Week 12- Youth in The System

Questions about Restorative Practices

1. What should our first step be to ensure that Restorative Practices are implemented not only in classrooms but in the schools as well? Who should be the first person/people we approach? (principal, parents, youth, school district, etc)

2. What should be our vision/mission when trying to implement restorative practices in schools? We as youth workers should not go in with the "save them mentality". 

Reflections on Restorative Practices

3. Watching the assigned material for this week on restorative practice, gives me hope for Providence schools. If the administration at Roger Williams implements this tool in their school, I believe their be a lot less disrespect from students. What I found to be critically important, is the role of the adults. They are not there to discipline the youth. There not there to chastise them or even lead the circle. They are participants. We could even go as far as to call them facilitators. But there are not meeting with their students to hand out punishments.

4. Our youth have way too many people in their lives that yell at them. Or make them feel inferior. We need to stray away from the "control factor" in our educational system. Holding onto the notion of control will not earn the respect of our youth. In the videos, the facilitators did not come into the circle with a superior attitude. They didn't tell the participants, "I'm in charge and you have to do what I say". They didn't stand in the front of the room and raise their voice. They treated their youth as their equals. Every body's voice mattered. 

5. The level of vulnerability from the facilitators is whats missing from our educators today. If you want to reach our youth, you have to be willing to share who you are?  You can't expect your students to share who they are, where they come from, if you're not willing to do the same. It's apart of the meet them where they are model. You get out what you put in. 

Week 11- Leading With

After reading "Urban Youth Building Community", I have come to agree with the four lessons mapped out after conducting research on three youth projects (PARTY, TNL, and AYPAL)

1. The importance of positionality-  

One way to create change in our society is to understand the potential obstacles, discrimination and oppression that some groups experience over others. Initially, the youth in PARTY, viewed Ms. Nygreen as an authority figure not as an ally. In addition to her being a teacher, she did not share the youth's racial background. She was a white woman who was seen as privileged. In order for her to gain her students trust, she had to walk into that room open minded, vulnerable, and honest. It would have been impossible for her to walk into the room with a teacher's mentality and become an ally. Ms. Nygreen had to admit that she as white woman held certain privileges. Privileges that were masked from her students. But most importantly, she had to acknowledge that her students were being oppressed by the educational system. 

2. The role of adult allies in youth-led projects

If adults are committed to youth-led projects, they must know their place in the organization. Too often than not, adults either inadvertently or deliberately take the power away from the youth. My after school program is housed out of  Roger Williams Middle School. Last year, the school brought back student council. The adults promised to give complete control over to the students. Three months after the student council elections, the administration started vetoing proposed ideas. They took control over the student council and started making decisions without asking the student body what they wanted. It was easy for the administration to say no to proposed ideas because they must adhere to school policy and regulations. 

3. The creation of safe spaces

Some people like to believe that people exist in environments that are open and accepting, unfortunately this is not true for many people, especially for those in oppressed communities. I believe everyone wants to be comfortable within their own environments. To be able to express their thoughts and feelings. Without fear of not being heard. Even something as simple as having a space outside of a school can help to establish a safe space free of authoritative figures. PARTY decided to change their meeting space from a university classroom to the home of one of its members. By changing the venue, youth were able to disregard the oppressive "school-like" environment.

4. The building of trust and relationships

Building trust with youth is crucial if you want to establish meaningful relationships. You must meet them where they are at. Its all about finding a balance. On the one hand, you have to maintain a level of professionalism. But on the other hand, you have to be willing to be vulnerable. If you share certain hobbies, acknowledge that. If you have similar taste in music, share that. If your youth do not trust you, they will be hesitant to allow you in to their lives. 

Week 10- # Black Lives Matter

We need to stand together as a community (parents, school administration, teachers, union officials, students, etc.). We cannot continue to live in fear of retaliation from hateful groups of people. We cannot let ignorance and racism deter us from making Black Lives Matter in our schools.  

