Including the excluded
Educational pathways for
marginalized young people in the
USA & AUSTRALIA
Dale Murray
OVERVIEW
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This presentation begins with a brief look at the
Centre Education Programme (CEP) then moves
to give reasons for the exploration of Alterative
Educational Communities in the USA.
There are many more expressions of Alterative
Educational sites in the USA than presented
here. I will focus on a couple that in some way
operate with inclusive practice as the driving
force.
Centre Education Programme
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…Why CEP.
1986. Br Terry Kingston of the Christian Brothers. (with a number of other brothers and the
support of the Province Leadership team moved to Logan City…
Mission …The tradition of Edmund Rice…”Walking with”
Research around Australia – Lead back to Logan City………
Logan City. the need…high rates of truancy and young people disengaging.
Wembley Road House
The house…1987 – 88… 10 -12 young people 4 staff, mainly religious. Woodridge high young
people referred across in a part time programme …still enrolled at Woodridge ----attending the
CEP…this became the start of the CEP relationship with EQ..
1988. Mid year I was employed as a teacher– literacy and numeracy, outdoor…building
relationships….music…hangingout….
1989 shift to Mary st…Annex to Boystown for educational registration and funding issues.
Growing numbers and staff…25 young people… 6-8 staff
Focus on Literacy/numeracy, life skills, outdoor ed continues to grow…
Mid 1993 Purchase of Mudgee st site… House and some demountables…10 staff – 30 young
people.
2000 Independent registration with EQ through the office of non-state education.
2003 Redevelopment of building (BGA grant) 1,100,000. to re build
2004 65 young people 15 staff…5 staff in the Outreach programme. daily referrals….
Mission statement.
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The Centre Education Programme, an
Edmund Rice community, exists for
young people to experience
education as liberation.
Student Numbers
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Referral figures.
1998
97 students
1999
112 students
2000
120 students
2001
148 students
2002
207 students
2003
230 students (101 young people have
been enrolled for 2003, for August census = 67 young
people)
2004
65 enrolled. ( to date for 2004 we have
had 80 referrals)
Core business
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The core business is informed by a common sense
approach to justice. We believe that the culture from
which our students come generates a number factors
that can contribute to a young person having an
overwhelming experience of failure with schooling; the
cumulative effect of which, results in either chronic
truancy, repeated suspension or eventually expulsion.
This culture is predominately influenced by poverty.
Hunger, homelessness, substance- abuse, generational
un/under-employment, violence, physical, emotional &
sexual abuse are its hallmarks!
Some Reasons
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….Primary reasons for referral
Behavior problems
History of violence
Exclusion/suspension from schools
Truancy
Criminal History
Drug use
Mental Health issues
Learning difficulties
Emotional difficulties
Dysfunctional family environment
Victim of bullying
Homelessness
Young Motherhood
Unemployment
Neglect
The Results
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Frequent suspension
Chronic truancy
Learning difficulty
History of educational failure
Exclusion
Inability to cope with mainstream education due
to dysfunctional family/home environment/social
intolerance.
Operation by Principals
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Operation by Principle.
The Centre operates on four principles.
1 Respect
2 Participation
3 Safe and Legal
4 Being Fair Dinkum
The processes used to uphold the principles requires all who attend the Centre to commit to the belief that freedom, independence and self-reliance/self responsibility can only be realised through
individuals owning their behaviour.
Resolution of conflict, negotiation about learning, recognition of rights and responsibilities and acceptance of consequences are modelled and explored both within the group and individually. This
process is expected to occur equally for adults and young people.
The skills necessary to engage in this process are:
Active listening (demonstrating you have heard)
Open questioning (inviting to speak- to tell their story)
Problem solving and decision making
Negotiation skills (agreeing on consequences)
There are a variety of meeting environments where this process takes place:
Whole group meetings
Sounding board meetings
Pastoral care group meetings
Special person meetings
Class meetings
Individual meetings
Informal meetings
Staff meetings
The development of authentic relationships through the use of meetings is the key to operation by principle. All who attend are asked to take part in the development and maintenance of
relationships through this process of continued negotiation and resolution.
Outcome of the process.
Staff and students must invest a large amount of time and trust in the process to develop the skills that will ensure they can successfully manage family, school, work and social relationships.
Every time we enter into this process skills are further developed and learning is reinforced. The internalisation of this process empowers students to confidently negotiate outcomes and accept
responsibility for their behaviour and life.
On the Ground
YOUNG PEOPLE. (65 Young People) (19 full time staff + 5 part time + volunteers)
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Year 8-10 non indigenous.
30 students - 3 staff (Teachers)
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Year 11-12 group
15 students - 1 staff (Teacher)
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Year 8-10 Indigenous Unit
30 students - 3 staff (School
Officers/Teacher)
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Principal.
Outdoor ed worker.
Youth worker.
Tutors – drumming, singing, dance, sport, music.
Manual Arts worker/mechanic.
Ground Person/caretaker.
Office staff/bursar.
Outreach and research.
2
1
1
1
Outreach workers
Indigenous Transition worker
Stable Accommodation researcher
Admin support person.
