culture. Rocky makes sure to involve parents as
much as they can by providing the right information. I had to unique opportunity to
attend a film festival that ninth grade students put on for their parents after completing a
unit project. They created two minute films and provided a space for parents to come
watch. A plethora of parents showed up and even engaged in dialogue after each film,
commenting on other kids films. This showed me how parents care for not only their
own students, but for other students in the school.

Demographics

In a school of 1,522 students, 76% of the student body identify as White.

According to the StartClass website, compared to other schools in Colorado, this
percentage is much different than other schools who have a lower percentage of White
students. However, compared to the demographics in Fort Collins, Rocky is not much
different. The next largest body of students are Hispanic at 15%, and then Asian at 3%.
The total minority enrollment at Rocky is 24%. Overall, Rocky lacks in diversity of the
student body, and it very apparent when you walk into the classroom.

Students and Classroom

The students in my class are 9th grade students. The class is a regular English class, but
my cooperating teacher was put in a unique opportunity to teach a project-based learning class
through one of CU Boulders programs. In this class, students design advertisements, make
films, and experiment with other types of projects. These projects are used to replace typical
essays or projects you see in a traditional English classroom. About half of the class seems to
have natural tendencies of self-motivation, focus, and endurance. The other half seems to have
more difficulty working and participating in class. There are three students in the class who are a
part of integrated services. A majority of the class is Caucasian, however, a couple students are
African American, Asian, or Latino.
The students in the classroom have varying interests. Some participate in sports, the
school play, cross-country, different clubs, or other programs. There are some students who seem
to enjoy being at school, while others clearly do not want to be in the room. These students need
to be in a learning environment that is stimulating and engaging. Bringing in their own interests
and hobbies will make them more willing to participate. Also, their voices need to be heard in
the class. There are students who are more introverted and shy who need a chance to engage in
small group discussion or whole-class dialogue.
 The physical layout of the classroom consists of all desks facing forward in lined rows,
which is a very traditional design of a classroom. I believe this adds to the classroom culture in a
negative way because it does not promote relationship building. Also, this layout may make
students assume the teacher is always in control at the front of the room; however it is important
to establish a classroom dynamic where students are able to advocate for their own learning.

Modifications and Adaptations

The students in my classroom are all very different. One girl is exceptionally talented at
writing. Although her grammar mechanics are flawed, she is extremely poetic and well-spoken.
Often times, I allow her to read her writing to the class in order to accommodate her exceptional
writing and set an example for other students. This is one intimate way I challenge her to
continue writing to a broader audience. When I receive the opportunity to teach these students I
accommodate their needs by making the content approachable and relatable to students. Also, I
give each student an opportunity to use their voice and participate evenly. I do this because I
know some students do not go home to a family who wants to listen to them. Or a family who
takes the time to sit and have a family dinner. The classroom should not be a place where
students feel comfortable disengaging. Instead, they should feel known, and listened to in the
classroom.
Arranging the desks in pods of four is a great way to engage all students. In this
classroom format, it is easy to switch back and forth from individual work to group work. A way
to engage all the multiple intelligences of students is to make the classroom environment
flexible. Also, it is important to engage different types of texts. In my lesson, podcasts, pictures,
videos, and written texts are utilized in order to adhere to different learning styles.
I learned bits and pieces of this one boys story in class one day. His step-dad was
abusive towards his mom, so they moved states away where he began eighth grade in a whole
new setting. In a couple of months he was needed to fly home to testify in court against his step-
dad. In class, he consistently has his headphones in and watches YouTube videos. At surface-
level, this student wears a mask that shows he does not care about anything. Yet, deeper down,
there is a lot of hurt and pain. After the first quarter, this kid failed the class.
 In order to adapt the class for this student, I would start by learning more about his home
situation. I would meet with him individually, or call home to his mother. Bringing in a school
counselor, or the dean, I would ask for help on how to best serve this student. Also, I would
speak with other teachers who this student has, and work with them. Within the classroom, I
would involve more group work, so that, this student could build relationships with students that
he may not have at home. Also, I would not let him sit at the back of the class where it is easy for
him to disengage. Beyond that, I would allow flexible due dates and open up my classroom for
him to do his homework since his home life is too stressful. This student needs interaction,
motivation, and encouragement to succeed in school. He needs to have someone alter the way he
views himself, and his own life. He does not care about failing, because other important things
are happening in his life. As a teacher, it is important to be aware of the burdens students are
carrying when they enter into the classroom.
Another student in the classroom has a form of autism. He has a hard time
communicating, making eye contact, focusing, and behaving properly. He does not have a Para
with him in the class, so most of the time he is on his own to do his work. In order to
accommodate his needs, tests and projects need to be modified to apply to his learning level. He
also needs to be given an area outside of the classroom to take tests and quizzes so that he can
focus. This student needs extra support, inside and outside of the classroom. Working with
faculty from integrated services in order to ensure this student has access to every possible
resource is crucial for the success of this student.