The Seattle community chose to band together and continue their movement despite hate groups threatening to bomb an elementary school in Seattle. We need to show people who choose to live in ignorance that we will not be moved.  We will not be pushed back to the days where our voices did not matter. Like Seattle Seahawk Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Bennett said, “Some people believe the change [must] come from the government, but I believe it has to be organic and come from the bottom. The campaign around making Black Lives Matter in Seattle schools did not originate from people in office. It originated from community members who were fed up seeing youth of color being oppressed by an institutional system.  

If we follow Seattle Washington’s lead and acknowledge the systems of privilege that are oppressing our black youth, we can shake up the institutions by instilling the 3-point policy set forth. Which calls for supporting ethnic studies in schools, replacing zero tolerance discipline with restorative justice practices, and de-tracking classes within the schools to undo the racial segregation that is reinforced by tracking. I would like to see this policy proposal within the Providence Public School District.  

Towards the end of the Black Lives Matter article, white liberals in response to the campaign expressed that, “We should be colorblind because all lives matter’. Excuse my language but I see this as being nothing more than bullshit. If all lives mattered, we wouldn’t have so many black youths being killed by police officers. If all lives mattered, we wouldn’t have illegal immigrants being deported or detained in detention camps. If all lives mattered, there would be an equal amount of news coverage for black children who are declared missing by family members. When Natalie Holloway went missing, her story was aired on countless news stations day after day. I guarantee you, there were Black and Hispanic children who were missing around the same time as Natalie Holloway and did not receive the same amount of news coverage as she did. So, when people say all lives matter it really pisses me off. If you want to continue to live in a world of color blindness, that’s your right to ignorance. Just don’t try to rub that ignorance off on everyone else! 

Week 9- Play

While reading the assigned texts/videos/blog posts, I found myself thinking of my after school program and the lack of “play” that is incorporated. I think I should explain the set up of my program before I go any further.

We have outside providers come into the AfterZone site( Roger Williams) to teach our kids: dancing, cooking, life skills, and preforming arts. Our after-school program runs from 3:00pm to 5:15pm. Some providers such as, our cooking instructor choose to hold two hour programs. We only see these kids during dinner and dismissal time. Other than that, they are in their programs. On the other hand, we have some providers that choose to hold programs for only a hour. So, if their program runs from 3pm to 4pm, then they have AfterZone and vice versatile. AfterZone is supposed to be considered free time or free play.

After reading this weeks assignments, I can honestly say my program is missing free play. My current  supervisor believes in having a set schedule of AfterZone activities. But instead of asking our kids what they would like to do for the day, she leaves it in the hands of the staff. I have some kids who would much rather play board games, listen to music, and play games on their phone than play the assigned game for the day. I look down on the schedule because we are not giving our kids a voice. There have been times when my supervisor would tell some of our quieter kids to go to the gym and participate in the AfterZone game of the day. One of my kids came up to me and said, “At DelSesto, the staff let their kids pick what they want to do. I don’t like to play with other kids. I want to be by myself playing on my phone”. If it were up to me, every day of AfterZone would be free play. I would pull out board games in the cafeteria and bring out sports equipment and set that up in the gym. I guarantee that would diminish the amount of kids who choose to sit against the wall and curse out staff members.

Week 8: Whats Care Got To Do With It!

While reading Dr. McKamey's article, Restoring "Caring in Education" I initially found myself confused with the two caring conceptualizations (caring about and caring for).  It wasn't until I came across Lila and Ruby's stories that I was able to comprehend the framework Dr. McKamey was setting forth. [When we are} caring about, we are putting an emphasis on ourselves and the issues we care about or want to see changed not only for our benefit, but for the people we feel are being oppressed.  Lila felt as though her teacher was excluding her and her peers who did not speak Spanish. She felt strongly about the situation and sought out help from another teacher on how she could combat the inequality within the classroom. Her story illustrates the caring about framework.

