Equity: Description of School

Compared to my pervious school site, my practicum school sight is less diverse and less populated. At Walker Middle School there is just over 1,000 students. According to the 2008-2009 demographic information there were 1,075 students enrolled. Of that number 68 percent of the students are labeled as White, 14 percent are labeled as Hispanic, 5 percent are labeled as Asian/Pacific Islander, 6 percent are labeled as multi-racial, 2 percent are labeled as American Indian, 1 percent are labeled as African American and 5 percent of the student body decided not to respond about their ethnic background. Looking at the classroom I have been observing, it is definitely noticeable that the White population dominates the schools population. The majority of my classroom is white with only a few Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic students.
The school itself is actually bigger than what it’s population calls for in my opinion. Classrooms have on average 30 students per class and the rooms are almost twice the size of the classroom at my high school site where the average class size is 35 to 40 students. The schools offers its students many facilities. There is a reasonably sized library with computers, a split cafetiria and a large gym area. The school also has a pool, though I’m not sure how often the student body uses that facility.
The school staff is a large population of the school. The school has two administrators, one principle and one assistant principle. There are 58 teachers, 13 members of the office/support staff, 17 instructional assistants, 4 custodians, one liaison officer, and two itinerant staff members. From personal experience, every member of the Walker staff has been extremely helpful and encouraging. The support staff in the office is amazing and always willing to help out in any way they can.
The overall feel of the school is extremely inviting. When I first started my practicum experience I was blown away by how different it was from my high school experience. The teachers have been very encouraging and inviting. I’ve never had a teacher tell me not to come into their classroom, in fact most of the time they are asking me to come in and see their class. The overall feel of the school is inviting and very comfortable. I get the feeling that the school as a whole works very hard to make their students and their parents feel comfortable while they are there.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I don’t want to leave my practicum site. I think it is important that as a teacher you feel comfortable in the school where you are teaching. You should know the support staff and any other staff that works there on a daily basis that you come into contact with. Knowing that the teachers are welcoming and encouraging goes a long way with many students who may feel uncomfortable with their new surroundings. They want to feel safe and wanted when they are in school and I think Walker Middle School takes those extra steps to make that possible for their students.
I think when I’m looking for a teaching job, the qualities that I’ve observed in Walker Middle School are going to be the qualities that I look for in other schools. I want to work in a school where teachers work together and strive to make their rooms and overall building inviting.