Why I go to CEP
I go to the centre because the staff
treat you as you are in the real world
and you get treated fairly.
The people at the centre actually care
about where you go in life.
CEP
I like the centre because
they help me to understand
and over come difficulties
that I had in mainstream
schools.
-Lena
CEP
Students feel comfortable at The Centre in a
way that they don’t in other schools
………….Simone and Stevie……………
Background
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Through the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 a number of Community
Youth Services, Education Queensland and some Christian Brothers
Schools in Queensland approached CEP with the request to develop
relationships with the CEP that would support their work in
developing and maintaining appropriate learning environments for
marginalized and alienated young people. Discussions began with
the Executive Director Edmund Rice Education Directorate and the
Christian Brothers Queensland and the Northern Terrority regarding
the possibility of such support. One outcome of such discussion was
to investigate a number of alternative education learning
communities in the USA to widen our knowledge of possible future
enhancements at a local level.
In January 2004 I, with my family, traveled to the 3 major cities in
the USA to visit 10 alternative (in some cases not so alternative)
learning communities and a number of leading professionals
working in this field. Following are some of the findings relating to
the sites visited.
SITES
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Sites.
NEW YORK CITY.
New York Department of Education Alternative and Further Education.
1. Satellite Academy High School. 120th west st site.
Principal. Allan Bartz.
2. Humanities Preparatory Academy. 351 West 18th St .
Principal. Vincent Brevetti.
3. Satellite Academy High School. Forsyth st site
Director. Sarah Blos.
4. Rice High. 124 and Lennox st.
Principal. Br Michael Connelly.
5. Nativity Mission Centre.
Principal Nick Romero
CHICAGO.
6. Telpochcalli School.
7. Perspectives Charter School.
8. Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.
President. Father John Foley. SJ.
9. University of Illinois. Head of Education. Professor Bill Ayers.
(Small school project, Students for Democratic action, numerous papers and book on education).
LOS ANGELES.
10. Verbum Dei High School, Jesuit High School
President/ Father John Weling. SJ.
New York City
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New York Department of Education.
Alternative Schools Programme
Principal, Allan Baratz,
Director, Forsyth street site. Sarah Blos,
Satellite Academy. 4 sites, 2 in Manhattan, 1 in Queens, 1 in the Bronx.
(a) curriculum. College prep for those students who were about two years behind their peers.
Not all who referrer are accepted into the program. Must have basic Lit and Numeracy and passed a number of middle school exams.
(b) pedagogy. Smaller class sizes, longer classes. Ethnic understanding. Students talked about being listened to, openness to
discussion and debate. Family group plays a large part in allowing young people to engage in all aspects of the program. (ie, the new
super had declared that young people were not allowed to wear their hats in classrooms – this has many staff and students up in arms.
Much discussion happening in family groups about this issue and how students could have there side of the story heard…staff also
concerned that they were spending a lot of time disciplining students about wearing hats in class….)
(c) student profile/s. 17 – 21 years of age, African American, Hispanic. Co ed.
(d) mission. To provide marginalized young people a place to reengage with learning.
(e) spiritual formation. Non denominational.
(f) funding. State funded, coalition of essential schools, private sponsorships.
(g) engagement practices. Small class sizes, family groups – referrals – word of mouth, past students, parents,
(h) networks. Long association with a variety of educational support networks.
(i) Board support. Principal (4 sites) Director of each site, teacher from each site. One meeting a month. Superintendent of the
Alternative and Further Education Department (New York Education Department) is the direct Line manager of the Principal. (currently in
a process of change-funding issues
(j) Leadership 'density' within institutions. See above, but essentially a top down within the educational department. Super, Principal,
Site Directors, Teachers, Students. Although this structure existed there was a large amount of shared decision making at a school level.
Time was made for staff to discuss students, subjects and ways of developing a more student centered approach. (much work was going
on to develop curriculum that was seen to be relative to students needs, - ways of assessing students that are not necessarily exam
based _ - ie outcomes based measurement.
Nativity Mission Centre
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Nativity Mission Centre.
Principal. Nick Romero.
(a) curriculum. essentially a middle school, mainstream subjects
(b) pedagogy. Small class size (8-10) total school pop around 50.
(c) student profile/s. mostly MEXICAN/ SPANISH, all from the lower east side in low
socio economic area. (at this site-there are some 40 sites across the USA, all based in
low socio-economic areas, working with ethnic communities)
(d) mission. To provide young people with a quality Jesuit education.
(e) spiritual formation. Catholic. Jesuit.
(f) funding. Jesuit, foundations (no state or federal funding)
(g) engagement practices. Introduction camp ( 7 weeks – a streaming plan) Quite
structured programme, uniforms, discipline – alternative to a mainstream middle
school where there may be 1500 students.
(h) networks. Jesuit, Catholic high schools, Jesuit Uni.
(i) Board support. Board, PLT, President- Fr Vincent, Principal, Staff.
(j) Leadership 'density' within institutions. Top down, Principal, support staff,
teachers (mostly part time, volunteer’s, Jesuit brothers.)
Satellite Academy
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Satellite Academy High School, Forsyth Street Site.