When it came to the "caring for" conceptualization, I had to place myself in my youth space (Roger Williams Middle School). I had to look back on the times I entered the school and identified times where I witnessed students being cared for by the school administration. Some teachers will seek out students they know are having a bad day but it is not a consistent approach. However, this is a consistent approach among after school program staff. What's ironic about this situation is, these staff members do not see our kids every single day. Some see their kids two maybe three times a week. In spite of this, there is a level of consistency that is en routed. Lila made an analogy that stood out to me. She said, "I consider myself as a pot, because the flowers inside the pot need water, sun, soil, to grow and become healthy. If it doesn't have these things, then it will not grow and die".  In my eyes, our kids need: respect, opportunities for leadership as well as growth, and support.

In reading 'Caution, we have power, I felt an overwhelming sense of systematic oppression put forth on undocumented immigrants. I found myself flash backing to high school. In particular, 10th grade English Literacy. My English teacher was one of my more rigid educators. He strongly believed the only way to learn English was to speak it during school. He had this rule that I will never forget. He would always say, "If you decide to speak Spanish in my classroom, you will be staying after school and write I will not speak Spanish in Mr. Fuller's classroom a hundred times".  Students would go to the principals office to voice their frustrations but the administration did nothing to support their students. In fact, more and more faculty started to adopt Mr. Fuller's rule. The English Language Learners were being oppressed by their educators. The very people who were vocal about English being the only dominant language in their school.

Week 7- Identity

Jamila Lyiscott’s Ted Talk entitled, Why English Class is Silencing Students of Color introduces a framework of liberation literacy and calls for action for a paradigm shift that begins with critical awareness of ones self and the world we live in. While reading one of our assigned text entitled Locating Yourself for your Students, I noticed that the writers, Priya Parma’s and Shirley Steingberg begin their work by echoing one of Lyiscott’s principal paradigms. That paradigm being awareness of ones self. Parma and Steinberg believe, “Identifying [yourself] to students in terms of your personality- that is, naming exactly who you are, has been a way to create a safe space for students to discuss sensitive racial and ethnic matters”(page 282). If Parma had walked into that classroom oblivious to her own privileges as well as oppressions being alienated as a women of color, the kids in that classroom would not have felt comfortable talking to her. Nor would they have had a safe space to talk about own feelings of oppression. 

                      Jamila Lyiscott's final excerpt from, Why English Class is Silencing Students of  Color: If we do not have socially just practices in ourselves, then it is impossible to have social justice in our world. 

Jamila Lyiscott embraces the power of linguistic diversity and language in another Ted Talk entitled, 3 Ways to Speak English. She may speak her native language when she is with her family. Jamila Lyiscott describes herself as “tri-tongued orator”. She challenges people and expresses her definition of the word articulate. To her, articulation is not enunciating her words and pronouncing every sound because English is a complex language with multiple ways to speak the same words. She believes we should be celebrating linguistic diversity as opposed to looking down on people for speaking differently and labeling them as an inarticulate. 

Dr. Natalia Lopez- YDEV Retreat

Saturday's retreat was an empowering experience for me. I feel more connected to my YDEV peers. From being vulnerable with one another, we became more of a family. All I can say is, I wish I  could turn back time and relieve the whole experience. 

People may hear the word Race and think they can easily define it. But it's a complex word that has a complex definition. When we were working in groups last Saturday, I found it difficult to come up with what I think Race is. 

Dr. Natalia Lopez’s explanation about the origin of the History of Race in US starting in 1779 was information that was new to me. I am making a commitment to learn more about the five I's of Racism as well as the School to Prison Pipeline. 

Week 5- YDEV Ideologies

Principles of Youth Development- Quotes/Reflections

                                                                            

We denigrate as a “social butterfly” a person who cares too much about             

superficial connections, especially when that person seems to sacrifice character,

adopting whatever opinions or behaviors are popular. When confidence outruns

competence, danger looms. (page 1)

Reflection #1: Unfortunately, this happens every day with our youth. In their eyes, fitting in with the “popular crowd” means everything to them. I see it in my after-school program. Some of my introverted youth tend to be become a different version of themselves just to gain attention from their peers. Most of the time, they gain this attention by being rude to the after-school staff.  

