Narratives in the Making: Teaching and Learning at Corktown Community High School 9781442677555

Citation preview

NARRTIVESS IN THEMAEINGGT TEACHING AND LEARNINGAT AT CORKTOWN COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

At Corktown Community High School in Toronto, importance is placed on the education of the whole person. An alternative secondary school, Corktown emphasizes the development of self-knowledge and responsiveness to others, creative and critical thought, and connectedness through the self, the school community, and society. Narratives in the Making is based on a research project carried out at the school as part of a large-scale national research study, the Exemplary Schools Project. Corktown (a pseudonym) was selected as a participant because of its unusually high rate of student retention, student engagement, academic achievement, and its overall success in meeting the needs of its student population and community. In Narratives in the Making, Mary Beattie, the principal researcher at Corktown, provides insights and explanations of the meaning of success as it is understood by the school's teachers, students, parents, alumni, and administrators. Using narrative accounts of classroom and school practices, as well as profiles of teachers and students, she shows how the whole person concept is incorporated into the school environment, and why relationships are at the heart of teaching and learning. MARY BEATTIE is an associate professor of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.

This page intentionally left blank

Narratives in the Making Teaching and Learning at Corktown Community High School

Mary Beattie

U N I V E R S I T Y OF T O R O N T O P R E S S Toronto Buffalo London

www.utppublishing.com University of Toronto Press Incorporated 20000444 Toronto Buffalo London Printed in Canada ISBN 0-8020-3745-3 (cloth) ISBN 0-8020-8533-4 (paper)

© Printed on acid-free paper

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Beattie, Mary Narratives in the making: teaching and learning at Corktown Community High School / Mary Beattie. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8020-3745-3 (bound). ISBN 0-8020-8533-4 (pbk.) 1. Education, Secondary - Canada. 2. High schools - Canada Case studies. 3. Academic achievement - Canada. 4. Education, Secondary - Canada - Aims and objectives. I. Title. LE5.T6C67 2003

373.71

C2003-903966-8

Publication of this book has been assisted by a publication subsidy from Cunningham, Gregory, and Co., Toronto. University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial support for its publishing activities of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP).

I dedicate this book to two great teachers: My mother and friend Maura East, 1920-1994 My colleague and friend Cynthia Pollock, 1941-2001

This page intentionally left blank

Contents

Acknowledgments

ix

1 Origins: Context, Culture, Community 3 2 Education Is a Holistic Endeavour: Corktown - A Community High School 17 3 Relationships as a Context for Learning 27 4 Living and Learning: The School as a Learning Community 44 5 Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 73 6 Educating Global Citizens: Developing Connections and Commitment to Self, School, and Community 97 7 The Research Study 133 Appendix 1 Evidence of Success and Achievement of Corktown's Students in the 1993-1994 School Year 149 Appendix 2 Toronto School Board Survey: Every Secondary Student, 1991 153 Appendix 3 Key Facts 154 Notes 157 References 161 Index 167

This page intentionally left blank

Acknowledgments

I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the teachers, students, off-site principal, and community members of Corktown Community High school, and to the administrators at the Toronto District School Board. In every case, these individuals welcomed me and gave me so much of their insights, support, and time. I am indebted to them, for without them this book would not be possible. I would like to thank Suzanne Stiegelbauer, Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, University of Toronto, and Margaret Robertson, University of Victoria, the members of the research team at Corktown, whose efforts and expertise were essential to the success of this project. I am grateful to all those dedicated individuals who read and commented on the many drafts of the manuscript and provided support and advice. Thanks also to Andre Tremblay at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, who helped with the layout of the final manuscript. Many thanks also to Virgil Duff and the people at University of Toronto Press. Finally, I want to express my gratitude to Marcia and Greg Cunningham of Cunningham, Gregory, and Company, who provided financial support for the publication of the book, and to Dennis Thiessen, OISE/ UT and Jane Gaskell, University of British Columbia, who provided guidance and support from the beginning of the research project on which the book is based. Mary Beattie Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT)

This page intentionally left blank

NARRATIVES IN THE MAKING

This page intentionally left blank

1 Origins: Context, Culture, Community

An exemplary school to me is a place where you go and you see in living colour people who actually believe and function on principles of equity, of treating people with respect, respecting each other's feelings, relying on the opinion of others, valuing who people are, where they come from, what they stand for. A school should be a place where an overall societal ideal should be evidenced. To be exemplary you have to take on the world, you've got to let the youngster learn from other than you ... to access current knowledge and information and process it effectively ... to speak well of the time they spend there, to speak well about how important it is to them. I mean an exemplary school is one where students are also emotionally involved. Don Beggs, Superintendent of Curriculum

This book is about an alternative secondary school where the focus is on the education of the whole person, with an emphasis on the development of self-knowledge and responsiveness to others, on creative and critical thought, and on connectedness between the self, the school community, and society. Close relationships between teachers and students, and a clear humanistic philosophy stressing the school as community, are regarded as a major reason for student retention, engagement, and success in this school community. It is understood that these close interpersonal relationships and a collaborative learning culture provide a context for adolescents' growth and engender a feeling of belonging and connectedness among its members. Parents, students, board administrators, and community members

4 Narratives in the Making

agree that the success of the school is largely the result of its acknowledgment of adolescents' need for a supportive learning environment where they are encouraged to question, to critique, and to create, and to make increasingly more sophisticated connections between themselves and the world around them. Community members are in agreement that education is concerned with the development of the whole person - intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual, moral, aesthetic, and physical. Students are encouraged to develop their intellects, their emotions, interpersonal interactions, social skills, and their capacities to connect with their own humanity and that of others. In a learning culture that provides ongoing dialogue, conversations, and a myriad of opportunities for interaction, students develop the understanding that all narratives are narratives in the making, whether they are personal narratives, school or family narratives, or historical, scientific, or social narratives. Students learn to acknowledge that their lives are works in progress, to work with the temporal and continually evolving nature of their knowledge and life stories, and to value their inseparable relatedness to others and to the world around them. Corktown Community High School is a publicly funded, urban, alternative high school within the Toronto District School Board. It has an enrolment of approximately 120 students, most of whom are 'dropouts' from other secondary schools in the system. It has six teachers and one half-time teacher who offer advanced-level programs only. The philosophy, pedagogy, and practices of the school are grounded in a commitment to strong interpersonal relationships, a collaborative work culture, and connectedness between the school and the wider social and global communities. Success is understood in the context of the development of the whole person, of personal and academic achievement, and of satisfying and sustaining the individual's deepest needs and purposes. The authenticity of each individual's personal story is affirmed, as is each individual's inalienable capacity to be a meaning-maker, a creator of ideas, intuitions, and theories. Students are encouraged to develop their own authentic voices, to listen to the voices and realities of others, and to consider different perspectives and possibilities. In classroom and schoolwide practices, they are encouraged to make connections with their own purposes and the school curriculum, with colleagues inside and outside the school community, and with the wider civic and global communities. Like the other alternative schools in the public school system, Corktown's status is that of a self-governing community school which is

Origins: Context, Culture, Community 5

accountable to its own student, parent, and teacher groups within the policies and guidelines set by the school board and provincial systems. These small alternative schools, which are responsive to the communities they serve, are seen to fulfil a valuable and necessary place in the system, as they provide choice and diversity in the programs they offer, in the student groups they serve, the outcomes they achieve, and in the decision-making and governance structures and practices they enact. They provide appropriate programs, settings, and support for students who might otherwise find school challenging and who face the challenges that students face in the city; challenges in the home, race, gender, and poverty. Rather than being marginalized, these schools are often seen to provide direction for school reform and educational policy-making. I actually look to the alternative schools in some ways as models for our other schools. They are in fact modelling the kinds of directions we're looking for in educational reform. We're trying to reduce streaming and reduce labelling ... We're trying to look at different cultures that are more supportive of student achievement and a large part of that cultural change is a mentoring relationship that these schools exemplify. We're also trying to look at a different way of understanding and valuing students' voices, at a more integrated curriculum. We are looking for schools to design structures and ways of interacting that really come to grips with some of the challenges that students are facing in the city, be it poverty, be it challenges in the home, be it issues of race, be it issues of gender ... The alternative schools are a working example of how many issues on the reform agenda can be addressed. I'm often keen to point out to schools that are looking for models for changing, 'Why don't you look at the alternative schools, why don't you look at the way relationships are established?' I think they are a really good model for educational reform. (John Davies, Associate Director of Education)

The Research Context Corktown was one of the twenty-one schools studied as part of a largescale national research study in Canada in 1993-4. The school was selected for the Exemplary Schools Project because of its high rate of student retention, student engagement, achievement, and success. In the context of the selection process, community members emphasized the distinctiveness of the school, its success in meeting the varied edu-

6 Narratives in the Making

cational needs of a unique population of students, and in graduating a large number of Ontario scholars (students with over 80 per cent average) each year. Community members also emphasized the extent to which Corktown enables such a high proportion of its alumni to be successful in university, at college, or in their chosen careers and lives. Requests for nominations of schools that had a reputation for success in their communities were sent out to professional, cultural, and community organizations. This resulted in the nomination of 261 schools, of which twenty-one were chosen for the study. These schools were chosen on the basis of their success in meeting the needs of their student populations and communities, and in responding to the complex, varied, and often unpredictable challenges and realities they faced. These realities included the changing societal expectations for schools and schooling, the growing movement towards accountability, the influence of technology, increasing diversity and globalization, and a changing relationship between schooling and work. The purpose of the research was to study and describe the creative responses that these schools were making to the challenges and the tensions they faced, by studying the culture and structure of their school communities and identifying and describing the practices which contributed to the various dimensions of each school's success. It was hoped that this research would make a contribution to the improvement of secondary school retention and achievement and to educational policy and school reform. The Exemplary Schools Project was the largest research project of its kind in the history of Canadian education. The research was led by Dr Jane Gaskell, Associate Dean, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, and designed by a national team of educational researchers drawn from seven Canadian universities, who also coordinated the work of the research teams in each of the twenty-one schools. The project was funded by the Innovations Program of Human Resources Development Canada and administered by the Canadian Education Association. The twenty-one schools selected for the study were located in nine Canadian provinces and one territory, and in metropolitan, urban, suburban, small town, and rural environments. They included ten large urban schools with a diverse clientele, seven small schools serving a primarily rural population, and four alternative schools. These schools also included both academic and comprehensive schools, minority-language schools, English, French, Aboriginal, and culturally diverse schools. The set also included large schools with

Origins: Context, Culture, Community 7

over 1,500 students, small schools with under 300 students, and schools with different grade patterns, including K-12, 8-12, 10-12, 9OAC (Ontario Academic Credit / Grade 13). Following the selection of the schools, research teams worked to identify, describe, and analyse successful practice in these very diverse schools in different regions. Research methods included the collection of documents, the observation of school and classroom activities, interviewing key individuals in the school and the community, and preparing the case studies. No claim was made that these schools were exemplary in the sense that they were perfect or that they deserved uncritical imitation. Schools were seen as exemplary in the sense that they were admired in their communities and studied with the intention that they would 'illustrate the diversity of Canadian secondary schools, the challenges they face, the tensions they must try to resolve, and the creative responses that many schools are making to these challenges and tensions' (Gaskell, 1995, Introduction). Researchers in each of the schools focused on what was working well in the school and examined five major issues: 1 The meaning and recognition of success 2 The interaction between the school and its context 3 The influence of the structures, processes, and culture of the school in fostering success 4 The characteristics of student life in the school 5 The services provided to students at risk of dropping out of the school Principal researchers for each school site wrote extensive case studies which became the primary resource material for the national report published in 1995 (Gaskell, 1995). A video was also produced, and a set of archives of resources was established. A mandatory requirement of the project was that the principal investigator would spend a minimum of twenty days in the school. As the principal researcher at Corktown, I spent in excess of the required twenty days in the school during the research period and have remained in contact with the school since then. In 19971 returned to conduct further interviews with teachers to understand the collaborative leadership being enacted there (Beattie, 2002). The teachers accepted the anonymity offered to the school at the outset of the research study and chose the name Corktown as the pseudonym

8 Narratives in the Making

because of its historical significance. Some teachers also chose pseudonyms. All administrators and trustees names and titles are real, and they refer to the persons and positions held during the period of the research shady, as do the details of the community and the educational context. As such, the narrative of Corktown is a snapshot in time, a narrative that is continually evolving and changing, a narrative in the making. My interest in Corktown began on my first visit to the school, when I went there to speak to the teachers about the school's involvement in the Exemplary Schools research. At this time, I noticed the informal, collegial relations between students and teachers and the warm and friendly atmosphere of the school. Having explained the focus of the study, and the major issues to be explored, I also explained that the research project was personally meaningful to me as it would allow me to continue my ongoing work in understanding the meanings of educators' and students' lives in diverse school settings and from their own perspectives. I outlined my long-standing interests in teaching and learning, in the kinds of relationships that foster learning, and in the nature and qualities of successful schools. The participation of Corktown in the study would allow me to continue to document educational life through what Eisner (1995) refers to as, 'artistically and humanistically rooted forms of inquiry,' and to continue my search for new ways of conducting research which are specific to education, with their own language, methods, forms, and understandings of classroom, school, and school board life, such as those described by Jackson, as 'more descriptive strategies, with their heavy dependence upon narration, naturalistic observation ... and an increased willingness to look and listen appreciatively to what goes on in schools, taking into account not only what is "out there" in some objective sense but also what the researcher himself contributes to what is seen' (1990: 7). The teachers at Corktown were welcoming and had many questions about the research and the research methods. They explained that participation in the study would be decided upon collaboratively. They would include it on the agenda for the upcoming weekly staff meeting and would also hold a special meeting for students. The outcome would be a collaborative decision and would require consensus among community members. Qualitative research methods were used to conduct the study at Corktown which participates in what Eisner (1991) describes as 'a history and tradition populated by those who have attempted to become

Origins: Context, Culture, Community 9

both perceptive and articulate about what they have encountered' in educational settings. The distinctiveness and contribution of researchers such as Philip Jackson, Sarah Lawrence Lightfoot, Deborah Meier, Theodore Sizer, and Alan Peshkin, who engage in naturalistic inquiry and in a humanistic tradition in education is explained by Eisner: 'These scholars not only study intact settings in their "natural state," but try to make sense of those settings through language that is not tied to formalism or to theories that abstract vivid particulars into oblivion. Each tries to tell a story that has a ring of truth without compromising figurative or interpretive language' (1991: 3). The research at Corktown began in the classrooms, in the student lounge, and in the everyday actions of the members of this learning community. It began with the observation of classroom and school practices, and of relationships and interactions between teachers, students, and community members. Using the central five questions of the study and their many facets, the project team of three researchers focused on understanding and analysing the environment, the conditions, the structures, programs, and procedures which contribute to student engagement, achievement, and success. As a research team we sought to explore the ways in which the school was connected to the community it serves, how it was organized internally, and the ways in which teachers and students experienced their daily lives in this learning community. Data were collected through classroom and school observation, individual and focus group interviews, student shadowing, the analysis of documents, formal and informal conversations, interactions with community members, and attendance at school and after-school events. Field notes were written of all observations of practice and were used to construct narrative accounts of tentative meaning-making which were shared with school staff and the research team on a regular basis throughout the research period. Additional information, feedback, and comments were invited and were received mainly in the form of informal, oral comments and through conversation. This process was valuable in the establishment of collegial, equitable relationships, and an environment for shared interpretation and meaning-making. As the research progressed, themes began to emerge, and were subsequently strengthened, substantiated, and expanded with the details of the recorded and transcribed interviews, field notes of classroom and school events, student shadowing, and the analysis of documents. Narrative forms and methods were used throughout the study

