Mary Beth Lynn FND 511 Fieldwork Report 11/25/12 National Teachers Academy, a Chicago Public Schools teacher

r training academy, located at 55 West Cermak Road in Chicago, Illinois, opened its doors in 2002, and for several years, it was located on the same grounds as the Harold Ickes housing projects. For my fieldwork project, I studied how the demolition of the Harold Ickes housing development affected National Teachers Academy and the surrounding learning community. I conducted eight hours of internet research over the fall semester and also interviewed various people, including: Audrey Johnson, a thirty year resident of The Ickes (1.5 hour interview on 10/15), Amy Rome, Principal of NTA (1.5 hour interview 10/11), Courtney Langston-Daniels (45 minute interview on 9/24) and Anita Orozco (30 minute interview on 10/16), teachers at NTA (pre & post demolition), Cara Britz (45 minutes interview 10/18), Special Education Case Worker at NTA (pre & post demolition), and Jada Rose, Rakael Beal, and Donesha Manning (2 hours on 10/17), all students and past residents of The Ickes. In addition to personal testimonies, I analyzed NTA student test scores and attendance from both pre and post Ickes demolition. My main purpose doing this project was to see if there was a positive correlation between increased tests scores and decreased behavioral issues after the demolition of The Ickes. My initial thought was that better test scores and less disciplinary issues would result after the demolition, because of the reduction of crime that was associated with the projects; however, my prediction was proven wro ng quickly and in all research that I conducted. In fact, what I learned was exactly the opposite of what I expected.

The Ickes was very much a community, one in which everyone looked out for one another, especially the children and senior citizens. Residents and neighbors mad sure students went to school and did homework once they got home. Of course there was crime, but surprisingly, there was more crime after the demolition of the projects, because all of the families were displaced and had to relearn how to do everything, including riding the bus, buying groceries, getting to and from school and work, and simply survive. When faced with the new challenges, many past-residents of The Ickes became angry and acted out. In fact, one of the students I interviewed literally saw her father shot and killed in front of her because of gang-related violence. Likewise, Ms. Audrey Johnson, who was raised in The Ickes and then raised many of her children there, had to say goodbye to the only home she had ever known. Because of the demolition, Ms. Johnson had to travel 45 minutes one way by train with three young children in order for them to continue to attend NTA. The commute was something that many NTA families struggled with (and still do), because it became quite difficult to get the kids to school (especially on time). The families were moved to various locations within the city of Chicago and even other states, thus affecting the overall enrollment of NTA. Although the test scores did improve around the same time as demolition of The Ickes, the enrollment decreased drastically. Therefore, my research found that there was no positive relationship between the demolition of the Harold Ickes housing development, and better test scores and fewer disciplinary issues at NTA. Conversely, students dealt with were more social/emotional issues after the demolition, which resulted in more behavior issues.

Cara Britz, Special Education Case Worker at NTA, said that many things changed at NTA after the displacement of so many students, and very few of them were for the better. I conducted this fieldwork project, because I ultimately knew no thing about the projects, and I honestly thought there was very little good associated with them. I wanted to see where my students were from and how they lived. Wow! Did my perspective change I honestly felt bad for thinking so negatively about The Ickes. This was a home, a community, and a way of life for many of my students, and even for those that had bad experiences there, they loved The Ickes and miss their homes everyday. If I had to conduct similar research again, I would speak to the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) and ask why these families were displaced. I understand the desire to make something nicer, safer, and more sanitary, but why not rebuild so the families could stay?