The elementary school I've been visiting since September reminds me of a type of school defined by Jonathan Kozol at his lecture; one that cannot "afford" to allow its students to get distracted, and places emphasis on discipline, and getting through its designated lesson plans. It has no playground or grass outside for the children to run through during recess: instead, they play in an empty area of the parking lot. Inside, the hallways are dingy and barren. Children are taught to file through the halls without making a sound; those who do not do so are quickly taken aside and reprimanded.
My classroom did nothing to detract from my opinions. Though some student works hang from its walls, the majority of the classroom is covered in rules and standards. From each corner hangs a different list of standards. How to walk in the hallway quietly, how to succeed, etc. In the front of the room is a chart with a list of every student's name. Under each is a color. Green is good, yellow is slightly bad, orange is the final warning, and red means a note is going to be sent home, and priveledges lost. It does not take much to lose the status of green, and once a student does, the only way to regain it is to remain quiet until a certain incriment of time has passed.
Although the teachers within this school have been nothing but kind and courteous, the school itself bears a strongly off-putting vibe. It greatly values discipline, and lacks the emphasis on fun and creativity my own elementary schools bore. Teachers are encouraged to be strict, and "tough." The first day I attended the class, the principal herself came in to scold the children for being unruly, and the worst second grade class in the school in terms of discipline. In later weeks, I myself have been encouraged to exemplify a greater toughness with my own students.
My impression of the school's sense of values has only increased from visit to visit, as I've gradually been exposed to more classrooms and examples of "tough" educators. The students, rather than being intimidated, seem to be resilient, still doing anything to get away with dancing and chatting amongst themselves. They only begin feeling remorse when they receive a negative note to send home: that's when the tears start.