10 Narratives in the Making

because of their appropriateness to the study of experience and to the acknowledgment of the values, intentions, and purposes of the individuals being studied. These methods and forms allowed for the representation of the voices and perspectives of teachers, students, and other community members, for making connections between practitioner knowledge and academic research, and for the creation of a research text that would be accessible and of value to both researchers and practitioners. Collaborative relationships are at the heart of this kind of research, where narrative is understood as both phenomenon and method (Connelly and Clandinin, 1991), and which allows for the interpretation of meanings in a context of shared inquiry. In narrative inquiry, the relationship between theory and practice is also important, and the emphasis is shifted 'From an analysis of practice in terms of theory, to a study of practice in order to develop a theory of practice but also [shifted is] the interpretative process from that of the researcher's interpretation of observed data to mutual researcherparticipant reconstruction of meaning-in-action' (Connelly and Clandinin, 1986: 295). Within collaborative research relationships, researchers and participants worked to explore the nature and qualities of success as it was understood by community members themselves. Narrative methods allowed us to focus on understanding the personal knowledge that gives meaning and direction to individuals' purposes and practices, and to acknowledge that individuals and situations have a past, present, and future that influence one another. These methods allowed us to explore and understand teaching and learning in a historical context which acknowledges time and the temporality of knowledge, and also to acknowledge that the life stories of community members and the school itself are all narratives in the making. Narrative forms allowed for the representation of these understandings holistically, in ways which provided insights into individuals' lives and learning processes, the depiction of their temporality, history, and anticipated future, and the acknowledgment of their interconnectedness. Narrative inquiry has gained increasing recognition within the educational research community over the past decade. It has been used to study teachers' professional knowledge in in-service and preservice teacher education settings, and to explore the connections between curriculum development, school reform, and the creation of new knowledge: 'Happily, the past decade or so has been one in which the importance of narrative, the construction of stories, the uses of the arts

Origins: Context, Culture, Community 11

in general have been increasingly recognized for the distinctive potential contributions they can make towards understanding the personal and intimate lives that people lead. The lives that stories tell cannot be told in other ways' (Eisner, in Beattie, 1995b, Introduction). (See Chapter 7 for a detailed description of the conceptual framework and methodology of the study.) In the case study written for the Exemplary Schools Project (Beattie, 1995a), the thematic constructs of 'the learning community,' Voice and choice/ and 'collaboration and connectedness' provided a framework for describing and analysing the ways in which the Corktown community functions and deals with the ongoing dilemmas, conflicts, and contradictions of daily life, acknowledging that 'smooth sailing' or perfection is not a legitimate goal of teaching or learning and that change and the continual solving of problems is a normal and necessary part of life. The themes provided the structures within which to describe the central insights and qualities of the case, and to explore and outline the boundaries and obstacles to the full realization of success as they were being experienced by members of the learning community. These themes have a historical dimension in that they are consistent with the founding principles featured in the original documents of the school, and a temporal dimension in that they outline the ways in which the learning community continually grows and changes within the parameters of the founding principles. Within the themes, patterns of distinctiveness were identified and used to explicate the practices that make Corktown a distinctive and humane learning environment that is conducive to student engagement, achievement, and success. In the case study (Beattie, 1995a), these patterns were woven through the stories of teaching and learning, the accounts of school and classroom life, the portraits of community members, and the analysis of learning and living in this school community. The patterns of distinctiveness now provide a framework for the chapters of this book. The Learning Culture

Education Is a Holistic Endeavour It is understood that the purpose of education is the development of the whole person - intellectually, imaginatively, socially, morally, aesthetically, creatively, and physically. It is acknowledged that the learner is a meaning-maker who makes connections between the different

12 Narratives in the Making

dimensions of the self, between the self and others, between the different domains of knowledge, between linear thinking and intuition, and between self, school, and society. It is understood that academic achievement is one part of being successful as a human being, and that what is defined and understood as success for any individual learner can only be defined within the context of that person's whole life. Successful learning involves the development of the individual's ability to make increasingly more sophisticated connections and relations, the ability to adapt and adjust to meet new situations and conditions, to envision new possibilities and ways of being, and to learn from life itself on a continual basis. The development of the imagination and of the individual's creative and critical capacities is the key to this kind of learning, and to the individual's success in transforming the self, the community, and society. Relationships as a Context for Learning Teaching and learning are interpersonal processes that are facilitated when teacher-student relationships are egalitarian, informal, and collaborative. Close interpersonal relationships provide a context for adolescent learners to develop their expressiveness, to establish their identities, to develop the ability to hear the voices of others, and to learn how to learn from and with others. The development of relationships with others, as well as the ability to collaborate with others, is emphasized as a necessary aspect of being a committed and responsible citizen in the learning community and beyond. It is understood as a vital component of an education that seeks to educate individuals who care not only about themselves, but also about others, about local and global societies, and about the planet. Living and Learning Are Inextricably Interconnected: School as a Learning Community It is acknowledged that a school is a learning community where the continuous refraining, re-creation, and transformation of ideas and knowledge take place through ongoing inquiry. School learning becomes relevant and vital for students when it is connected to their current and future purposes, and when it engages their intellects and imaginations for the purposes of extending and enlarging those purposes. It is understood that this is a way of living as well as a way of

Origins: Context, Culture, Community 13

learning, and adolescent learners are encouraged to acquire increasing control over their own learning processes, and to use what they know to learn what they need to know. In a culture that is grounded in the principles of freedom, equity, and democratic practice, there is an emphasis on creating a diversity of learning experiences where expressiveness and action are connected to the identification of current and future purposes and to the envisioning of the range of choices and possibilities available. Additionally, through the Outreach Programme, which is an important component of the school program, students' life experiences are connected to the school curriculum and the external communities to which they belong. It is also acknowledged that student learning and success are fostered through an authentic school curriculum which enables them to experience the knowledge, skills, and content they are learning, as a source of current fulfilment, personal growth, and continuity, and to envision how it can continue to be so, as well as being a source of income in their future lives. Cultivating Independence and Interdependence: Developing an Authentic Voice and Identity The development of an authentic voice and identity is connected in significant ways to the development of independence and to a sense of connectedness and interdependence of individuals in community. When adolescents learn to express their own ideas and opinions, they learn about themselves, make sense of their inner realities, and develop the self-respect and self-esteem necessary to shape their own lives. As they engage in dialogue and conversation with others, they learn that their views are not universally shared, and they develop the willingness and capacities to hear and respond to the views of others. In this way adolescents can learn to look at things as if they could be otherwise, and to imagine new possibilities for themselves and others. For individuals, the development of voice and identity is connected to the ability to shape one's own narrative, to open up to the narratives of others, and to cultivate new visions and narratives for self, others, and society. The Education of Global Citizens: The Development of Connectedness and Commitment to Community The education of responsible and committed global citizens requires a

14 Narratives in the Making

learning environment that invites participation, interaction, and communication. It requires conditions that are conducive to the practice of self-expression, critical and creative thought and action, participatory decision-making, collaboration, commitment, and the making of connections. It requires conditions that support and expand the interests of adolescents, that engage them in a participatory community of shared purposes and responsibilities, and that connect them to the larger local and global contexts. When school experiences and structures are designed with the recognition that individuals learn in different ways, that they have a range of purposes for engaging in learning, and need diverse ways to represent and use what they have learned, they allow adolescents to grow in personal awareness and social belonging. Close interpersonal relationships and a democratic, participatory community provide them with a safe context in which to develop independence, interdependence, responsibility to the self, and the abilities to be increasingly more responsible to others. They allow them to develop a commitment to their own learning and that of others, to the school community, and to the wider global community, and the desire and the capacities to work with others for social and global change. Corktown: The Community Corktown has evolved and changed over the years through changing social, organizational, and economic conditions, and different combinations of students and staff. Its distinctiveness lies in its ability to maintain its loyalty and authenticity to its founding mandate, and to balance tradition and innovation in the context of external change. In 1995, Don Beggs, superintendent of curriculum, described Corktown in this way: I think a school should be a place in a community where the learner and the community see that learners can go and connect with things they need and want to learn ... [and] that you can't connect with as well anywhere else. The students who go to alternative schools are not unclear about what they stand for and they want their school and their whole system to evidence. That's one of the appealing things about these schools. They are not ambiguous, they are not fuzzy or unfocused. In terms of equity, in terms of human rights, in terms of righting wrongs, in terms of interna-

Origins: Context, Culture, Community 15 tional policies ... we educate young people to think, express their points of view. It's good.

In recent years, the contextual changes that have affected all schools in Ontario - the budget cuts and cost-saving measures, the removal of the principals from the teachers' unions, and the amalgamation of seven school boards into the Toronto District School Board in 1998 have also affected Corktown and the alternative schools. In 1999, Sandra Best, the coordinator of alternative schools, explained the impact of the changes on the alternative schools: For the alternative schools, things now are the same as they've always been. We have always had to do more with less. We have never had the libraries and the computer equipment. We are used to having to strive for everything, and we use our community resources the way we always have. Yes, the changes in the context affect our situation, and the issues are the same as they are for all schools. Teacher morale is lower than it used to be, there are the space issues, choice of principals, the removal of the principals from the teachers' unions. We deal with those issues just as other schools have to deal with them. However, there doesn't seem to be a big threat to alternative schools at present. In fact, the new board is very supportive of alternative schools. The philosophy is the same, the cultures of the schools and the principles on which they are based is the same. We have always operated on a shoestring. (Beattie, 1999)

Deborah Meier (1995) suggests that schools like this, which are small and autonomous, provide a way to revitalize public education as they allow educators to re-establish the experience of community, dialogue, and conversation, and of enabling community members to develop the capacity to affect decision-making and cultural and social change. Meier emphasizes the importance of close interpersonal relationships between teachers and students, self-governance, and a culture of inquiry, to the creation of a context that is conducive to teaching and learning: 'small schools, schools of choice, school autonomy over the critical dimensions of teaching and learning, lots of time for building relationships and reflecting on what's happening, along with a culture of mutual respect for others, and a set of habits that fosters inquiry as well as responsibility' (1995:184). From the outset, I have understood the challenge of the research as

16 Narratives in the Making

one of understanding and representing this particular school within its educational context, and of showing how the major features and dimensions of the school and the context interact. I have understood it as a quest to provide real insights and understandings into the ways in which students and teachers experience their lives in the learning community, and to understand how these experiences contribute to student retention, achievement, and success. My intention has been to understand success and achievement from the perspective of students, teachers, parents, and community members, as well as from my own perspective, and to represent the voices of those who live and learn in this community. I have understood this challenge as the creation of a research text that will illuminate and positively influence the lives of students, teachers, and educational researchers, and will make a contribution to the improvement of education.

2 Education Is a Holistic Endeavour: Corktown - a Community High School

Corktown: A place among the metal and the scraps there is a place deep among the metal and the scrap a melting pot of ideas clashing in a great framework a place where the elders spring from the garden Rob is first in his medicine hat making life into art and art into life any class with him is a 'dreaded' affair an outreach jacket worn in the name of hunka hunka burnin love to which Isadora's laughter dances in a fluttered pattern there stands irma cool with a smoke she is guarded her mind her words her laughter calculating the proximity of the sidewalk from the hand that holds her smoke miles davis and alice walker would be proud to have earned her choice admiration then greta who is the voice of passion and compassion of emotion and beauty and reverence she speaks of toni morrison and the mother goddess standing in the grass a happy puppy running about Caroline is remembered like the shadow of a missing limb forever her extraordinary spell woven into the walls and last but not least margaret careful and determined she is strong and reflective a champion of causes destined to be a saviour one day the siblings of corktown they make it what it is the place among the metal and the scraps. Gerry, Grade 12 Student, Corktown Community High School

18 Narratives in the Making

A visitor to Corktown is immediately struck by the aesthetic appeal of the historic building in which this school is housed. The first sight of the Victorian, two-storey, brick building with its long windows on all sides and the small green space and trees to one side of it is striking. The building is even more striking because of its surroundings and location in the heart of old industrial Toronto. The immediate area around the school was originally the site of a working-class community, which declined with the building of a huge overpass from the Don Valley Parkway which dominates the area. The surrounding streets are lined with strings of row houses, small shops and offices, industrial buildings and warehouses, and a large scrapyard. The area also has some historic buildings, including the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, which is one of Toronto's most famous historical buildings. Some of the old run-down buildings are being sandblasted, renovated, and turned into galleries, shops, studios, and offices. The boundary to the area on the east of the site is formed by the overpass from the Don Valley Parkway and the boundaries to the west, north, and south are formed by major city streets. A newly revived Corktown Association is attempting to re-establish a sense of community in the area through the organization of social events throughout the year. Corktown draws its student population from all over the city and suburbs; the community is not geographically defined, but is defined by interests, purposes, and philosophy. Most students travel to the school by the various forms of public transportation. The streetcar stops less than 100 metres from the door of the school, providing a vital link between the school community and the city at large with its galleries, libraries, and cultural activities which are used to enrich the school curriculum and which provide a setting for the Outreach Programme which is an integral part of the school program. A silk-screened and back-lit image of The Blue Planet' hangs from the ceiling of the front foyer of the school. Student artwork, studentcreated bulletin boards, colourful posters, and current announcements cover the walls of the foyer. The newsworthy announcements of the day are written on a large wall-mounted greenboard at the back. The up-to-date details of the school's programs are posted on the bulletin board inside the front door. The decor is whimsical, off-beat, funky, and connected to the theme of the year. It announces an acceptance of difference and diversity as well as an appreciation for the aesthetic. The atmosphere is friendly, warm, and inviting. The main floor of the school has a large entrance foyer, an adminis-

Education Is a Holistic Endeavour 19

trative office with a reception desk, photocopy machine, typewriter, and mailboxes, an inner administrative office, two large classrooms, and a student lounge. It also has a kitchen, a washroom, a darkroom, and an art gallery. The second floor has four classrooms, a workroom with a small reference and textbook collection, a computer and phone, a second washroom, and a nurse's office. Linking the two floors is a wide, elegant staircase with a big window filled with potted, flowering plants. The six classrooms in the school are spacious, and all have big windows and high ceilings. Some have their original wooden floors and sectioned-off-back coat-closets which tell of the school's early days as an elementary school. All the classrooms are decorated with artwork, student art and work, quotations, maps, announcements, and posters that invite inspection. The window ledges of many of the classrooms provide a home for a variety of potted plants and flowers. The school has no staff room, no music room, no science labs, and no gymnasium. It does have an outside basketball court and an established art gallery, which is open to the public, and is listed in magazines along with the other galleries in the city. Parents and students speak of loving the sense of comfort and ease they feel in the place because of the 'kitsch' and humorous approach to the decor, and also because of the aesthetic appeal of the old building. Music of all kinds can be heard from classrooms and from the student lounge, where students read, relax, play music, and talk. The student lounge has a piano, a pop machine and comfortable, well-worn sofas and chairs. Throughout the school there is a general absence of any features which would give it an 'institutional' flavour. A creative and humorous approach to things is both acceptable and expected, and as Bob one of the teachers there put it, 'our sense of humour gets us through a lot. Things get repositioned by a sense of humour.' A parent explained that having heard about the school from friends, his daughter had attended an information meeting, and 'loved it on the spot because of the scuzziness of the student lounge, the awful curtains, the beat-up furniture.' The structure of a day at Corktown is very much like that of a traditional high school. A typical day consists of four periods, with an hour for lunch in between the second and third period. Regular classes are an hour in length, and each day has a double class of two hours. This double class rotates between the time slots, so that it occurs in period three on Monday, period four on Tuesday, period two on Thursday, and period one on Friday. These double classes facilitate extended

