Group 3 Questions: Harper

Hi guys! Sorry these are late this week! I wanted to do them yesterday but I had a few appointments to get to. Hope everything is going well.

1. After listening to just a few minutes of "This American Life," it is obvious to me that the administrators and teachers have a positive and interesting way of interacting with students, particularly the assistant principal. It is mentioned that he is willing to meet with students immediately that he does not know to find out if they are gang-affiliated or offers to pick students up at their homes before schools to improve their attendance. What is surprising to me is that the student is willing to respond honestly, so much so to explain which other gangs are affiliated with his. How do students become this comfortable with their teachers/administrators? Would your students explain the people with whom they are "cliqued up" even if those people may be dangerous? What can we as educators do to create an environment safe enough for students to be that honest? If gangs are the dominant culture in the school, how do we help them to be individuals when they are used to being a part of a dominant group?

2. How do we help students to feel a part of the social structure if they avoid the dominant culture? In the high school I went to, this was something as simple as the students deciding not to drink on the weekends. In this case, it may be a student deciding to be anti-gang when it seems that all others are. Because education is so much more than academics, what are some strategies to foster social acceptance even if beliefs differ?

3. Much like in the case of Devonte, it seems to be that the social workers in the school are the ones who have decided to discuss the tragedy of his brother's death, while "nobody talks about it" at home. Is it the school's job to talk to students and help students through tragic processes? How much is too much, or is it never too much? Does being a successful educator mean being as involved as possible, even when students may not want to talk?