Young people gain competence and character by being connected with others; especially caring adults, and their competence and character in turn help them form new connections. (page 1)   

Reflection #2: I firmly believe that if after school programs and youth led organizations were to shut their doors tomorrow, our youth would lose the very few people that have not given up on them. Nowadays, our kids are ostracized, labeled, and ignored by some of their teachers, administrators, and parents. They find the support and care they need from after school organizations/programs. We treat our youth as equals. Their voice, opinions, and concerns matter in our space.

When youth are selected to participate in a program because they are at risk or enmeshed in problem behavior, selection confirms their identity as trouble. Furthermore, being thrown together with others who are also stigmatized may unintentionally reinforce undesirable behavior. (page 5)

Reflection #3: When I came across this quote, I automatically thought of one student groups that is ostracized in my school. The “Behavioral Defiant (BD) Youth”. To be honest, I could not tell you where the BD classroom is. All I can tell you is that the kids come down to the cafeteria 10 minutes before the lunch period starts to get their food and they go back to their classroom. Why they have this routine, I do not know. But it makes me curious. Why the separation? The “BD kids” are in their classroom from 7:45 am until 2:30pm.

The fact that all youth are developing and their development can be either enhanced or impeded by the opportunities available to

hem in their families, schools, and communities definitely does not mean that all youth need the same thing. (page 5)

Reflection #4: We cannot assume that all of our youth need the same things. I work at Roger Williams Middle School in South Providence. Most of my kids’ families are on the poverty line. However, my kids have different needs. One of kids needed a “safe place” to hang out after school. One of my kids needed a winter coat for herself and her sister. One of my kids needed an outlet for her anger towards her teachers. Never assume that all the kids in your youth space/classroom have the same needs.

We have to be able to recognize and accommodate gender differences while recognizing that sometimes gender is less important than that of race or class or age or simply interests and aspirations. (page 6)

Reflection #5:

I disagree with this statement. Gender is just as important as race or class. Race, Gender, and Class all correlate with one another. A black woman living in poverty is treated differently than a white woman living in the suburbs.  

Week 4- Marcus On Being Good

I found Marcus to be an exceptional young man. If this article was given out to some teachers or parents, most of them would automatically look at Marcus and say, "That kid has a behavioral problem" or, "that kid is disrespectful and needs to be taught how to listen to his teacher(s)". Nine times out of ten, they would never stop and say, "All this kid wants is to be treated as though he has some value". He wants to be seen as an equal. He wants to help". This is the biggest problem with the educational system. Youth are taught to obey authoritative figures. Forced to agree with their way of thinking. If they disagree, they are seen as insubordinate. If they voice their own opinion, they are seen as a "troublemaker" trying to rile up the class. They become stripped of their own identities. They hold no power in their educational journey. Our youth are often not given the chance to teach or to lead. They see this. Youth spaces such as; the Boys and Girls Club, Youth in Action, AfterZone, Youth Pride challenge the educational ideology of teachers lead, students listen. In these spaces, youth are given the opportunity to teach adults. They are given the floors and seen as the experts. Its giving them that sense of pride. Marcus being only seven at the time, came to the realization that he was his own boss. His teacher didn't have all the answers. He refused to allow his teacher to turn him into someone that he wasn't. If he wanted to comfort a classmate that wasn't being tended to, he would tend to them. If he wasn't given the opportunities to help and lead, he would take them on his own accord.

One of the visible rules that governed Marcus's classroom was the gathering of circle time. All Ms. Emily had to say  was, "its circle time and the kids know to make their way to the rug". In addition to the circle time announcement, is the "take-a break table" in the back of the room. Children/youth know once they are separated from their classmates that they are there due to their behavior. There is also the partner room some teachers utilize as a next measure if the "take-a break table" is not effective.