20 Narratives in the Making

experiences and discussions, and time for reflection. They can be used for tutorials, consultations, group activities, videos, field trips, and independent study. There is a ten-minute break in the middle of the double class each day, and those who smoke (students and teachers) go outside and off the school property to take a 'smoke break.' Here, the class discussions continue and often gain momentum. Wednesday mornings (9:00-12:00) are for Outreach projects and programs, and Wednesday afternoons (12:00-3:15) are for independent study for students. The weekly staff meeting for teachers also takes place on Wednesday afternoons. At any one time, four or five classes are running in the school. Exams take place four times a year, and Outreach Presentation Days take place once a semester. Outreach evaluation is equivalent to an exam. In addition to the courses offered during the daytime, Dave Gracey, the off-site principal, teaches a night course (economics, OAC), which is open to students of all the alternative schools. There are a total of twelve computers in the school. Five of these are in Lola's classroom, as one of Lola's extracurricular responsibilities is for new educational technologies. Lola explains that technology is integrated into the curriculum and used as a tool to make things happen rather than as an end in itself. Students are encouraged to teach each other how to use both the hardware and the various kinds of available software for their own purposes. When the need arises, the introduction to computers course is taught. Each classroom has its own computer, and students use the computers for word processing, research (CD-ROM encyclopedia), and graphics (pictures and overheads). The school has three TVs, and three VCRs, which have to be shared between all classes. They also have two video cameras and a number of polaroid cameras which the students frequently use for classroom presentations and independent projects. Students also use the photocopy machine to produce materials for their course work. School staff were hoping to buy a video editing suite which would extend the range of video and film work that staff and students could engage in for teaching and learning purposes: 'Corktown is a small, strongly knit educational community. Teachers and students work together in a relatively casual, yet stimulating, learning environment. Most of the school's resources are made available to students throughout the academic year, particularly audio-visual equipment and computers. Besides the terminal to the mainframe, only one computer is dedicated to staff and administrative use. We value accessibility. This philosophy

Education Is a Holistic Endeavour 21

has resulted in a number of benefits to the entire school community' (Lola, Corktown Teacher). The Distinctiveness of Corktown Corktown is one of the best kept secrets in town ... with a tremendous emphasis on Outreach and art and involving young people in an equal role in the school through CEASA [The Committee of Evaluation of Academic Standards and Admissions], and other activities in the school like that. Well you know, it's an atmosphere, it's a valuing of the school and valuing one another. All their applications speak of the value of a controlled smallness. They all want to preserve rather tight family identity, and the smallness of the school is a way of ensuring that. Some people learn better in that environment and that's great. Don Beggs, Superintendent of Curriculum

Corktown Community High School was established in response to requests from the community, and it has tailored its environment and programs to meet the needs of the student population. The school is distinctive in that it is imbued with a clear humanistic philosophy of education, emphasizing the importance of relationships and the school as a learning community that is connected in significant ways to the external community. The alternative secondary schools in Toronto together serve a population equivalent to a mid-sized high school. They are seen as a part of the board's vision of choices and equity, as explained by Don Beggs: 'They are part of that vision ... We educate young people to think, express their points of view: it's good ... The board values alternative schools. Obviously we have more than any other board. We have a very defined policy that is consistent with our deep relationship with the community. The board still regards the issues to which the alternative schools are directed as a major front-line feature of what it's all about.' Like the other alternative elementary and secondary schools in the Toronto District School Board, Corktown is known for its own unique identity and approach to teaching, learning, and to the programs offered. Like all the other schools in the board, it operates within the guidelines for publicly funded schools, set by the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Toronto District School Board. Guidelines are provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education which is empowered to direct education in the province under the Education Act, and of the

22 Narratives in the Making

Toronto District School Board. School programs, school eligibility, student graduation requirements, and teacher certification are some of the areas governed by this act. Ministry guidelines outline the expectations for courses, provide course outlines, and suggest forms of assessment and evaluation to be carried out at the school level. The learning environment at Corktown emphasizes student-centred learning, dialogue, conversation, and reflection, interpersonal relationships, and an academic preparation which is grounded in the connectedness of self, school, and society. The school has a reputation and tradition of excellence among community members, present and past, as well as its students, alumni, parents, policy-makers, and teachers. It is seen to set a standard of excellence when it comes to enabling a diverse group of students to achieve success, to complete their secondary education, and to find fulfilment in their personal and work lives. Like the other alternative schools, Corktown occupies a significant place within the cosmopolitan, multicultural, urban environment of the Toronto board which seeks to provide programs to meet the distinctive philosophical and pedagogical needs of its many and varied community groups. It is quite usual that the communities of alternative schools are often not geographically defined, but are established and defined by the needs, interests, and values of the community they serve. It is also usual that their administrative structures and frameworks for human relations are organized along cooperative, non-hierarchical, egalitarian lines. It is also usual that their budgets are tight because of their small enrolment. The distinctiveness of Corktown is grounded in its ability to remain faithful to the coherent philosophy and culture of learning outlined in the founding principles on which the school is based, and within which it changes and re-creates itself each year. These founding principles school can be found in the school handbook, The Corkbook and include (a) emphasis on the development of all aspects of students' lives - intellectual, social, moral, emotional, spiritual, and physical; (b) emphasis on freedom of expression, self-government, and autonomy; (c) emphasis on a collaborative work culture, connectedness between school learning and life experience, and the development of commitment to community; and (d) emphasis on the Outreach Programme which is a significant aspect of the school program. The Outreach Programme is an integral part of the school curriculum which incorporates community service into the regular program. Outreach provides opportunities for connecting school and life, and

Education Is a Holistic Endeavour 23

for developing a regard for school as an integral part of life, rather than as a preparation for life. Outreach projects teach students to value adaptability, flexibility, creativity, and collaboration. They enable students to develop initiative, a wealth of relationships and friendships, and the skills and attitudes necessary for personal and civic responsibility within the community at large, here in Canada and around the world. Corktown's distinctiveness and its role and mandate within the educational context of the school board were outlined by John Davies, associate director of education. He explains that from an organizational perspective, it is expected that Corktown ... will provide a first-class academic program for students that are going on through that school to a post-secondary education. That is clearly part of their mandate and I think they are accountable to that. In addition to that, their responsibility in terms of this organization is to provide a place for people who might otherwise find the large structures in our other schools are getting in the way of what they can achieve. They take students that do have some kind of disenchantment with the 'regular' schools system, but they still do look for students who will commit themselves to the program on a very regular basis. They can provide an opportunity for those students to be successful in a smaller, closer environment. I don't want to belittle our large schools in any shape or form. They have their own unique challenges, but there are clearly students for whom that setting isn't conducive to the kind of progress that they can make, and that to me, is a mandate.

Making Connections: Building Community The 'extended family' atmosphere at Corktown is enriched by the wide variety of community-building events which are held throughout the school year. These school events are focused on the creation of a community where students are connected intellectually, emotionally, and socially, and where they feel a strong sense of belonging. An orientation week at the beginning of each semester combines communitybuilding activities with information meetings, course counselling, and classes. Three coffee-house evenings are held during the year, where students, teachers, parents, and friends join in a friendly, receptive atmosphere for singing, jamming, poetry reading, and performances of various kinds. Several all-school events also take place throughout the

24 Narratives in the Making

year, and include an annual baseball match with City School (another alternative high school in the board), a variety of conferences on topical issues, visits to art shows, and invited guest lectures by members of the local community in the school gallery. Many students and teachers who no longer work or shady at the school visit regularly and attend school events. This is evidenced at any of the coffee houses or social events where former students are visibly present and are active participants in the proceedings. Staff members regularly attend former students' weddings and other special events in their lives. Parents and community members act as sponsors for Outreach projects, are invited as guest lecturers, and contribute to the school in numerous ways. Shidents form relationships and friendships which continue long after graduation and remain connected to the school community into their adult lives. The Tao is the symbol for Corktown, and the image is featured on school documents, materials, and throughout the school. The polarities connected within the circle provide an apt symbol for a culture which recognizes the complexities and multidimensionality of human beings, and of the adolescent learners it serves. It is a constant reminder of the interconnectedness of things, the duality of the opposites, the contradictions as well as the harmonies, and the constant dynamic state which brings order through the dialectic. The image of the Tao visually reinforces the fundamental principles of the learning community, speaking intuitively to the development of coherence and unity through multiplicity and interconnectedness, and of the process of life's journey as a continual search for connections, synthesis, balance, and harmony. Community-building is also enhanced through 'The Theme of the Year/ which is used as a way of making connections, of linking the academic life, the community events, and the activities of the school, and of breaking down the boundaries between academic disciplines. The theme of the 1993-4 year was Jurassic Park, and its symbols and associations were used to bring what was current and topical in the world into the school environment. 'Chaos theory,' 'Post-modernism/ and 'Swan-song' had been used as themes in previous years to provide the basis for the integration of curriculum subjects and for whole-school events such as debates and conferences. Themes also provide opportunities for student initiative and involvement in creating the visual appearance of the school through the decor and the use of bulletin boards, wall space, and signs. They are also used to bring a sense of

Education Is a Holistic Endeavour

25

fun and humour to the daily life of the school, to school celebrations, and to the social and academic events of the year. The importance of community, of a sense of interconnectedness and of shared responsibility are summed up by a school trustee, Fiona Nelson: 'their smallness is an important part of why they function well because everyone knows everyone else and there's a much better sense of shared responsibility for the venture ... There's no way there can be anonymity in those little alternative schools. If you're not pulling your weight, it shows up instantly. And I think that's very important. I also think it's very valuable for training people in civic responsibility. I know I keep harping on about this but I think it's very important.' Success and Achievement at Corktown Coffee houses are incredible ... people doing all kinds of creative things ... Something is right here ... poetry is cheered. Carol, Corktown Parent

Success and achievement at Corktown are understood in the context of the development of the whole person. This conception of success is embedded in the original philosophy on which the school was founded, emphasizing the development of all aspects of students' lives, as well as gaining academic credits. Students learn that success can only be understood within the context of the individual's whole life and within the individual's personal value system, long-term personal goals, and aspirations. Earning academic credits is understood as a necessary part of being successful in the learning community, but they are not synonymous. Students learn that to be successful as human beings they need to develop self-awareness, integrity, compassion, wisdom, and responsiveness to others. They need to develop understandings of their own needs and purposes, the needs and concerns of others, and a more expansive awareness of social, cultural, and global issues. For all community members at Corktown, education is concerned with more than the preparation for university, for jobs, or for being socialized. It is understood as being about more than the mastery of subject knowledge or of acquiring skills, more than learning how to live up to someone else's agenda, to wait for the directions and instructions of others, or to adopt unquestioningly another's values, beliefs, or morals. Achieving success in the process of getting an education is

26 Narratives in the Making

connected with the increasing ability to express thoughts, opinions, values, beliefs, and assumptions and to develop an individual and unique voice. It is also connected with the acquisition of the intellectual skills necessary to question and test and to continually transform one's own understandings, as well as the increasing capacity to adapt to meet new conditions and to make connections. This conception of success is used throughout the learning community, and student success and achievement are recognized in both interpersonal and public ways, including quiet acknowledgments of significant progress or public announcements at whole-school gatherings. Community events also provide many opportunities for acknowledging and celebrating student successes and achievement. Isadora, a teacher/co-ordinator at the school explains it this way: 'Success is understood as more than gaining a ticket to university or getting a better job and more possessions. The staff here (and I think this will be common across your interviews) feel that success for students is enabling them to become independent, self-sufficient, able to state their personal, private goals, and the method of achieving them in the outside world. Success also involves finding some source of contentment or way of dealing with the inequities in the society in which they live.' For evidence of academic success and achievement of Corktown's students in the year of the original research study, The Exemplary Schools Project, see Appendix I.

3 Relationships as a Context for Learning

Then when I started to apply myself and to see what was going on or what was available to me, then I started to use the teachers as resources and started to see exactly how much they were willing to give. Usually when you're in a large high school, you don't use the teacher as a resource. You try not to use the teacher at all. It's not a learner-directed situation, it's very teacher directed. So here we go, we're in a learnerdirected situation and I guess I got the benefits from that. Justin, Corktown Alumnus

Teacher-Student Relationships The relationships between teachers and students at Corktown are at the heart of the teaching and learning that takes place in the classroom and throughout the events and activities of the learning community. These informal, non-hierarchical relationships provide a context that is highly conducive to students' learning, student retention, and student success. The informal, communitylike environment of the school provides many opportunities for teachers and students to form the kinds of relationships in which adolescents can develop their voices and perspectives, identities, sense of self-esteem, and feelings of self-worth. These relationships help students to develop emotionally as well as intellectually, to gain control and ownership over their own learning, and to become active and productive members of the learning community. They enable them to feel unique and separate while simultaneously being supported and connected. Students all speak of the 'holding power' of the interpersonal relationships at Corktown and of

28 Narratives in the Making

the push to persevere because of the amount of intellectual, emotional, and moral support they have received to persevere and succeed. They say that feeling recognized as participating members of the school community whose contributions will be missed if they withdraw makes the impetus to drop out and to give up a lot harder. The development of relationships between teachers and students is facilitated by the physical space and by an informal, collegial culture where conversations, dialogue, and interaction can start up easily and can continue with relative ease. They are developed through classroom interactions and through shared involvement in community events, field trips, and Outreach projects. As they share their thoughts and responses to the various experiences, ideas, and communities (literary communities, visual and media communities, music communities, and politically active communities, such as the group against homophobia and the group who demonstrated against the Oka incident), teachers and students develop levels of connectedness and trust in each other. Students refer to teachers by their first names and get to know their personalities, temperaments, interests, and eccentricities, as well as their intellectual and creative capacities and achievements. Teachers also get to know the personalities of students and to acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses, interests, purposes, and special talents. Teachers have no separate staff room, and students and teachers use the entire space available to them for working, eating lunch, reading and relaxing, having conversations, and listening to or playing music. Students use the administrative office where the photocopy machine and the typewriter are kept, and they continually drop in to the inner office which is mainly used by the coordinators for administrative purposes and private conversations. Authentic human relations are considered fundamental to a learning environment where genuine dialogue and discussion will take place, and where adolescents will feel accepted and respected for who they are. Relationships based on mutual respect, responsiveness, trust, and care provide a context in which certainties can be questioned, and in which individuals can learn from and with each other. In these kinds of relationships, the power elements of traditional teacher-student relationships are reconstructed, and students experience power-sharing, the exchange of ideas and perspectives, and shared meaning-making. For students who are accustomed to relationships based on authority, superiority, and power, these non-hierarchical relationships require them to adapt their expectations for external control, direction, and

Relationships as a Context for Learning 29

decision-making and to learn to take control of their own learning. As they relate to teachers in ways that are non-authoritarian and nonhierarchical, they learn to respect them not because they wield power and control, but because of what they know and the extent to which they are willing to be helpful and supportive. The close interpersonal relationships which develop provide a framework for winning individuals' allegiance not only to the people involved, but also to the curriculum and to the common goals and good of the community. An example of how teachers collaborate with students to what might be considered an unusual level in a traditional high school is that on Guidance Day students are allowed to go through their Ontario Student Record (OSR) folders, to read everything, to ask questions, and to have expectations that their questions will be answered by teachers. From the student's perspective, a collaborative environment where teachers and students are willing to cooperate with each other is an important feature of a school: I liked the structure. I liked how it was set up; it was very friendly. If you're two minutes late, it's okay, you're not going to be docked and sent to the office and have to sit there for half an hour and then miss the class and then walk in again. The teachers were willing to break the class up according to pace and learning ability, so if we all started on a project and you didn't finish it, you know right at the deadline, that it is ok, you can be extended because you need that extension or you don't understand this concept as well as some of the others. Because of the closeness of the students, you get students helping students. (Justin, Corktown Alumnus)

Many students speak of having to overcome major obstacles and challenges to stay on in the school and to graduate, and they credit the supportive relationships they have with teachers with helping them to develop the self-confidence and self-esteem necessary to persevere. Students explain that these relationships enabled them to work through the difficult phases in their lives and to learn from their struggles rather than to be defeated by them. They speak of the importance of empathy, patience, and caring in helping them to be successful on their own terms, They explain that it is within the context of caring relationships, where honest and open discussions and dialogue can take place, that they learn tolerance for conflicting opinions and develop more informed and sophisticated opinions and knowledge.

