WVSA-Peabody

What factors make a school or classroom distinct? We have been two different settings. In the first 3 weeks, Eddy and I spent our time at WVSA with 2nd and 3rd graders. In these next weeks we will spend time at Peabody with pre-K and Kindergarten. As I transition between these 2 spaces, I feel I am cultivating, through these observations, the reading, as well as by listening to my peers, a more careful way of looking.

Peabody is much different from WVSA, but, there are certain basic factors that distinguish them from one another. As I started my observations at Peabody, I began to think about how these schools came to be. There are many individual parts that contribute to the final semblance of a structure. Some of the key differences between one institution and another are more readily understood by considering some basic questions.

Such as: What is the mission of the school? What is the role of the teacher within that school? What is the role of the family and/or community? What is the space like? Who are the students? What are their needs? What is there socio-economic background? What is expected of the students/teacher/school? And how do these factors impact the schools ability to implement its mission? A school or institution is a complex and dynamic entity.

Having a beautifully lit space with 5 attentive students surrounded by hand crafted project is a impressive model to operate under. To have high expectations for students and to view them as "intelligent, creative, and curious" beings is poetic. And for teachers to run their own school (as is the case at Peabody), provides the teacher with ownership, imagination, and autonomy within the classroom. But what would happen if WVSA had an art room like this? What if the basement was full of windows, and there were only 5 students? What if the teacher had time to offer herself to each child? How would some of these factors change what is observable in this space? And how can a teacher optimize the limits of unchangeable factors, such as class size, or space? This is where the challenge lies. In both environments there is a deep need for the teacher to act somewhere between that space of idealism and concept and actuality and effort.