In my youth space (AfterZone), "troublemaking" often consists of; being somewhat rude to staff or program  providers, walking out of programs at the spur of the moment, and/or saying they are not going to participate in a particular activity because its dumb or stupid, With the talking back, we often take the particular youth aside and ask them whats going on. I always ask them,"Have I done anything to disrespect you or make you feel bad". More often than not, the answer is always no. So then I try to turn it around on them and say, "how would you like it, if out of nowhere I came up to you and started yelling at you. Would you like it? They say no. So, I remind them to keep how they would feel in mind before they are rude to someone else.

With the walking out of programs, I like to give them a space to regroup. They probably are having a bad day and don't want to be around a lot of people. We all have those days. Its perfectly fine. Given 15 to 20 minutes by themselves, they tend to return to their programs.

With my more combative youth who tend to sit out on activities, I give them a chance to lead. One day in particular, I had a student named Devon. He had just gotten in trouble with the principal and was looking to dissuade his friends from playing basketball. I knew the type of influence he had over them. If I didn't get Devon involved somehow, they would lose interest in playing basketball. So, I decided to host a friendly pick up game and made Devon the referee. He enjoyed his role. So much so that he asked to be the referee the next time we had a pick up game. Devon is often seen as a troublemaker by his teachers. He looks for attention. Anyway he can get it, he will get it. Like Marcus, he needed opportunities to be heard, to be seen, to be known, to he helpful, and to let him make you proud. 

Week 3- Stereotypes

Black youth particularly black girls according one of our assigned articles, Adults think Black Girls are older than they are and it matters are often stereotyped as one of the following; a jezebel, one who is seen as hyper sexual; a sapphire; someone who is often angry and shows it through her actions; or as a mammy, someone who is nurturing,committed to one partner and has a nurturing attitude. Black girls are also being adultified. People automatically assume that they are older based on face value.

Our second article, Denaturalizing Adolescence: The Politics of Contemporary Representations written by Nancy Lesko critiques assumptions based on adolescents distinctive nature. I believe Lesko wants us to truly look at our adolescents and not automatically imply that they are the way they are or act the way they do based on their age and those around them. 

Adults hold all the power. Especially within schools. To make matters worse, they have no problem holding that power over students heads. In my after school program, I had three students tell me that their history teacher told the whole class that she would fail every student in her class if they disrupted her teaching. No disciplinary action was taken against her. On another occasion, I overheard one teacher tell another teacher that her student would never go to college. All he would amount to was prison. Again, there was no disciplinary action taken against this “educator”.

Week 2 Blog Post - K.L.M

                                                         K

. In some organizations, the primary focus tends to be on meeting goals.

. Nine times out of 10, deficit based programs will never be successful. The problem here is, the basic needs of the youth are not being addressed. For example, if a 13 year old is experimenting with marijuana, people who tend to adopt the deficit based model/approach will often not look at other factors in the youth's life. Factors such as, whether or not the child in question is being neglected? have they gone through trauma? The deficit model often ignores the physiological needs such as food, water, shelter, clothing, etc). The image below is a theory composed by Abarham Maslow. He believed there was 5 tier hierarchy and in order to move up the pyramid, needs from the lower levels need to be satisfied. 

                                                     L

. From reading the article entitled, Understanding Youth, I learned that the 
youth development model illustrates a collaborative  relationship between schools and after school programs. As youth workers, there is only so much we can do to help our youth on our own. What I am trying to say is, we are not licensed social workers, counselors, or resource specialists. If we work with the schools, we have more of a chance of helping our youth with the problems they may be having. 


. We have too many people/programs in our country that look at  issues facing our youth today such as;Drug Abuse and think an informative presentation on the danger of Drug Abuse is the solution. This makes me think of the band aid effect.We are not focused on resolving the underlying reasons at to why youth may turn to drugs. Instead we say, drugs are bad for your body, you could be arrested. 

                                               M

. I would like to gain more of an understanding behind the youth incarceration of 1999. According to Dana Fusco, author of, Some Conceptions of Youth and Youthwork in the United States, youth incarceration hit an all time high. 2.5 million juveniles were arrested. I am curious to know what charges were being brought up upon these youth.