30 Narratives in the Making

Teachers explain that the relationships they have with students provide them with ongoing opportunities to support students, to model the behaviours consistent with relational learning, and to mentor them individually. They enable teachers to show care for the relationship as they get to know the details of students' lives and help them to achieve success that they can build on. Teachers explain that close interpersonal relationships provide a critical safety net for adolescents who are temporarily out of phase with the world around them, and provide the support and encouragement necessary for them to move from their experiences of discomfort and temporary alienation to a place where they can be comfortable with themselves and responsive to others. Joy, one of the Corktown teachers, explains the way that she and her colleagues work to create these kinds of relationships: This school seems to be able to embrace students who are not successful in all sorts of different ways ... We have students whose eyes never meet yours and whose hair covers their face and that goes on for a year and a half. Then at the end of the second year you see them emerging. We have students who can't attend early morning classes as they are not selfdisciplined, or they are living alone, or they say they can't get up in the morning. We have this method of attendance probation which seems to be more of a support than it is a punitive thing, and we would schedule that person without a first period class ... They might miss for a while but you notice that into the second year, if not sooner, people that couldn't get to class initially would come around and manage to get there. The same thing applies to academic work, and many, many who are not very interested, or not very disciplined, or not very skilled, just seem to gradually come around. I think what makes this school successful in general for all those people is that it's non-confrontational, it's non-judgmental, it's non-punitive. The aim is to act supportive and nurturing and the size is small enough that that kind of energy can be retained by the staff, by and large.

Developing Self-expression and Independence of Thought The quality of the relationships among people at Corktown can be heard in the talk that takes place in the foyer, on the staircase, in the classrooms, and in the smoking group outside the school. It can also be heard in the absence of loud and aggressive voices, and in the absence of confrontational behaviour among students both inside and outside class-

Relationships as a Context for Learning 31

rooms. It is also manifested in the absence of any vandalism towards the property of individuals or of the school. The quality and enduring nature of these relationships can also be attested to in the visibility and commitment of alumni,1 and in the comments of parents who cite the suitability of the teachers as one of the major strengths of the school. One parent speaks of 'teachers who are very appropriate, not the average run of the mill, eccentric, but suit the needs of the kids ... sensitive teachers who have gone through struggles themselves and give independence and respect to students.' Parents explain that it is important to 'have the right kind of person' in this setting and that being a teacher in an alternative school is 'not for everyone.' Close interpersonal relationships between teachers and students provide opportunities to model the processes of collaborative meaning-making, shared vision-building, and of being thoughtful, responsible global citizens. Through dialogue, conversation, and feedback from others, students learn the processes of independent thinking and the connections between school learning and life. Irma, one of the teachers, explains how this is a major emphasis of all her teaching: I want them to figure out what the world is all about. In a way, that's what we're all cjomg- What they are looking for is some kind of model, some kind of structure within which they can explain this world that they live in. So far, all they are sure of is what they don't want... They know that the newspapers are not going to give them the answers. They know that their parents are not going to give them the answers; they know that all the teachers they've had in the past are not going to give them the answers. So they're starting to get an inkling that the answers are going to have to come from them ... In the World Issues class, what I concentrate on a lot is how to figure out what you think. You know, how do you figure out what you think. You can't trust this, you can't trust that. What can you trust? How do you find out? ... [I tell them] 'I would like you to learn, for example, logical argument, the analytical method, the scientific method. I find this a very useful process for thinking things out for myself, and I want you to learn it.'... I recognize that they are learning when they connect classroom material, content information to everyday life. I really like it when they take ideas and comments and apply them to the realness of their own lives ... when they start generalizing, taking the ideas further, pushing them to another level of generality.

32 Narratives in the Making

Many students spoke of choosing Corktown because they had 'dropped out' of mainstream high schools because of their dissatisfactions with a curriculum and culture that was not 'fulfilling, mindenriching, relevant or meaningful/ In their admissions statements to the school, they spoke of feeling a need for a school where students and teachers interact personally and authentically with each other, and which acknowledges adolescents' need to develop their voices and their identities within a supportive, learning community. They often mentioned their need to be treated like persons, not numbers, and their need to work off their personal and intellectual interests in a school setting. Students spoke of being treated as worthwhile and valued persons at Corktown, of a sense of belonging, and of the value of having both rights and responsibilities in the learning community. Gerry, a student asked to give his opinion of an ideal high school in the CEASA (Committee of Evaluation of Academic Standards and Admissions) essay, and of why he thought Corktown might realistically meet some of his needs, wrote: My opinion of an ideal high school would be a school that encourages and allows for creativity in its students, and tries not to treat students as if they were the 'typical' teenager, i.e., lazy, dislikes school for unimportant reasons. I think a good school listens to its students and believes that not all students hate working. A school that is unnecessarily strict in order to get students to go to school really can't work. I believe a school with a closer, friendlier environment helps students benefit from their learning. School should be something students enjoy and want to do or else they aren't learning, they're doing time. Courses should be a mixture of guidelines and input so that students know for themselves what it is they are learning and why. There should also be a mixture of structure and independence because too much of one or the other does not truly prove effective. I think that Corktown would be helpful because it believes students should integrate amongst one another instead of each one building up a barrier around one's self and shying away from every activity. Corktown also has a degree of structure that I have always found necessary to succeed. I have been in an alternative school before, and have found it to be beneficial.

There is a latitude and tolerance for individual expression and for the emotional development of adolescents whose previous experiences

Relationships as a Context for Learning

33

in school settings have often been negative. Teachers understand that continuous silence and non-participation or a certain level of brashness and outspokenness is sometimes a necessary phase for some individuals. Students are allowed to enter the community at their own pace and to participate and to trust in their own time. Teacher Joy explains: 'A great many students who come here have strongly individual opinions and they insist that those be heard and recognized. They don't necessarily insist on having their own way, but they insist on having their voices heard. Very often it is a voice that would be intolerable in other places because it's a voice that is young and uncouth, and sometimes it can be rude. There is a space to let that roll by and to wait for the next stage to come forward.' Inside and outside of classrooms, students are encouraged to ask questions, to explore and discuss current global issues, to challenge hierarchies of knowledge and societal and political structures, and of authorities. They are given multiple opportunities to explore the origins of their values, beliefs and understandings, to learn the appropriate vocabularies, and to be open to the thoughts, values, and beliefs of others. This requires them to master the rules and the modes of thought from the various subject disciplines, to draw understandings and conclusions from representations and evidence, to understand the implications of their meaning-making and findings, and to figure out how to extrapolate and to expand on what they have learned. These processes require time and plenty of opportunities to practise, make mistakes and learn from them, Irma describes how she provides students with opportunities to develop their cognitive processes and their authentic voices in her mathematics classes, explaining that the purpose and value of learning math does not lie in the rules and formulae, but rather in learning a way of thinking that can be used to assess and understand other systems: [Math] demands that you go beyond the obvious, beyond what you can see. You have to think in order to make choices, and you have to keep raising your level of generality. You have to keep changing your perspective ... Math is very much a zooming out... You have this zoom function on your computer or camera so that you can see more of the picture. What you have to do in order to do math is that zooming out function and seeing the forest instead of the trees. The same applies when you are taking a world issues course or reading a newspaper. In order to evaluate what

34 Narratives in the Making you are learning, you have to recognize the rules that underlie that system. Someone who has learned math will recognize the fact that they are changing levels of generality ... that they are changing perspective... Until you can do that, you can't evaluate issues or values ... You have to examine them logically according to a set criteria that you know about, that you can recognize ... You can't zoom out and see the whole system unless you've gone through that basic step.

The development of self-expression, independence of thought, and respect for the ideas of others is built into the structures and norms of classroom and school life. Classes are conversational and allow for individual voices to be heard in an environment where it is expected that students and teachers will listen to each other. Students are encouraged to participate authentically and learn that they can express differences, and unpopular opinions, providing they do so within the established norms of the community. Teachers are open to genuine dialogue, and they do not shy away from difficult or controversial topics. In this way, the raising of unpopular and conflicting views takes place within interactions which are collaborative rather than competitive, and where the emphasis is on understanding rather than judging. Parents emphasize the importance of respect as a fundamental quality of teacher-student relations. Selma, one of the parents, gives four reasons for the school's success: 1 Policies and practices: a profound respect for young people. Everything comes from that; give it and get it back 2 Deep understanding of individual needs and ways to meet them 3 Strong focus in teaching kids to think independently 4 Deep understanding of the creative process and [its] role in learning. Barbara, another parent, explains that her son's attendance at Corktown helped him to 'come back to the kind of values we have at home/ She explains that in the mainstream school he attended before Corktown, he was 'just a problem student so he started to drop out, and he would try and try again, but school just wasn't interesting him.' By the second term at Corktown, he was discussing things with us again, like actually coming home and discussing real issues. He went on a couple of anti-racist marches, and so that is what it actually did for him. It brought him back to his roots again

Relationships as a Context for Learning 35 ... In terms of his personal development it was a marvellous experience and he is a very different student now. A large part of his life is sports and he is back in the mainstream school he left because of its large sports program. His teachers can't believe that this is the same boy. If Corktown had a competitive sports program, in my mind he would have stayed there.

Sandra Best, the alternative schools' adviser, explains that a culture which values independent thought and freedom of expression is not for everybody. Asking questions and figuring out how the world works often results in a questioning of the structures and values of the members of the community itself. I advise parents on information nights: 'If you are not an alternative person, then don't come to the school. If you really don't embrace the philosophy of the school, then don't come because you are going to have these children who will behave at home the way they do at school. They are going to want to have a voice at home. So, if your home works on hierarchical principles and you don't like to discuss decisions, then life is not going to be wonderful if your child is in an alternative school/ I get many calls these days from parents who are searching for a private school in the public system and we are not that. We do not encourage competition but rather cooperative learning. We value critical thinking, and so we want students to use their voices and question what they need to.

Not all learners can immediately accept a program that expects them to be intellectually curious and adventurous and demands a high degree of participation and interpersonal interaction. Not all learners can accept a learning culture that expects them to take responsibility for their own learning and is not prepackaged and preplanned. Some students are not successful in this environment at the beginning, and they take time to adapt. Some just cannot (or will not) make the adjustments necessary to fit in, even with the support that is provided. Those students have the option to apply to other schools and perhaps even to be readmitted at a later time. For others, a temporary stay at Corktown is what they need to fit into life in a mainstream high school. The People Make the Place: Learning from and with Others The students attracted to Corktown are mostly those for whom the opportunity to earn advanced level credits in creative ways is appeal-

36 Narratives in the Making

ing and for whom the non-hierarchical, egalitarian, and cooperative 'extended family' atmosphere of this Grade 10 to OAC (Ontario Academic Credit) school would be suitable, beneficial, and enabling.2 In other high schools, students can choose to take their credits at the advanced or the general level, whereas at Corktown only advanced level courses are offered. In the 1993-4; academic year, Corktown had 114 full-time students and five part-time students registered in Grades 10 through OAC. Class size ranged from fifteen to thirty-five students. A Grade 11 English is likely to be a large class, and an OAC physics class is likely to be a small one. The students resemble their peers at any other urban high school. Males and females dress in the ubiquitous baggy jeans, T-shirts, unstructured jackets, and oversized boots which are de rigueur among the young, fashionable set. Black and faded darker colours are favoured, and clothing styles are unstructured and loose. Hairstyles defy categorization, and both males and females wear their hair long and loose, in ponytails, or cut short in angular designs, dyed intense colours, or hidden altogether under a variety of headgear. Hats, caps, jewellery, and scarves are worn by both sexes as a form of self-expression. To a newcomer their faces mostly convey openness, enthusiasm, and welcome. Few display disinterest, suspicion, or unfriendliness. The student population is homogeneous, mostly white and middle class. The average age of students is seventeen, and fifteen to twenty-one is the usual range, and the gender split is approximately 50 per cent. There is a homosexual population of approximately 10 per cent which is 'out,' and which has a vocal and visible presence in the school. Approximately ten students receive student bursaries of $60 a month for Toronto Transit, and twelve students receive welfare of between $300 and $600 a month (with five more on the waiting list). (For further details of Corktown's student population, see Appendix 2.) In a student questionnaire conducted as part of the research study, 75 per cent of the students at Corktown said that they planned to continue with their education when they graduated, and they identified university as their next destination. The other 25 per cent intended to go to college, but not immediately, and cited work (16 per cent), travel (7 per cent), and marriage (2 per cent) as their reasons. These percentages reflect what teachers say happens each year. Approximately 70 per cent of Corktown's graduates eventually do attend university, often having worked or travelled for a year before doing so. Most of Corktown's alumni have careers where they work as freelancers pri-

Relationships as a Context for Learning 37

marily in the video/film/music industry and in the arts (design, galleries). Many also pursue social work, teaching, the media, and the service industry. The process of admissions is outlined for prospective students at an information meeting during which the philosophy of the school, the internal structures, the governance, and the rules of the school are outlined. Each prospective student receives a copy of The Corkbook, which outlines the policies, rules, and governance of the school and which also provides descriptions of the courses offered. They are told that Corktown is a democratic learning community with connections to the larger communities, has an emphasis on equality, individual differences, and individual expression, and a focus which supports the intellectual, social, affective, spiritual, aesthetic, and moral growth of the individual. They learn of the school ethos, which values academic excellence, equity, and community participation, and of the benefits and restrictions of a school which is semestered with advanced level programs only. Prospective students are told of the three major rules of the Corktown community. These three rules are highlighted for their significance and relevance to the maintenance of the learning community. 1 Attendance is mandatory. 2 Outreach is mandatory. 3 Recreational mind-altering substances are strictly prohibited. It is emphasized that these three rules exist for the benefit of all members of the learning community and are explained in the context of the maintenance of a community that is safe, friendly, collaborative, and intellectually stimulating. These rules are in line with the 'code of behaviour,' as established by board policy, a code which eschews racial and sexual/gender bias, vandalism, and disruptive behaviour in and out of the classroom. The mandatory attendance rule is explained within the context of commitment to community and of commitment to one's colleagues, as are the other rules. Students are told that all individuals' voices are respected and valued and that the development of any individual's voice must take place within the boundaries of the community, as they are defined by these three major rules. Students also hear that behaviour that is aggressive, overbearing, hostile, or violent in any way is unacceptable and will be discouraged even in the earliest stages. Racial, sexual, gender-biased, and homophobic speech, as well as behaviour, and attitudes are deemed totally unacceptable.

