Theresa Perez

Student Teaching Block 3

Student B Observation and Adaption

Student B is a high school student coming from a low-income demographic. This student is
legally emancipated from abusive parents, works 2 jobs, and is not doing well in some of their
classes. They live with their grandmother and have expressed a very difficult live. The student
has begun crying in a conversation about whether or not they will be able to afford college even
if they get their grades up and have developed a “so what” attitude toward grades and even
graduating high school.

One way I might adapt a choir class to a student like this would start with creating a safe
culture for all students. I would want to begin by encouraging students whenever possible to
leave difficulties at the door. When students need the opportunity to take a break, choir should
be a place where everyone can come in and forget the outside world for just a minute. Choir
should be developed as somewhere people can have freedom to take a break. As an elective,
that student, with all the difficulties they face on a daily basis, has chosen the class because
they wanted to be there and take something from the class.

Next, I would make sure that students in the class know that they can always ask for help or
ask to talk when they need it. Something I appreciated about my placement is that the teacher
made a big deal about making sure students knew that they were allowed to express how they
feel and that they were heard. If they came in not looking well, he made a point in asking about
it. He asked if they wanted to share, and if they did he opened his office to them and he
listened to what they needed and asked if he could help. This might be a classroom
accommodation that if implemented consistently across classes it could benefit the student’s
mental well-being

Another thing that might be necessary to adapt would be providing alternate assignments
for activities that occur outside of school time. This student was working every hour they were
not in school. Some nights they told me they were at work till midnight, which is not ideal for a
student needing to be in early the next morning. Since they were emancipated, they needed
the job and the money to feed themselves, and this means that for things like concert that
interfere with a work schedule, that could mean a whole meal the student could not afford. By
making those extracurricular and after-school events not required and providing alternate
assignments that could be completed during school and class hours, the student could have
some stress alleviated about their grade in this class. This might make them more willing to
actively take a break and participate in class.

The final thing I believe might be a worthwhile adaption would be making sure that things in
class are relate to larger lessons that can be used to develop a successful adult. This means that
things are being related back to working hard, staying persistent, working with groups of many
different types of people, and doing your best for the better of all. Choir can also help cultivate
leadership skills that could help people excel in a job and can show students that sometimes
students need to stand on their own, take initiative, and show others how to do so.