Several factors steered me towards this particular need in my school. During
the past four years as a teacher in Juvenile Hall I noticed a lack of support being given to students during their stay at juvenile hall and subsequent release from custody. Furthermore, there was little or no time dedicated to devising plans or goals that may assist these students in attaining specific educational or vocational goals. Additionally, the segment of the population that was facing more serious charges seemed to be considered an educational lost cause. These students, referred to as unit confinement of UC, attended class for less than two hours a day and were segregated by gang affiliation. The traditional school model of direct instruction did not appear to be beneficial to the students, especially those who were going to spend more than three months in juvenile hall and were eventually leaving to spend longer sentences with the California Department of Corrections or Department of Juvenile Justice. Some sentences would be 25 years to life. Therefore, it was my belief that customized learning plans would be more advantageous to this population than the current practice of direct instruction, often times included courses that the students didnt need. My goal was to increase the class time, which would require combining rival gang members in the same room. My educational vision is that all students deserve an education and one that meets their specific needs; moreover, becoming a teacher was a way in which I felt I could have a positive impact on the lives of our youth. My path to becoming a teacher is most likely different than that of my peers. Subject matter is not particularly my passion. Transformation, raising self-esteem, making personal connections, and possibly adding a sliver of joy to young persons day is what truly matters to me. It was my hope that this project would allow me to accomplish these goals and at the same time provide the most efficient and beneficial use of their educational time while in custody. As such, I inquired as to what impact individual learning plans would have on the students who were not attending the traditional class rotation and were relegated to unit confinement due to the potential of long- term sentencing. My personal belief is that everyone has a chance at redemption and having an education and support system are key elements to having a chance at success. Research showed that customized learning and individual learning plans can motivate students, will allow for differentiated learning, and provide more flexibility in meeting educational goals; however, I was unable to locate any research on customized learning in juvenile detention schools. Research also revealed that educators in juvenile detention facilities have historically faced significant challenges in providing and delivering educational services due to differing views with correctional staff. In order to collect data we used qualitative and quantitative methods. We surveyed students, probation staff and instructional staff to obtain qualitative data in the area of motivation, value and worth of individualized learning, and satisfaction with the concept. For the quantitative data we measured the number of credits earned by individual students, behavior referrals, and the attainment of G.E.D. or high school diplomas. After the first PAR cycle, the PAR team analyzed the information and came up with a plan that would allow for smaller class sizes to better meet the individual needs of the UC students, but would require changing the daily schedule for regular students and UC students. It would require teachers changing some assignments. As I entered this program, I was aware of some of my leadership strengths, but also knew that there were areas that needed improvement. Furthermore, I realized that I was entering a new arena and some additional weaknesses and strengths might be exposed. My strengths are assessing needs, thinking strategically, ensuring completion of a task, and accomplishing what I set out to do. The manner in which these strengths arise can be my weakness. Fostering relationships and sharing responsibility were the two major themes that emerged from my ELA coursework and were truly useful strategies in this process. My previous background was not one that typically relied on these approaches in order to be successful at accomplishing a task or project, especially in the day-to-day operations of patrol duties. With the exception of interacting with my students, my personality type tends to be one that is impatient and would prefer do it myself rather that wait or take a chance that it may not be done to my satisfaction. This project gave me the opportunity to try a different approach. Our project was successful based on the data, the feedback from all of the stakeholders, and ultimately, our results. Every student who could potentially attain a diploma or G.E.D. was able to do so. Nearly every student exceeded the number of credits they would have acquired if assigned to a traditional class rotation. The exception was one student who clearly depressed and affected by receiving a seen year prison sentence. The other exception was a student who obtained his G.E.D., and was over 150 credits shy of a diploma, so he had no motivation to earn credits. Class time was increased for all students and there was only one incident between the rival gangs in the entire five months. This project was clearly a breakthrough for the students on Unit Confinement. For the previous three years, theses students were denied a full day of instruction and were not given any guidance or plans for transitioning beyond juvenile hall. With additional class time and customized learning plans, students were empowered to reach personal and educational goals. 6 students attained their high school diplomas and three others attained their G.E.D. One student attained a diploma after being released. A transition plan was devised and he followed that plan resulting in a full time job with the County of Monterey and a high school diploma. Most students have been able to exceed the typical number of credits that they are expected to earn in a semester. This project will continue into the future and there are no plans to discontinue it unless the population and manner in which students are segregated were to change; however, that is highly unlikely in the near coming years. Individual learning plans and the philosophy behind it will continue and be sustained as both probation and our school administration feel that it is the most viable and beneficial manner in which to serve the students. The managerial tasks of this project were fairly routine and something that I am accustomed to doing. For instance, planning the curriculum, assigning support staff to carry out particular functions, and working on daily administrative tasks responsibilities that posed little or no issues for me. From a leadership standpoint, suggesting a change in how the serious offenders were grouped and instructed was going to be a tall order. In order to realize any level of success with this project, it was imperative that probation management approved of the concept. This undertaking would require meeting with my department heads and proposing a plan that would benefit all stakeholders. From a leadership standpoint it was necessary to consider all of the potential concerns and objections and have solutions in place. Furthermore, due to the potential for physical confrontations between students, the potential benefits had to significantly outweigh the apprehensions. As a leader, recognizing the issues, looking at short and long-term strategies, and gaining the confidence of all parties was crucial. In my opinion, I was able to effectively convey the necessity for this concept and was able to elicit the support and confidence of administrators, peers, and support staff. Reflecting on this project and the ELA program as a whole, it is apparent to me that my approach to working with others, the manner in which I may choose to find a solution, and my views on the importance and value of relationships has changed immensely. Previously, these factors were logically correct, but experiencing them and taking them for a test drive has made me a believer, and for that I am thankful! When I decided to pursue my administrative credential and a Masters degree in the area of Education Administration, I made the decision to travel outside of my community in order to experience potentially differing view points from another area of California. It was much more costly to travel to Los Angeles, and the tuition options were less expensive closer to home; however, it was more than worth the additional time and expense. My fellow students and the professors were phenomenal and have made this past year an extremely memorable and invaluable experience.
(TEXT) I Just Finished The Online Coursera Course - Learning How To Learn - I Highly Recommend It To Everyone and I Summarized Everything I Learned From It. - GetMotivated