38 Narratives in the Making

At the information meeting, students also learn about CEASA, the Committee of Evaluation of Academic Standards and Admissions. CEASA is an internal committee which deals with all the disciplinary matters, student counselling, requests to leave on the basis of 'cease-to profit' circumstances, admissions, readmissions, and interviewing of prospective teachers. CEASA does the work normally done by a viceprincipal in a mainstream high school and comprises two students and two teachers. CEASA works according to a conflict resolution model, and all infractions of the rules are dealt with by CEASA. For example, an infraction of the mandatory attendance rule begins with being called before CEASA, and can escalate to being given an official notice to leave or possible dismissal from the school. A student or teacher can call a meeting of CEASA when the stated philosophy of the school, the cultural norms, or the rules of the school are not being adhered to. This is really a last resort for a teacher or student who feels that she or he cannot resolve a problematic situation without it. Recommendations made by CEASA are followed up by the coordinators. Information meetings are also a time for school staff to get to know incoming students and to make early connections with them. Prospective students are told that they will meet with a teacher/coordinator for an admissions interview during which they will determine the suitability of the courses offered, review the student's academic history, and design a suitable timetable together. During this interview student expectations and needs are matched with what the school can realistically provide. The rules of the community are reviewed again at this time, and it is expected that students admitted to the school are aware of the academic and communal expectations and requirements and that they are also prepared to meet them to the best of their abilities. The process of admissions - the choosing of students for whom the school will provide an appropriate learning environment - is outlined by Don Beggs, the superintendent of curriculum, who explains that the popularity of the school combined with its size and lack of facilities (such as only two washrooms for the total population) presents obstacles to admissions: 'Knowing the popularity of the alternative schools, there has to be a process that can be defended in terms of how people are allowed to enter in, and how you decide those who can't. There is a maximum level on the school for safety and size of school and enrolment capacity factors. Once you reach the capacity, unfortunately they have to go on a waiting list or consider coming back again. That's why the alternative schools tend to be semestered situations or continuous

Relationships as a Context for Learning 39

entry so people who come and express an interest don't have to wait a long time to be reconsidered.' The People Make the Place: Creating a Context for Connectedness Teenagers need to feel unique and individual. They need to feel that they are their own people and can learn something about themselves ... They need to think independently and to have respect for themselves as unique individuals. Irma, Corktown Teacher

The teachers at Corktown look like grown-up versions of their students. They range in age from early thirties to mid-forties, and dress informally and in the style of the academic-artistic community. Rob and Lola have been at Corktown for seventeen and fifteen years respectively. The other teachers have been there for periods ranging from three to six years. The ability to be responsive to the needs and interests of others, and to be flexible and reciprocal in relationships with students and colleagues, is an essential part of what it means to be a teacher in this school. It is also essential that teachers accept the complexity of their roles which encompass that of classroom teacher, student counsellor, organizer of resources, learning materials, and school events, intermediary between student and system, and confidante and extended family member. The teachers at Corktown think of themselves as teachers of people, rather than teachers of subjects. The teachers at Corktown teach a much wider array of courses than they would in a mainstream high school. Within their area of expertise and qualifications, they expect to teach a number of different subjects to meet the needs of the student population each year. Each year, the six full-time teachers and one half-time teacher offer a range of advanced academic level credits in Grades 10 through OAC and draw on a wide range of academic qualifications and specialist teaching qualifications. Courses to be given in any semester are negotiated collectively among the group of teachers in response to students' stated needs on Guidance Day. Because students have a voice in choosing what those courses will be, this has a significant impact on teachers' roles. As well as classroom teaching, every teacher also has the additional responsibilities of being a department head (unofficial and unpaid), a guidance counsellor, and an Outreach adviser. Department head duties include attending board meetings and staying updated

40 Narratives in the Making

with regard to board and ministry policies, implementing new curriculum guidelines at the school level, and keeping colleagues apprised of new directions in the subject discipline. The responsibilities of being a guidance counsellor involve the individual counselling of students and parents regarding academic, social, career, and personal matters. Additionally, as Outreach advisers, each teacher has a group of students that he or she mentors and supervises for the Outreach Programme. In addition to their roles as teachers, the two teacher/ coordinators are responsible for the daily administrative duties of the school. This includes being a liaison with the off-site principal and with the various board and community support services such as public health, the educational psychologist, and social workers. In the classroom, teachers use a variety of teaching techniques including whole-class, cooperative groupings, small-group learning, and individualized instruction. They provide flexibility within the structures and content of their courses for student choices, interests, and purposes, the amount of which varies within the subject areas and the requirements of the ministry and board guidelines in those areas. Teachers structure their courses so that students will master the course content for each grade to have the necessary prerequisites for study at the next grade level or at another school and to have the knowledge, skills, and work habits necessary to be successful in the rigorous academic environments of universities and other post-secondary institutions. The curriculum at Corktown includes all the traditional elements of grammar, homework, tests, textbooks, quizzes, and exams. However, in all classes, students can influence decisions made with regard to the presentation and sequencing of content, choices of activities, the pace and workload, the choice of individual or group work, the choice of assignments and methods of assessment, contractual agreements and commitments, and the use of space, time, and learning activities. The weekly staff meeting provides a framework for teachers to coordinate their work and to collaborate to make the ongoing decisions necessary for the smooth running of the school, to plan and assess their ongoing work, and to communicate regularly about students. In these weekly meetings, they have a regular forum in which to voice their opinions, ideas, and professional judgments, and to have a say in all aspects of the running of the school. Working closely together in this small learning community, teachers have to resolve the ongoing challenges and difficulties in-house and to develop the capacities to work together.

Relationships as a Context for Learning 41

During the 1993-4 year, Rob and Isadora held the teacher/coordinator positions, and they also each taught four courses. Rob taught geography, art, Canadian families, and religions; Isadora taught art, science, science and society, and people, perceptions, and paradox (PPP). Greta taught English, History, Drama, History (Ancient Civilizations), English (Women and Literature). Lola taught Biology, Math, Media, and Classical Civilization. Irma taught Physics, Math, World Issues, and Calculus. Margaret taught English, Geography (travel), Modern Western Civilization, and Film and English (Writer's Craft). Joy is a halftime teacher, and she taught English, History, and Law. Bob was on a sabbatical shady leave in that year. The support staff for the school includes one administrative manager/secretary, who manages the school office, and two caretakers. An educational psychologist and nurse are available for one half-day a week and for emergencies. The administrative manager, Laine, is very much involved in the lives of students and staff and is an integral part of all discussions regarding policy and procedures. Laine has been at the school for sixteen years. She is a parent of a student who graduated from Corktown. In a newsletter to new students, Laine was introduced in this way: 'Laine's voice is probably the first voice you hear. She keeps the school humming smoothly while teachers try to get through their course tasks. Students often have the opportunity to meet with Laine over a needed, but often forgotten-at-home, form.' The teachers at Corktown try to model the principles of continuous development, of lifelong learning, and of education as a lifelong process. In their daily lives, they try to deal with their problems and difficulties honestly, to acknowledge openly that they are not perfect, and to show that like students, their lives are also works in progress. Through modelling and mentoring, they try to teach students that: • The purpose of education is the development of the whole person intellectually, emotionally, socially, aesthetically, morally, and physically. • Education is a holistic endeavour where connections are made between self and others, between mind and body, between linear thinking and intuition, between domains of knowledge, between ways of knowing, between the inner and outer selves, and between self, school community, societal and global communities. • Close interpersonal relationships between teachers and students are

42 Narratives in the Making

at the heart of the learning and teaching processes; they form the basis for learning from and with others. • The development of voice and identity is connected to the ability to shape one's own narrative, to become more responsive to the narratives of others, and to imagine and enact a better world. • The education of global citizens is grounded in a collaborative work culture where individuals strive towards a more responsible mode of existence, and the understanding that there is a moral force behind their self-fulfilment. It is grounded in the development of increased connections: - Connections to the self (self-knowledge) - Connections with others (relationships) - Connections to local, national, and global communities (building a better world) When students were asked why they stayed at Corktown, and why they thought it provided them with a successful learning experience, they responded overwhelmingly that it was the teachers, the unique learning environment, the diverse methods of learning, and their peers at Corktown that made all the difference. Excellent teachers, interesting and diverse subject matter and challenging courses. I stay at Corktown because of the many wonderful teachers that have for the first time inspired me to appreciate learning. I feel that the approach to learning is more open. I think it has provided me with a successful learning experience because it has made me realize that knowledge doesn't only come from textbooks. Freedom of expression rings true here. I liked the teachers and [the] atmosphere, which made me like learning and want to put forthEEFFPTR|! It's not just Corktown, it is the students that help. We learn just as much from each other as we do from the teachers. I stayed at Corktown because I love it here and because I now know what

Relationships as a Context for Learning 43 it feels like to be a part of a really large family. I feel that I have a great education now. This school should not be taken lightly, the courses here are much more difficult than mainstream courses. I'm happy here and people work better in places where they are happy. Great teachers; great courses; successful education. I'm not staying, I'm graduating.

4 Living and Learning: The School Is a Learning Community

Corktown is a school for a certain kind of student who values the type of learning environment it provides, and who chooses to participate and to make a commitment to the learning community. The success of Corktown is fundamentally linked to a population who make a choice to be there, and who participate in the community as a consequence of having made that choice. Students must accept the responsibilities that go along with the freedoms and privileges, and must be prepared to take ownership of their own learning.

Dave Gracey, Corktown Principal Outreach: Experience and Imagination There is almost unanimous agreement among community members that the Outreach Programme is one of the major reasons for the school's success, as it links the school community to the outside communities in mutually beneficial ways. From the outset, the Outreach Programme has been an integral part of the school curriculum. It is one of the most distinctive aspects of the program and a mandatory part of the school curriculum that is linked to the academic school subjects in formal ways. Through Outreach, Corktown becomes a 'school without walls/ taking advantage of the people, the places, and the programs in the community outside and also allowing the members of the school community to give back to the external community in many ways. It also provides students with a range of rich opportunities to connect their own interests and aspirations to school learning and in which to explore their intellectual, artistic, career, and employment interests.

The School is a Learning Community 45

Outreach provides opportunities for students to be involved in their own growth at the same time as they are helping the community. It allows them to avail of the city of Toronto as a learning environment, with all its museums, hospitals, libraries, offices, schools, institutions, alternative communities, theatres, and historic properties. In the choice of Outreach projects, there is a guiding principle of two self-actualizing projects to one altruistic project. Students do not earn credits or money through their Outreach projects, but they tie in their Outreach projects to one of their academic courses for 20 per cent of the mark: Outreach has been running in this school as long as the school has existed. The philosophy behind Outreach is to put back into the community what we've been taking out. It gives students a chance to personally experiment with different skills in a different environment, or to try on new careers. Students are involved in experiences that involve their own growth but they are also helping the community ... It seems a lot like co-op but the real difference is that students don't get anything really tangible from Outreach. They don't earn a credit, they're not allowed to earn any money, but the intangibles are numerous. Students begin to realize that there's a lot of value to those intangibles and that you don't have to have a little carrot dangling from a string in order to recognize the value of something. The more materialistic our society becomes ... we have to learn as well that we can be rewarded without things. Students set up their own sponsor agreements, they design the project and they have to tie part of their project into one of their academic courses for 20 per cent of the mark. One student this year is working in a laboratory at the University of Toronto so she might tie that into science, and write a report for her science class that her science teacher would mark... As the Outreach coordinator, I try to visit every site to make sure that things are going well. (Margaret, Corktown Teacher/Outreach Coordinator)

The following account of Outreach Presentation Day illustrates the details of some of the projects that students were engaged in during one semester at Corktown. Outreach projects are structured so that students can learn to be independent in stages and receive the support and guidance they need. The projects presented were entry level (school-based), mid-level, and advanced level; some were self-actualiz-

46 Narratives in the Making ing and some were self-fulfilling. These distinctions were not noted during the presentations, which were scheduled by the Outreach ambassador who directed the flow of events. One after the other, students stood up individually, in pairs, and in groups, and spoke about their involvement in either an Outreach or Inreach ('entry level' or 'inschool Outreach project'). They gave the details of their placements, told about what they had learned, gave the highlights of the experience, and answered questions from students and teachers. The account of the presentations shows how the Outreach Programme provides opportunities for students to develop intellectually, emotionally, morally, aesthetically, and socially. The details of one Outreach Presentation Day are presented here from the researcher's perspective. OUTREACH PRESENTATION DAY

The temperature is minus 20 degrees outside, but inside Corktown the mood is festive. Everyone is preparing for Outreach presentations. The message on the big green notice board in the foyer says 'Happy Outreach Day.' The school is still quite cold, and I exchange comments about this with Laine the school administrator in the outer administrative office where Lola is photocopying materials and Margaret is typing. Isadora is already working at the computer in the inner office. Students mill around and begin to congregate in the student lounge. The sounds of music and informal conversations greet me as I make my way in there. One of the students, Terry, is playing his electric guitar quietly in the corner, and groups of students are sitting around talking. (I remembered Terry from the Coffee House in November where he had played very loud, jazz/rock music accompanied by another student on the saxophone.) Two big tables are already set up at the front of the room. I find that I'm being drawn over to the side by the sweet scent of herbs and dried flowers. A table covered with a multicoloured cotton cloth is all set up for a presentation on herbal medicine, and it is giving off these perfumed scents. This is where I decide I'm going to sit, so I get comfortable and wait for the proceedings to begin. The table is spread with bowls of dried petals, bunches of dried herbs and flowers tied with ribbon, a container of dried lavender, and bottles of liquid. The two girls I'm sitting beside turn out to be the organizers and presenters of this display, so I watch as they skim through their notes and the books they have brought as part of their presentation. At 10 a.m. Margaret brought the group together to introduce the day

The School is a Learning Community 47 and to present Melanie, the student Outreach ambassador who would direct the proceedings. The music and conversations stopped, and Melanie handed out an agenda for the presentations of the day. The first item on the agenda, a play being performed by the antihomophobia group, began. The four scenes of the play were enacted at the two large tables at the front of the room, and characters with exaggerated homophobic attitudes were shown in 'real life' situations. None of the dilemmas was resolved; the purpose seemed to be to present them to our consciousness and to engage our thoughts, and emotions. Afterwards, the presenters/characters explained that the play evolved from the improvisations they had done in the drama group after they had discussed issues surrounding homophobia, watched films, and listened to speakers on this and related topics. They wrote the script, acted the parts, and in the words of one of the presenters, 'It was a journey of self-exploration. We played the stereotypical roles and we were a bit over the top, as we thought this was the best way to present our message.' After the anti-homophobia play, a young woman, who had been a student-teacher assistant at White Public School in Grades 3 and 4, made her presentation. She spoke of her experiences and said, 'I had thought about becoming a teacher. Now I know that it wouldn't be in Grade 3 or 4.' In answer to a question from the audience about why she wouldn't teach at this age level, she said, They are very hard to control.' Several questions followed and the young woman explained that the experience had taught her something about communication styles. The next item on the agenda was presented by Meg and Margaret. Margaret began by telling how Meg (a senior student about to graduate) had taught her to use the dark room in the school. Between them they explained how Meg had taught the basic principles, shown Margaret how to make prints, and to do a little bit of hand-tinting. They spoke of having listened to good music in the dark room as they worked together, and to going out on a couple of photo shoots around the city, focusing on the themes of the urban environment, the skylines, and the parks. Sandy was next, and she told of her work at the physics department at the University of Toronto with a young professor, 'who gets major grants from the government to look at a specific family in the periodic table to determine whether they are good superconductors.' In the process of her work she said that she had learned a lot about

