Email communication had lead up to this moment; of getting in my car and driving off to East High School. I was unsure of where I was going to park, slightly nervous, a little apprehensive, and excited to begin my Theatre Arts Practicum experience.
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| Madison East High School |
This would have to be the most diverse school racially that I have been to up to this point. According to the WDPI website 50% of the school was non-white in the previous school year 2011-2012. When I approached the doors to enter the school I had to pass through a group of students waiting/mingling. The majority, if not all, of these students were African American. Previously I have never been in a situation where I was so obviously in the minority. It did make me feel anxious.
Upon finding the Theatre where I was to meet my teacher I found it locked, but one of the janitorial / cleaning staff let me in when she entered to vacuum. My Practicum teacher is a graduate of Edgewood and incidentally had the same teacher. Although originally my teacher had not planned on being a teacher so he majored in theatre and then went back to add on teaching which is giving him some difficulties in becoming a full time instructor.
The first two hours of the day, Mr. Miclish teaches an introductory course to theatre. For the remainder of the day he works as an aide to the students with special needs. Mr. Miclish mentioned that his classes tend to have a percentage of students with IEP's and behavioral challenges. The WDPI website shows 20% enrollment for those with disabilities in 2011-2012.
The first class seated themselves in the theatre in the first three rows, but also spread out the entire width of the seating. They seemed rather fragmented and separated into their own groups. One group in the far corner contained individuals who liked to be rather vocal in expressing themselves. There are also two TA's in this class who took the class before and are now assisting. Some individuals stood out as being rather unique in appearance (pink haired male student); as well as one of the female students who was wearing a shirt that said "I'm out of beer/ I'm dressed / What more do you want" and this seemed inappropriate for school.
The second class does not have as many students in it and they seemed closer. They sat in more of a group, although the students with special needs are on the outskirts of the group. It is good that they are allowed to sit with the other students and are not completely exclude, though things could be better. One student is a bit more of an extreme case, I am unsure of exactly what she has: she is mostly nonverbal though she can respond with simple sentences, gum helps her, she does have an aide though the aide allows her to stay on the floor if she wants to- doesn't seem to try to help her be engaged, and is either unable to or not expected to write journals with the other class members. Two other students (one male, one female) are better able to participate with the class and participate in the games. The other students seem to treat them respectfully enough.
The second class of the day didn't actually have much class time. Because within less than 10 minutes of my being there and the bell barely having rung for 1st hour there was an announcement over the loud speakers."Attention students we are under code >>> and will remain in lock down". My high school had maybe 3 lock-downs the entire four years that I was there. The kids were saying stuff like: "will we have to sit in the dark again?" "what if I have to go to the bathroom" (*There was a 'sketchy' backstage bathroom that the students could use. There may have been a mouse sighting), etc.
I'm not going to lie, when I heard that over the loudspeakers my heart started racing. I've not had to experience something like that before. I was anxious. My face might have shown that a little, but I don't think I responded too badly. The lock-down lasted well into 2nd hour. I was talking to a few of the students in 1st hour who were glad to be missing their foreign language classes. I had a good conversation with them about theater and school.
When the lock-down was declared over there was an extra announcement to avoid a certain hallway due to a "pepper spray incident". One of the students in second hour (one of the students with special needs) was saying how the school is like a castle, like Hogwarts. I can't say that it's a bad comparison. Hogwarts has a corridor that is blocked off due to a three headed dog and East has a pepper spray hallway block off.
Overall it was an interesting first day.
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