Laura Secory

EDU 462/562

5:15 – 10:45

Article Review #2

            I am very excited to write this essay about the school I worked at for nine years. Harding Middle school was featured on Iowa Public Television on March 26^th 2013 for schools that have dealt with bully and harassment. This is a high poverty and diverse school with 95 percent of the students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This was once a troubled school that dealt with almost daily fights, suicide threats, threats on killing others, and the police was at the building on a regular basis. Harding started making a gradual transformation four years ago. The school obtained a new administration and along with the staff they have built a positive culture in the school.  

            This video features Maureen Taylor, principal at Harding Middle School. She talks about how the staff has worked very hard to build relationships with the students and have empowered them to take control and make each other accountable for their actions. Harding has designed a practice called “Behavior First”. Meaning that they cannot change the students’ academics until the behavior is under control. The administration and staff always put behavior first. The teachers meet every Friday and they rate every student 6^th – 8^th grade as to where if they have been positive, neutral, or negative on their behaviors. These ratings are then reviewed with the students during advisory class on Monday and Wednesday mornings. During advisory class the students then rate themselves and they have to explain why they are giving themselves that rating. The advisory teacher then looks at the teachers’ ratings and check if they match. If they do not, they discuss as a class the issue and come up with a solution as a group. The reason why they do it as a group is to bring accountability to the student while the other students listen and give their view. As the students’ ratings become positive on a regular basis, they are allowed to become part of the Wolf Pack. Some of these kids are then nominated to be part of the student government. This is a high level opportunity for students to have a positive influence over their peers. These students need to demonstrate positive behavior inside and outside of school. There are incentives for working towards positive behavior and they come in the form of privileges such as special school events. This program of “Wolf Pack” is run by the Vice Principal. Jake Troja.

            Harding also offers a class called Hip Hop, Rhetoric, and Rhyme class. This class uses current culture as a forum to combine civics, literacy, and history objectives. This class is run by teachers Kristopher Rollins and Emily Lang. In this class students explore how to be a force for change. Emily Lang states that they have a phrase called “Energetic Reciprocity” and the idea is to always build each other up and never tear each other down as they hold students to high standards. They also lead a poetry movement that has inspired some students to create change by sharing their truth through spoken words of poetry. This has encouraged students to discover the power of their words and their voices. This has allowed students to form solutions to problems in school and in their community.

            As you have read, behaviors did not change overnight. However, the staff and administration changed the culture of a school that once seemed hopeless. These programs worked because the staff was patient, learned the students’ needs, built relationships, and were consistent. This is a very powerful change and I am blessed to have been part of it.  

References

Bullying in iowa schools/harding middle school [Television series episode]. (2013). In Bullying in Iowa Schools. Iowa Public Television. Retrieved from http://www.iptv.org/video/detail.cfm/33531/bis_20130326_bully_harding