48 Narratives in the Making superconductivity, and one of the highlights had been the taking apart, cleaning, and putting back together again of an electron beam furnace. She spoke of how she had enjoyed the work and the people at U of T, had learned a lot, and concluded by saying, The [physics] department has a real family environment and I would recommend it highly.' Wenda described her project at True Davidson Acres where she worked with senior citizens. Mark and Joseph had been at the Food Bank: 'We stacked crates of food, packed boxes, filled bags with things like potatoes. The image you have is of a warehouse full of people stacking boxes full of food. This is not the way it is. The place is empty. It is only at Christmas that people care and that it looks like that. Most of the time people don't give a hang. It takes a lot of work but I'd go back to the Food Bank again.' Sam was next, and he explained the work he did on The Brigantine at Harbourfront, doing maintenance, renovating a room, learning how to use the radio telephone, doing diesel engine repairs: There are all kinds of things you have to be able to do, such as know how to fix an engine in the middle of nowhere, so I go on Friday evenings and Saturdays, too. I also have to get my CPR renewed. In the summer, we take fourteen to eighteen kids on board for a week, and we teach them to sail. In the winter the officers renew their knowledge by taking courses and lectures. I go to those, too.' Judy spoke of her work with an artist in the building across the way from the school (a renovated warehouse), and she said, 'I thought I'd be doing more art, but we had a lot of repairs to do, deliveries to make, things to pick up. We made some large cows and she [the artist] has some of them displayed in a gallery downtown.' Judy explained that it was an eye-opener for her. She had thought that the life of an artist would be all about making art. Luke was next, and he began by saying, 'I worked with a film producer, but he wouldn't let me touch the equipment until I wrote a screen play, so that's what I did.' Someone asked him about the plot of the screen play, and he reeled off the details of an elaborate plot line about a character who becomes involved with a girl, is stabbed by a Moroccan, and is eventually killed by a guitar player! A group of three students had been teachers' assistants in Grades 7 and 8 classes, and had made a video ... One explained, 'I worked in the school library and learned the Dewey decimal system.' The other said, 'I taught kids art, and we made dreamcatchers. I didn't want to be

The School is a Learning Community 49 a teacher, and I found out that I really don't want to be a teacher.' The final student in this group explained, 'I helped kids to use computers as part of an OISE [Ontario Institute for Studies in Education] project that was going on at the school.' Next on the agenda was the recycling group which presented a range of colourful objects. First, a male member of the group wheeled in a renovated bicycle with a banana seat and a crossbar covered with dalmatian-print fur. He explained, 'It is made from two old bikes that didn't work and some new parts. I sanded the frame completely, did the paint job, and the upholstery.' Some of the other group members explained that they had visited the Goodwill and the Salvation Army stores for their supplies. A female member of this same group brought on a huge dragonfly with multicoloured wings which seemed to fill the room with colour and light. She explained that she had made it from chicken wire covered with papier-mache, and she had also used water bottles, tennis balls, and a glue gun. Another female member of the group, showed the 'junk jewellery' she had made and passed it around for us to take a close look. There were bracelets, earrings, pendants ... all made of 'junk' and all crafted with attention to detail and style. One after the other the students presented their projects to the assembled audience of the whole school, speaking of what they had learned from the experiences, and answering the many questions that were asked. Teachers had told me earlier that it was very difficult for some of these students to speak to such a big group of their peers, yet, to a greater or lesser degree, every student sounded knowledgeable, informed, and confident about what he or she knew. Some were expressive and eloquent, and all described their endeavours with a lack of artifice. There was an absence of extravagance in describing what had been done. Terry said, 'I taught four people to play the guitar, but they are not here this morning so I guess they didn't think much of the course!' Melanie, the student Outreach ambassador had made a video of each of these students in their Outreach situations, and it was shown in the foyer during lunch. Visual confirmation and extension of what was said in the presentations was available, and Terry's teaching, and his four students all playing guitars, was both a visual and an audible reality! The next student to present was JJ, who explained that he got an old motorbike that wasn't working and took it apart: 'I think it works now although it is too cold to start it. The engine won't start in this cold anyway, but it should be working now.' I'm reminded that it is minus 20

50 Narratives in the Making degrees outside, and it is easy to forget this because of the engaging content of what is going on inside this room. JJ is followed by a group of students who tell of a sewing group taught by a parent volunteer, and they (males and females) displayed the garments they had knitted and sewed. These students had requested this Inreach program, and a parent was found to run it. They explained that they had made their own patterns, learned to use a sewing machine, and had made a variety of garments. One girl had made a denim dress from recycled jeans, another (male) member of the group showed a knitted scarf and a blanket that he had made. Others displayed a variety of pants, dresses, and skirts they had made in this class. Next, a young man told of teaching a blind student from Zimbabwe who was currently studying at OISE and who was unable to read Braille. He had taught him to use a computer program which talked. Maheet and Yanina talked about their herbal remedies project and spoke of the difficulty they had had in finding a sponsor. 'Our resources were books,' they said, as they displayed books they had used and the products they had made. They held up bunches of dried herbs, comfrey and thyme, which they had gathered on the Bruce Trail, dried, and arranged artistically. They had used navy- and wine-coloured threads on one bunch and a plain blue ribbon on the other. They spoke of the two herbal remedies they had made: Stinging nettle is good for eczema and skin disorders, also good for hay fever and allergies. Nettle is a plant associated with strength, rich with many minerals and vitamins such as iron, chlorophyll, potassium, manganese, and silica, and comfrey salve is great for cuts, bruises, sprains, and so on. Comfrey contains allaution nurtens which encourages bone, cartilage, and muscle cells to grow. Harvest it in the early summer.

The two girls then spoke of the experiment they had tried when they attempted to make a cream which didn't work. 'We added two emulsifying agents that didn't go together and it didn't work. It was a good experiment though.' There was lots of humour throughout. Martin stood up and said, 'I played my cello, I went for cello lessons, I painted, and I did a painting of a cello which is on display in the gallery. As he put a tape in the boom box, he said, 'I didn't bring the cello with me this morning for

The School is a Learning Community 51 obvious reasons,' and then slow, melodic cello music played for two or three minutes. We listened in silence as he stood. Then he said, That's not me,' as he smiled and sat down. We all laughed and it was a lovely moment. When the audience settled back down, Ehren stood up and said, 'Kris has coached me in English, especially in spelling this semester. I remembered Ehren from the Coffee House where he had recited his poem about Columbus. Ehren is an aboriginal Canadian, he weighs about 200 pounds, and he is gentle and mild-mannered. After the Coffee House, I saw the written version of the poem he had recited and was amazed at the difference between the literacy level I had assumed, because of the content of the poem and the way in which it was read, and what I saw on the page. The written text was barely legible, yet Ehren is a poet. Ehren read a few new poems, and he was articulate, confident, and eloquent. There was silence in the room as he recited his poetry and loud applause at the end, just as there was when he had read at the Coffee House. Kris stood up and said, 'I got a lot out of helping Ehren to learn to spell, too. I became more aware of my own spelling and in helping him to use the dictionary, I started to see how to really use it myself. We moved on from there, too, and we worked on sentences, syntax, and the organization of the writing. It made me more aware of the way writing works.' Students spoke of working in a recording studio and making a demo tape, of working in a used book store, and at a television station where one of the 'duties' was to assist in interviewing James Earl Jones (the famous Hollywood actor). A young man spoke of working in a film studio: 'I learned how to use different equipment, got to use the editing suites and made a 16 millimetre film called To-day's Soup. Irma told the group that she had seen this film and that it was a very good film. Greta asked if it could be shown at lunch hour and was told that it could. At the outset, Margaret had said, 'I know that we all need a smoke break, but we're going to go straight through without a break this morning, so I ask for your patience.' They had agreed so that there would be time for all the presentations. Melanie then began to draw the proceedings to a close with her own presentation, and she thanked everyone for their participation and goodwill. She talked about her role as student ambassador and then invited us to watch the video she had made of various students in their Outreach placements. As we made our way out to the foyer, Margaret asked the staff to

52 Narratives in the Making

begin to plan the Inreach programs they would put on for the next semester. In the foyer, Rob was serving slices of a huge carrot cake. We watched the video, talked and laughed; some drifted off at the end, and some watched it over again. Ehren gave me copies of his writings, the poems he had read that morning, and also the ones he read at the Coffee House in November. Maheet and Yania also gave me their notes on the herbal remedies, and I began to record the details of Outreach Presentation Day while they were still fresh. The details of the Outreach Presentation Day show the principles of [the learning community in action - self-expression, creative and critical thinking, the education of the whole person, and the development of connectedness between self, school, and society. The details of the projects show a wide range of student interests and abilities and how these self-chosen projects allowed students to pursue their interests and purposes, to develop increasing awareness of their own learning processes, and to establish working relationships, connections, and networks. They show how students gained valuable experience in diverse work settings and were provided with 'real life' situations which required them to learn to plan, to write proposals and contracts, to make connections with relevant community experts, to communicate with prospective sponsors, to negotiate a mutually beneficial contract, to get along with others in a work environment, and to present what they had learned in a wide variety of forms. They show how Outreach projects provided students with built-in structures within which they learned to think independently and to be creatively looking at their options in life. They show how these experiences helped them to develop interests and possible future careers, to experiment and explore at their own pace, and according to their evolving interests and levels of maturity. The details of the projects show how students who have been identified as intellectually gifted or intellectually disabled can choose learning projects suited to their own abilities, maintain their self-esteem and dignity, appreciate each other's contributions, and each be successful in his or her own way. Because of the guiding principle of two self-actualizing Outreach projects to one altruistic project, students have many opportunities to learn about their roles as responsible citizens in the context of the Outreach Programme. As they reach out to the broader community to get the experiences, information, knowledge, and skills they need, they also learn about giving back to the community that supports and pro-

The School is a Learning Community

53

vides for them. In the process of developing their own self-awareness, students are also gaining a deeper awareness of communal and societal issues and an understanding of the importance and benefits of connectedness and commitment to community. For many students, Outreach projects provide significant opportunities for making connections between academic, social, and functional knowledge, which can facilitate the understanding of concepts learned in the academic disciplines. By providing real-life application for knowledge learned, Outreach experiences can also promote depth of comprehension, and provide support for the understanding that learning is pleasurable, self-fulfilling, and lifelong. Outreach projects provide students with opportunities to have meaningful contact and mentor relations with adults other than teachers. Several of the Outreach sponsors spoke of the benefits of the program for students they had sponsored: [It is] extremely important for students to get into the community and to choose what's important for them. Students need to see the diversity of society and it gets the community more involved also. We take some responsibility for our students so it is a mutual involvement ... I was impressed by her [the student's] liberal thinking. She took risks. I'd do it again next year. I'd be happy to have another student. I worked with him one day a week for six months, moved him around ... office help, coffee, etc. He wants to get into film when he leaves school and basically he learned about dealing with the public and making a $40 million TV program ... It gave him a reality lesson as it showed him adults working ... I wish I had it when I was at school. He learned to deal with different kinds of people, a myriad of personalities. He got exposure, responsibility, and learned about being part of a flourishing business. It was a 'life experience' leading to being a better corporate and global citizen. It was the highlight of his year. He approached us as he had some ideas and wanted to learn about equipment. He came once a week and learned about artists' co-op [for independent filmmaking]. It gave him a chance to see how a co-op works, how projects need money, and how volunteers work. We are all independent filmmakers, so we are very busy. He did phone work, probably met three or four people a day, and it gave him an opportunity to see an avenue into independent filmmaking. He wanted to

54 Narratives in the Making study film, and he got a better idea what to look for. He definitely learned the questions to ask, and it helps him to look at and to choose the right courses for him.

Many of the benefits of Outreach are intangible, but one of the very real and practical benefits, well appreciated by students, is that it enables students to make connections which often lead to various forms of employment. Margaret, a teacher and the Outreach coordinator, explains how students are very aware of the practical benefits: 'Yes, definitely, it happens regularly. A lot of students that come to this school will graduate and they won't necessarily go [straight] on to university because often they don't have the money. So they'll go back to their Outreach sponsor, and sure enough they will land a job. We have someone who's making theatre sets right now, based on what he did in Outreach. Sometimes they get part-time jobs out of it and that kind of thing, which is good. Sometimes they just use them [the Outreach sponsors] for references, or sometimes they become friends.' Justin, an alumnus, tells of how his involvement in Outreach led, in indirect ways, to new possibilities and the discovery of new interests and sources of self-fulfilment. Of course the Outreach Programme was key as well because I worked for a photography studio which enabled me to have a portfolio by the time I went to Ryerson [from which he graduated with a four-year degree in media and film]. Also, I worked with other students on one of the Outreach programs teaching photography. So not only did the Outreach get me a portfolio, it also got me into teaching because it sort of showed me what strengths I had as far as teaching less able students to do something. So that was extremely valuable.

In Outreach advisory groups, teachers are constantly called upon to determine the extent to which any given Outreach proposal is educative and worthwhile for an individual student, and the extent to which the experience may develop a needed dimension of that student's profile. Teachers monitor the balancing of the altruistic and self-fulfilling requirements of the program, and are aware that some students can take it easy in a system where it is imperative to trust and have faith in individuals, and where it is impossible to check up on everyone. Sometimes students do not want to challenge and stretch themselves to their

The School is a Learning Community 55

fullest capacity, and allowing them to determine their own level of involvement can be a way of showing trust and of allowing them to pace their own learning. These issues and dilemmas were illustrated from the students' perspective by Lem, an alumnus. Lem's reflections on his time at Corktown illustrate this issue from a beginning teacher's perspective, as Lem graduated as a high school teacher (English and History), from the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto in the 1993-4 school year: I think one of the things that Corktown was great for, was the Outreach Programme because it gave me experience in the outside world. It gave me the opportunity to think: 'If I want to do a job like this, where is a place that I can go for that?' A lot of people then didn't make as much use of that as they could have done. One or two of the Outreaches that I did were at day care that I had done a placement at before, when I was doing a course. I maintained that connection to the day care, and ended up working there for a number of summers. But I think I could have chosen something that would have expanded me a little bit more. Although, sometimes at that age, you need something that can make you feel safe, too. The thing about Outreach that I think is so great, too, is that it exposes you to people in other areas, because, otherwise, the only adults you come in contact with are teachers and your parents.