Director. Sarah Blos.
(a) curriculum. Based in Lit and Num, attempts to get students ready for college
entry. (Emphasis on “family group” as the place where young people take
responsibility for their place in the programme)
(b) pedagogy. Student centered
(c) student profile/s. African American,
(d) mission. Provide education for young people (16-21) that have fallen out of the
mainstream stream system. Graduate Prep for college.
(e) spiritual formation. Non denominational.
(f) funding. State funded plus non government collaborators – see mission
statement –last page.
(g) engagement practices. Smaller class size. Bi lingual. Family group is very
important in allowing young full participation in the program.
(h) referral. Local high schools, parents, other students
(i) networks. Coalition of Essential Schools
(j) Board support. Same as New York department of ed site
(k) Leadership 'density' within institutions. As above.
Humanities Prep Programme
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Humanities Prep Program.
Principal. Vincent Brevetti.
(a) curriculum. Mainstream subjects, Lit, Math’s, History, Art, Science, Music, Language –Spanish Phys ed (off
site YMCA, YWCA)
(b) pedagogy- small class size, 20-21 students. Mixed groups around levels of ability. Scaffold learning. Attempt
to spread ages around groups. PBATS (Performance based assessment tasks – similar to Qld Education
Queensland Outcomes based assessment in that everything that a young person does can and is assessed, ie lit
to family group. Portfolios of work within the PBATS.
(c) student profile/s. African American, Hispanic. 14 -20 years co –ed. (some 80 students in the programme)
(d) mission. Based in core values. Family group integral part of the operation.
(e) spiritual formation. Non denominational.
(f) funding. Education department of NYC. Non Government agencies.
(g) engagement practices. Authentic – student Centred, cooperative decision making around the core values.
Family group meets three times a week. Platform for discussion, negotiation of issues around core values.
(h) referral. Local high schools, parents, other students
(i) networks. State system, other alternative high schools, coalition of essential schools
(j) Board support
(k) Leadership 'density' within institutions. Principal + Co-director, co operative decision making. Two 1 – 2 hour
staff meetings a week. (time formal and informal for discussion around students) Formal curriculum development.
Social worker and counselor on site. 14 teachers (mostly young – not much of a turn over – issues of provisional
teacher registration and having to leave to gain masters quals for full registration. )
Notes. Operates in a shared building with a big high school. (3000 students) issues about space and $ spent on
the alternative program. Issues around discipline of the “high school” students in the Alternative space.
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Cristo Rey High Schools
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Cristo Rey High Schools
Chicago and LA.
(a) curriculum. Mainstream 14 -18 years of age, co ed, College Prep.
(b) pedagogy. Mainstream subjects. Class size around 20-25.
(c) student profile/s. Based on neighborhoods, ie. All Mexican (Chicago), all African American.
Student population =500.
(d) mission. To provide quality catholic education to underprivileged young people, college
prep, Transition to employment/further education.
(e) spiritual formation. Catholic. Jesuit.
(f) funding. Foundations, ( Private funding made up 95% of funding)
(g) engagement practices. The schools are really two organization in one.
1. The School. Mainstream educational pedagogy offering young people who are capable of the
work load and academic rigor of a Jesuit education.
2. The school is also an employment placement agency. Every young person enrolled has a job
that is organized by the school. The jobs are real and young people are expected to participate
fully in the work programme. Companies pay the school $25,000 US a year for the employment of
4 young people to rotate through the job. (a second team of workers ran this side of the school,
another team ran the fund raising area of the school)
(h) networks. Wide ranging – see sponsors, foundations.
(i) Board support. PLT, Board, President, Dioceses.
(j) Leadership 'density' within institutions . Mainstream – top down.
Alternative Education: Literature Review and Report on Key Informants Experiences
Pat O’Brien, Avril Thesing and Paul Herbert
New Zealand 2001
Report to the Ministry of Education
Five areas of consideration:
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The place where the programme operates. Quality Programmes need to be compact
settings that are unlike schools where students feel a sense of ownership, emotional security and
have the ability to reflect and engender students personal interest in terms of décor and out door
activities.
The Students. Students are supported to make a commitment to the programme, attempts
are made to value all student achievement and recognition exists of the difficulties associated
with adolescent development.
The Students Families. Families are perceived as a very important in terms of reinforcing
the educational experience of the programme. Whilst family disruption may be contributing to the
student alienation, the importance of trying to build family relationship should be a first priority.
The Programme Curriculum. Effective alternative programmes offer more individualized
curriculum support than mainstream. They deliver literacy, numeracy and other areas of content
knowledge, as information required by students in real life situations in order to maximize
learning opportunities rather than present subject packages. Diagonsitic assessment is important
to provide guidance in planning individualized programmes.
The Programme Providers. There is a team of providers, which is most effective when it
operates collaboratively, providing support for team members as well as for students. Team
members are involved in multidisciplinary approach of providing health, educational, social and
emotional support for students. Alternative educators need to develop warm relationships with
their students, as well as helping them with basic life needs. The importance of having trained
teachers/para –professionals who have a professional approach must be emphasized.
QUESTIONS ?????
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