Learning Through Outreach Programme: Freedom and Support The details of the Outreach Programme are outlined for students in The Corkbook, where the three levels of Outreach involvement are explained. Outreach programs are structured so that students can receive the support and guidance they need as they learn to be independent in stages. Entry Level Entry level programs take place in the school where students work in groups, are closely monitored, and can receive a lot of support and individual attention. Success at this level enables students to put forward proposals for more independent work and to make closer connections between their own interests and the proposed projects. Here they can explore potential careers, employment situations, and learn

56 Narratives in the Making

the realities of the world of work. All students who are new to the school will be in entry level (with the exception of mature students or other students who have experience in self-directed learning). Entry level Outreach projects are often group oriented and hosted at the school by an in-school sponsor. These are normally teachers, but may be senior students or parents. Mid-Level Students who have successfully completed one semester of the Outreach program will be mid-level. Mid-level projects are community based and may or may not be group oriented. Advanced Level Advanced level Outreach projects may be community based or academically based. Advanced level projects may or may not be group oriented. At every level, students are placed in advisory groups where staff members act as advisers and monitor student progress over the semester. Students must complete proposal and sponsor agreement forms at the outset of the semester, and these are reviewed by the Outreach coordinator and the staff. The proposal must contain descriptions of the student's and sponsor's intentions and expectations for the Outreach project. Staff advisers are responsible for the three evaluations of each student's project, which take place throughout the semester, and for generating a mark that is then tied into a course from the student's timetable. Outreach projects are evaluated on the basis of 30 per cent for the product, 30 per cent for the presentation, and 40 per cent for the process. The process includes the drafts of the proposal, the evaluation by the sponsor, written accounts of progress, a self-evaluation, attendance checks, and the results of an evaluation meeting prior to the presentation. There are three in-school days per semester during which students make presentations on their projects. At mid-term, the advisory groups gather for a seminar during which they discuss ongoing work. Students can get help in presentation methods and public speaking at this time. A student who has not successfully completed all components of Outreach is ineligible to give a final presentation to the whole school audience on Outreach Presentation Day, and receives a reduced mark.

The School is a Learning Community 57 Connecting School and Community: The Origins of Corktown

Corktown was originally established in 1973 as a 'public, independent, school without funding' (e.g., private school, which would be responsive to the community it serves, and would include community members in its self governance). The school applied to the Toronto District School Board for change of status in the period between 1976 and 1978 because of continuing financial and personnel difficulties. In 1978 the status changed from private school to alternative school within the Toronto board, and it has been operating as a small semestered alternative high school since then. In the 1978 proposal for change of status and application for funding to the Toronto board, the founder of the school identified the same democratic principles egalitarian interpersonal and social relations, connectedness with community, site-based management, and decentralized decisionmaking - which are still central to the philosophy of the school today. In that proposal it is stated that 'Corktown is a community school in that it is governed by staff persons, students and parents; and through its Outreach Programme, it involves itself deeply in the life of the community surrounding it.' In an undated document, 1976-8, the application to the Toronto school board for funding and change of status, states the founding objectives of the school in this way: • To provide in a small, friendly setting, a standard academic program • To provide a strong link between academic achievement and the life of the community surrounding the school • To provide a solid secondary school education for students whose families desire a direct voice in the daily operations and the longterm goals of the school For community members today, community is still understood in the context of shared purposes, priorities, and values: Tt is a small culture, a small community. It is like the study of a little village. We each have our roles and within those roles there are smaller roles. There are some teachers who are more like guidance people, some are more parental models, some are more a big sister, a big brother, some are more like going to the doctor. Students tell each other who to go to for what kind of difficulty. So, in this culture, we know what's happening in their lives, we know a lot about our families, we know their relation-

58 Narratives in the Making

ships and events. Out of our cultural norms and values have come the few systems we have for dealing with problems' (Isadora, Corktown Teacher/Coordinator). Maintaining the Distinctiveness: The Significance of Governance Teaching people how to think, rather than teaching them what to think. Justin, Corktown Alumnus

The central feature which distinguishes public alternative schools from other schools in the system is their status as self-governing communities accountable to their own student, parent, and teacher groups within the policies and guidelines set by the board. In 1993-4, Corktown was one of ten alternative high schools in the Toronto board which also had thirteen alternative elementary schools. The board had a total of 154 elementary and secondary schools which were attended by approximately 76,000 students and staffed by more than 5,000 teachers. Corktown was one of the six 'free-standing' alternative high schools, which had separate locations for each school, and were all under the jurisdiction of one principal. The other four alternative high schools were in shared accommodation with other schools and under the jurisdiction of the principal of the school in which they were located. In five of the schools, attendance is mandatory and in the other five attendance is arranged and/or 'expected.' In these schools, courses ranged from Grades 9 to OAC (Ontario Academic Credits, six schools offering OACs), and from general level to advanced levels. Courses were offered in semesters, trimesters, full years, and in unsemestered-individualized time frames. Board documents and policies acknowledge and proudly celebrate choice, diversity, and the board's commitment to continued attentiveness and sensitivity to diverse community needs. The board prides itself on making sure that schools are connected to the communities they serve. Don Beggs, the superintendent of curriculum, expressed it this way: 'One of our major characteristics in the Toronto system is that we try to make sure all our forty high schools and all our 125 elementary schools are extremely sensitive and involved with their communities. We are in a unique relationship with our parents and we really are quite proud of that.' The board makes its position clear in a submission to the Royal Commission on Learning in January 1994 entitled Equity and Opportu-

The school is s a learning community 59 The S

nity: Learning for a New Century. The document states: 'Excellence should be viewed as a constant effort to improve opportunities and outcomes for all students and employees of the Toronto Board. Equity should be viewed as a means to ensure that excellence is achievable by all students and employees regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, or disability. As we strive towards excellence, our work must always be examined in the context of equity, and similarly as we work towards equity, it must always be within the context of striving for excellence' (1994b: ii). A unique feature of the Toronto board is the existence of the alternative and community programs committee, a permanent committee which provides the institutionalized frameworks through which proposals for new alternative schools are received and channelled. It also provides a monitoring system for those already in place. Fiona Nelson, a school trustee, explains it in this way: The board has a policy that allows people to come forward, and there are set procedures for how to develop the proposal, and which staff person will help them. It's just part of the culture, that they are not just tolerated. They are a part of the system. It's taken a lot of work and an enormous number of processes and procedures have been worked out, so that they aren't, in fact, defending their right to exist all the time.' Sharing in Governance: Developing Voice and Choice The importance of shared governance is recognized by all community members. It is acknowledged that sharing in the governance of the school gives students official and recognized voices in the running of the school, and it also provides them with practice in participatory democracy. Many students at Corktown value the opportunities to have a significant voice in their own affairs and those of their peers, through participation in the board of directors, on board committees, and within the structures of CEASA (Committee of Evaluation of Academic Standards and Admissions). They appreciate that their involvement and practice in matters of governance, enables them to develop their powers of decision-making and consensus-seeking, and to develop a sense of ownership and commitment to the educational community. Involvement in CEASA can also be a major commitment to the community on the part of a student, and usually, it is attractive to students to be on CEASA. The twelve students who are members have status in the learning community, and acknowledge that the pro-

60 Narratives in the Making

cesses involved in being a member of CEASA provide leadership opportunities and training. Membership of CEASA also presents students with highly emotional situations or conflict-of-interest situations which they have to learn to deal with. Controversial issues such as homophobia, racism, sexism, misogynism, chauvinism, and plagiarism are dealt with by the CEASA committee. Although dealing with these kinds of issues is emotionally and intellectually draining for all community members, it also provide opportunities for practising the skills of participatory democracy and for developing good judgment, compassion, and wisdom. Teachers can be taken to CEASA, and sometimes they are. Lola explained, 'Students here are very aware of their time, and of someone who might be wasting their time. They expect certain things and they will decide if a teacher has gone over the edge, and will take a teacher to CEASA.' Teacher Rob also described a situation where two long-term occasional teachers were 'bumped into' the school and could not adapt to the culture. They were confronted with this reality by students not attending their classes. Rob explains, The students went on strike, these students who are so forgiving ... They decide on the boundaries and when someone is just not meeting expectations, on what's fair ... the students decide. These students can get their credit through correspondence or in summer school ... so they can decide.' The need for students' voices to be heard in the educational arena echoes through the following excerpt from a submission to the Royal Commission on Learning in December 1993, made by the Toronto Association of Student Councils. A Corktown student, Gerry M, is the internal relations officer on this council: The one constant within our presentation is student empowerment via interaction and involvement. It is necessary to give students the power to truly understand the meaning of their schooling and the knowledge to change it. Empowerment will enhance our understanding of what we learn, how we are taught and the relationship between teacher and student, evaluation of curriculum, students and teachers, and how we are governed' (1993a: 1). In their submission, these students call on teachers to emphasize active rather than passive learning, to attempt a greater integration of subject matter, to be sensitive to the variety of learning styles and respond with a variety of teaching methods, and to allow students to contribute to the decision-making process with regard to evaluation. They emphasize the importance of personal interaction in the teaching

The School is a Learning Community 61

and learning process, and of student involvement in the governance of schools: Students must have official and recognized voices in the operation of schools, communities and Boards of Education. Students have no opportunity to propose curriculum changes, regardless of how irrelevant they find existing curricula or of how valid their suggestions might be. This has resulted in overwhelming alienation of students from the education system, and the alienation of these bodies from the realities of students' lives and needs. Without profound changes to these conditions it will not be possible to establish a system which is at all capable of meeting the need and demand of students for relevant, appropriate and stimulating programs. (Toronto Board of Education, 1993a, 4)

Education for global citizenship begins in the school, where students should have many opportunities to develop their abilities to deal with difficult situations such as these, to extend their activities into wider arenas through board committees, and to understand themselves as people who can bring about change. Speaking of the students from Corktown, board trustee Pam McConnell says, 'They're kids that question authority, you know, rings in the nose, strange hair, whatever ... When you see them in student conferences ... they have very specific opinions or progressive ideas ... they're looking at the environment, they're looking at societal issues, they're doing all that stuff. They're really developing their whole structure of student democracy within that kind of context.' The day-to-day administrative activities of the school are dealt with by the teacher/co-ordinators (who rotate every two years) and who represent the off-site principal of the school. They deal with the flow of information in the school, and are responsible for the circulation of provincial and board information and directives among the staff. They chair the Wednesday staff meetings, do the timetabling, look after guidance and counselling, and accept or reject recommendations from CEASA on disciplinary matters. Parents can have input into the governance and the life of the school in many ways, as well as through governance. As individuals, they attend parent-teacher nights, participate in classroom and school events such as Coffee House, accompany groups on field trips, act as Outreach sponsors, and sponsor new programs. In the 1993-4, the Breakfast Program was funded entirely by one parent. Several of the Outreach projects were sponsored by parents.

62 Narratives in the Making

The themes of public education - excellence and achievement, equity, community involvement, and local democracy - are manifested in the policies and practices of Corktown whose connectedness to the board context is especially significant in matters of philosophy and curriculum, but which also include staffing, budget, administration, and governance. It is the responsibility of the board of directors at Corktown to interpret board policy for the school and to create new policies when circumstances require this. The board of directors comprises the alternative school principal, representatives from the parent body, the teacher body, and the student body. Parents can play a major role in the school community through the established frameworks of the board of directors, and the extent to which they do changes from year to year and depends on circumstances, such as the emergence (or absence) of issues requiring this particular group's attention. In the 1993-4 year, the board of directors met officially only three times; this changes from year to year. The way in which Corktown's learning community has evolved and can be maintained is significantly affected by the external conditions in the board, and in the relationship between board politics and philosophy and school culture and practices. In the words of board's trustees John Campey and Pam McConnell: This board has, very much, an outspoken advocacy role, and we are not backward about speaking out on a broad range of human issues around social service, around equity and human rights issues, around economic issues, around health issues that occasionally get us into hot water. And so this board has been more than any other, a really outspoken institution in dealing with other areas which affect children. We very clearly see ourselves, and are seen, I think, to a certain extent, as advocates for children. The next thing we have done as individuals as well as an institution, is develop very close links with those other levels. We have politically very close links with our colleagues at City of Toronto, at Metro Toronto, and to a lesser extent with provincial ministries.

From the perspective of the trustees, the strength of the NDP (New Democratic Party) influence has had an impact on the development of public alternative schools within the Toronto board. Communities wanting to affect the philosophy in the schools have typically held to socialist and educationally progressive ideals and supported the candidacy of NDP politicians. It was in the 1960s that the Toronto board

The School is a Learning Community 63

became more politicized with a commitment to be responsive to community issues. The coming together of political ideals and parents and teachers who wanted to affect the direction of public education was seen as an opportunity to be availed of. This situation is described by Little (1989): The pre-1985 board, led by NDP trustees, though rarely with a clear majority, had supported such initiatives as the hiring of extra teachers, pro-active school-community relations, enhanced heritage language programs, affirmative action for both women and minorities, an antiracist curriculum, the expansion of women's studies, labour studies and adult literacy, the holding of student anti-apartheid conferences, and union-only contracting. These were policies that were starting to take root and become 'natural' - a part of 'the system' ... The reform had not touched the deeper realities of class bias and bureaucratic power at the Toronto Board, but they were enough to panic the right and set it moving. (133)

Trustees McConnell and Campey both have contact with the schools in their wards, and, because of their experience and backgrounds, they seem to have a special understanding of the situations of alternative schools. Trustee McConnell has been a teacher, and Trustee Campey has worked with student groups, including TASC (Toronto Association of Schools' Councils). Trustee Campey explained how important it is to have structures in place so that issues of concern to students can go directly to the board through one of the standing committees, and can be moved quickly into the area of policy and program. He explains this in the context of the equity and human rights issues involved: 'In a sort of side-stepped way I've gotten involved with alternative schools as the one "out" gay school trustee on the Toronto Board of Education. Alternative schools actually tend to attract or are seen as places of refuge for a lot of lesbian and gay students, who just find that our regular high schools are not safe places for them.' The Ontario Ministry of Education provides the provincial curriculum guidelines for schools in the province, which are interpreted for Toronto schools at the central office.1 The responsibility for curriculum at the board level is handled by one senior superintendent of curriculum / coordinating superintendent and five curriculum superintendents, one of whom has responsibility for the alternative schools. It is through this superintendent that the board ensures that curricu-

64 Narratives in the Making

lum and programs are being appropriately conducted to meet guidelines and needs. It is through this office that new alternative school applications are also processed, and by which this superintendent and his adviser for alternative schools ensure that information is transmitted, and that organizational matters pertaining to alternative schools are attended to. The Ministry of Education conducts regular reviews of programs at alternative schools. Two reviews (History and Geography) were conducted at Corktown during the 1993-4 school year. The reviews were conducted by school staff specialized in the subject area and involved providing the ministry with summaries of the courses taught, detailed course outlines, lists of teachers who taught the courses, and the attainment levels of students. The Toronto board makes decisions regarding the principal, the budget, the staffing, and the professional development of teachers in the alternative schools. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) also plays a major role in policy-making, staffing, budget, and the professional development of teachers. Corktown School's administrative needs at the central office level are largely represented by its principal and, depending on the issue to be dealt with, the principal can work through the superintendents of curriculum or operations and/or human resources. The off-site principal has described his role as that of 'a broker' between the school and the bureaucracy. The principal is responsible for staffing, and staffing ratios are determined centrally. This is done according to a formula which takes into account the number of students, the ESL/ESD (English as a second language/ English as a second dialect) population; and the immigrant population of less than twenty-four months in Canada. Declining enrolment and surplus procedures are also determined centrally according to procedures worked out in an agreement between the Toronto board and the OSSTF. Budgets are centrally determined and administered.2 The Origins of Alternative Schools in the Toronto Board: Issues of Choice and Voice Alternative schools began in Toronto in the late 1960s in response to students', parents', and teachers' requests for schools that differed from the existing public schools in emphasis and in pedagogy. The first alternative school in Toronto began in 1969 with a teacher-initiated summer program called S.E.E.D. which originally stood for 'a Summer

The School is a Learning Community 65

of Experience, Exploration and Discovery/ In 1970 S.E.E.D. became established as the first credit-granting, alternative secondary school funded by the Toronto board. The acronym now stands for 'Shared Experience, Exploration, and Discovery,' and Malcolm Levin (assistant director academic, OISE), who was actively involved in establishing a number of the alternative schools in Toronto, explains, 'S.E.E.D. was attractive to alienated, bright kids, and to teachers who were searching for creative work in an environment where they had some control, and could buy a piece of space to explore, experiment and work off their own intellectual interests/ Levin explains that S.E.E.D. was an environment with an emphasis on relationships of mutual respect between students and teachers: 'This kind of environment is very demanding on both students and teachers. These schools are very demanding of teachers, because of their huge programmatic range, and demanding of students due to the extent to which they have to take on responsibility for their own learning. They expose the differences between those who are going through the motions, and those who are truly intellectually curious/ By 1973 five alternative schools had been established in the Toronto board. All shared the emphasis on shared leadership, responsive and responsible relations between persons, personal power and activity within a democratic community, and feelings of ownership and of personal worth. Malcolm Levin (1984) outlines the significance of alternative schools within the public school system and underscores the political significance of maintaining schools which provide a model of community control in education. He points out that the central political issue then, and always is, who 'owns' the schools. With few exceptions, schools are 'owned' by 'distant politicians and professional administrators, who occasionally consult with the teachers, parents, and students, who constitute the "citizens" of these schools/ Malcolm explains that 'an urban school system that returned ownership to its diverse communities, whether they are constituted geographically or by shared goals and values, would be taking a giant step towards fulfilling the democratic ideals on which universal public education rests' (1984: 8). In the Toronto board, alternative schools are 'owned' by the community members they serve, and they change, adapt, and evolve in response to the members of that community. Each school has its own priorities, school style, ethos, and target population. Interested stu-

66 Narratives in the Making

dents and parents can find out about the distinctiveness of each one in the board document, Alternative Secondary Schools. The founding values and beliefs of these schools are continually being tested, pushed against the boundaries, and evolving according to the needs, interests, and philosophies of those they serve: the students, parents, teachers, and community members. It is these values that make these schools distinctive, each in its own way. Evidence of the contribution of alternative schools, and of the ways in which they provide connections between the board and its communities, can be found in the many current board policies and new initiatives arising from the grass-roots. Dave Gracey, the off-site principal, highlights the role of the alternative schools in providing a leadership role within the board, using the issue of homophobia as a prime example: "The homophobia issue is very interesting because before it became the thing in the Toronto board, one of the alternative schools in the board sponsored a conference and brought in, for the first time, some openly gay and lesbian speakers, to a Toronto school. It raised the roof. It was really wild. We had the anti-gay people coming down our backs. We actually had a full-scale hearing in front of the Toronto Board of Education over the thing. But at least it brought the issue to the surface, and after that, the board moved ahead with it. But again, it was an alternative school that started the ball rolling.' The voices of teachers, students, and parents can be heard in the governance and policies of the school and in the curriculum and in the classroom practices. Teachers and parents sit on the board of directors and are involved in the making of new policies for the school and in interpreting existing policies. Teachers and students who sit on CEASA make decisions regarding the consequence of the infringement of the rules of the school; they also make decisions regarding what courses are offered and how they are taught. The offshoot of this active involvement in community life is the feeling of ownership and involvement it brings. Facing the Challenges on a Daily Basis The atmosphere at Corktown is very unique and the reason for this, I believe, is that students and teachers are not seen as just 'students' or 'teachers/ but as people, with individual interests, quirks, strengths and weaknesses, and personalities. It is a place where in order to succeed, one still needs, somewhere, somehow, or at least sometime, an academic ori-

The School is a Learning Community 67 entation... [but which] provides a safety net for people who would otherwise drop out [or would rather drop out]. Marsha, Corktown Alumna

In the 1993-4 school year, Corktown was greatly affected by the social, political, and economic conditions within the national and provincial contexts in which it is situated, and these affected the daily life of the learning community in significant ways. Nationally, provincially, and locally, educational issues were continually at the forefront of everyday life. The local media reported many negative accounts of education in the city, and teachers often felt under attack by those outside their own community. Interim reports from the Royal Commission on Learning (which published its report in December 1994) stated that: 'Beneath everything, there was a definite sub-text of fear and anxiety about what the future holds for their children, and about whether our schools are preparing them for it.' Another report, Yours, Mine and Ours: Ontario's Children and Youth, indicated that there were signs of an 'emerging crisis' in Ontario, and that 'we cannot count on traditional strategies because they no longer relate to the realities of today' (16). The report highlighted the trends that affect the children and youth of Ontario, and states: 'families are changing; our society is becoming more diverse; excluded groups are demanding change; there is a growing time "crunch"; there is a perception of increased violence; governments and the economy are restructuring; life-long learning has become a necessity; and families are struggling harder to stay afloat' (1994:16-18). In the Ninth OISE Survey (1992), entitled Public Attitudes towards Education in Ontario, community members called for greater opportunities to participate in public education in the province, increased parental choice, and the need for change. At all levels of the academic, professional, and business communities, and from within society at large in Ontario, there were widespread calls for the restructuring and reculturing of education.3 External influences such as these greatly affected the morale and energy of educators, whose commitment to the continual creation and re-creation of a vibrant learning environment for students on a daily basis must go on regardless. Coupled with this, the quality of daily life in Ontario's schools was dealt another blow by legislation passed in July 1993, known as the 'social contract.' The legislation, which was intended to help deal with the provincial debt by reducing public sec-

68 Narratives in the Making

tor expenditure, included cuts to education of $425 million. This cutback had a major impact on boards, schools, teachers, and students in the 1993-4 school year. Through a combination of staffing adjustment and attrition, the number of public sector employees was to be reduced by 4.75 per cent by 31 August 1996. Maintaining the learning community at Corktown was made significantly more difficult because of the cuts to teachers' pay, cuts to administrative support, the possibility of job losses, and the general atmosphere of further cuts and of uncertainty. These conditions affected teachers' morale, strained interpersonal relations, and created tense working conditions, especially at times of decision-making regarding staffing for the following year and during those times when the school workload was especially heavy. The qualities of the learning community, which have been described here as contributing to its success, can also be experienced as disadvantages even in the best of times. In difficult times, such as those imposed by the external conditions in this school year, the size of the school, the closeness of the community, and the opportunities to interact regularly with the same people were experienced as stressful as well as joyful. They were experienced as barriers as well as opportunities for learning and growth, and as the source of discontent as well as contentment. The level of commitment required for being a contributing and successful member of this learning community is significant. The external conditions over which community members had little control made it a particularly difficult year for all concerned. One of the major obstacles to the success of the learning community, and one which is experienced every year, lies in the reality that some students find it difficult to make a commitment to the mandatory rules and norms of the community, such as compulsory attendance, or the workload required in a full load of advanced level courses. Some students refuse to 'march to the beat' provided by others, holding onto their right to participate and to learn at their own pace, and to be unsuccessful if they so choose. These students are counselled, supported, and encouraged, but if these efforts fail, these students receive a 'cease to profit letter' and they are asked to leave the school. Many teachers expressed frustration regarding those students who 'can't get their act together' and who seem to be wasting their talents and abilities. They spoke of how disheartening this reality is to them professionally, and identified this frustration as one of the disadvantages of

The School is a Learning Community 69 teaching in a small learning community, where teachers have a lot of contact with the same students. Margaret says: I think the disadvantages come when you realize that despite your efforts or your encouragement, whatever, that student isn't growing ... or changing ... or isn't affected by you. And I think it took me a while to realize that teachers can't tap into everybody, that teaching is based on personality, that you've got thirty different personalities in your room, and how could you possibly think that you can be appealing or influence or help thirty different people? Just because of the way you are, there are going to be a couple of people that reject you, don't find you interesting, or that you don't inspire. It is pretty frustrating when students have been here for a while and there hasn't been growth ... or when you're trying to make a lesson interesting, or to organize a field trip, and students don't pull out for you. It is frustrating also when students drop out, and don't let you know why they're dropping out and you just lose them ... I said to a student today, 'You know, this is the second time you've interrupted my class. What, you don't respect me? I try to respect you, give me a break.' You know, there are times when you feel like you're giving and giving and giving, and what about me? That's seldom, so I think there are certainly more highs than lows. Margaret described that the best way to deal with this frustration was to take advantage of the interpersonal relationships in the school. In situations such as this, a teacher will try to identify another teacher in the school who may have a closer relationship with the student who needs help, and to draw on that relationship. Rob also explained that his personal frustrations were strongest when 'at risk' students, who are in very difficult family situations, cannot attain the levels of success and achievement they need to stay in the school. They become almost out of reach of the help this community could provide for them: [It is] very depressing because we've had a few students who have gone through the school and because they haven't received credits, they've been asked to leave. I'll see them when they're fourteen or fifteen and there's some problem, and they don't get their credits here and they try other schools. They will drop in later on when they're eighteen years old

70 Narratives in the Making and they may only have nine credits ... they've sort of been bouncing around from their parents to this and that, from school to school. And they're almost in a position which is very hard for them ... I think it's very easy for a student to do this if they want to. I get a bit depressed that they can just flow through ... you go to one school, you don't do well, second school... for those students there has to be some kind of other alternative for them to somehow hook onto something... whether it's apprenticeship, I don't know if it has to be more concrete ... I feel responsible sometimes for those students ... They keep asking, 'What am I going to do?' and there's only so much you can do ... One of the positive things is that you can still talk to them ... At least we have a huge amount of information on their background, skills, and who they are as people. If you meet them on a street corner or meet them in the library, you can talk to them. I think that's encouraging.

For teachers, the challenges of working in this environment centre around the enormous levels of commitment and energy required, of the restrictions imposed by limitations on the courses, on the absence of basic courses, such as Music, Chemistry, Physical Education, and French. There is always a certain sadness when a student leaves the school to pursue necessary credits elsewhere. An example of this is when a student needs a credit in a particular subject, such as Chemistry, for university entrance in the sciences, and cannot achieve this at Corktown. Similarly, because the Ministry of Education requirements for graduation require compulsory credits in Physical Education and French, students who graduate from Corktown have to get these credits in other ways. Margaret explained how this affects students who have to leave, and also spoke of the way in which the absence of a program in Physical Education affects the rest of the school program. She explains the frustrations, but touches on the positive aspect of what is otherwise being experienced as a negative issue: 'We're missing a physical activity program. I think the students get antsy and they get energetic and I think they get cabin fever at this time of the year [January]. It lasts for about three months. I'd like to see more structure around physical activity because I think that's an important component especially for people this age ... [However] with physical activity sometimes comes a competitiveness that lends itself to a different feeling which we don't have here.' Teachers spoke of the frustrations of not having choices regarding those with whom one collaborates on a daily basis, of the price one

The School is a Learning Community 71 pays in personal terms, of restricted social lives, and of a variety of health problems related to workload and emotional overload. Greta, a teacher, expresses what others had also articulated: It's extraordinarily challenging. No wonder everybody's sick around here. You always wonder, 'Am I doing the best for my students? Am I giving them valuable teaching time?' There's always that question. You're always cooking up a new idea and asking: 'What can I do today?' Then they'll give you a course, like this history of oppression. There's no curriculum, there's nothing, just teach it. So it ended up not being strictly a History course. Actually it's probably more like Politics, because it's more about why people oppress others. J don't have a social life. I have work, and I have a child. I never go out. My entire life is this job, it's a full-time thing. I'm not in a relationship and if I were, then the relationship would make itself felt. But since I'm not, I love it, at least I'm engaged. My mind is engaged, my emotions are engaged. I'm fully engaged in this work, so in that sense it's extraordinarily challenging. Questions and concerns about whether teachers' roles should require them to have a workload whose outcomes are an unbalanced life, unreasonable levels of stress, and health-related problems, come to the fore. Questions regarding the role of the school in society, and our current society's expectations for schools, need to be asked. We need to define reasonable boundaries in this regard. The level of commitment required to be a teacher in this environment, and to live a professional life that is a recipe for early burnout, is not for everyone. In the acceptance of imperfect conditions, and in the recognition of a need to struggle for coherence and success, the teachers try to be models for their students by inspiring them to persevere. Justin, an alumnus of the school, explains that having 'dropped out' after Grade 11, he was readmitted for Grades 12 and 13. He subsequently graduated as a teacher and plans to teach in a third world country. Justin explains the importance of relationships and community to student retention in education and to student engagement and success: You might say that I was inspired by some of the teachers at Corktown ... The students build a relationship with the teacher, and from the relationship you then have a responsibility to that relationship. You want to talk

72 Narratives in the Making to this person and to be known as a good student or whatever, those kind of regular things... Caroline was my role model. She was my adviser and she was such an inspiration. She was just incredible. She is an incredible teacher and that's no guff... She has most definitely influenced the way I view teaching and the way I am as a person. I saw in her so many great qualities that as a teacher she is who I try to live up to ... If there is a teacher that I try to live up to, if there's a teacher that I remember, it's her for sure.

5 Independence and Interdependence in the School Community

[It is] a hallmark of our alternative schools that they listen carefully to student voices. On the whole they're more related to a sort of equal sharing of responsibilities than they are to a differential power base between teachers and students ... They don't really come at the enterprise from a control point of view and they approach issues of community in ways that are unique. Their philosophical stance is that we are a community of learners, and I think that that's an obvious part of the way that they do business through their councils and their group decision-making. John Davies, Associate Director of Education

Learning Self-Expression, Self-Respect, and Respect for Others At the heart of the philosophy on which the Corktown community is based is the valuing and development of the individual's voice, of the student's capacity to listen to and to hear the voices of others, and to develop the abilities to use their voices in increasingly wider arenas. The links between the development of students' voices, student engagement in the curriculum, and connectedness to the learning community are understood in a school which is a good match for those students who value the opportunity to develop their voices, to make choices, and to become autonomous, self-directed learners. Most of these students would be 'at risk' in other kinds of educational settings, but they survive and thrive in this environment where they are encouraged to explore the meanings at the heart of personal and human existence in the process of getting an education, to strive towards a more responsible mode of existence, and to shape their own narratives.

74 Narratives in the Making

Many students develop a strong sense of belonging and connectedness to the learning community, and many graduate from Corktown with more than the required number of credits (thirty), choosing to complete the additional courses as part of the process of their overall development as whole human beings. Students' voices are nurtured through the myriad of opportunities they have to participate in all aspects of the learning community - in the classroom and curriculum, in the governance, in the conflict resolution processes of CEASA (Committee of Evaluation of Academic Standards and Admissions), and in the community-building events, rituals, and celebrations held throughout the year. There are forums for all voices, for the harmonious and cohesive as well as the conflicting and dissenting, and forums for debate, discussion, and the development of more informed and authentic voices. There is also the clear expression of boundaries and of the kinds of behaviours and modes of expression which are unacceptable. It is acknowledged that when students do not have official and recognized voices in the operation of the school, do not have opportunities to propose curriculum changes or to participate in school governance, this results in overwhelming alienation of students from the school system. Conversely, when students are encouraged to participate actively, and given opportunities to voice their opinions and understandings, they develop a sense of belonging and connectedess with the community. When they are not afraid of being ostracized, marginalized, or silenced, students will name and describe the world as they know it, giving others a way in which to enter their realities, to reach them, and to teach them. The creation and re-creation of a stimulating academic program and calendar of communal events each year with teachers provide them with a set of challenges in which to develop their communication and negotiation skills, to be more responsive and adaptable to the ideas of others, and a framework for practising and developing the skills of participatory democracy. Issues of choice and voice are fundamental to the espoused philosophies and policies of the Ontario Ministry of Education, for the Toronto Board of Education, and to the 'image of the learner' which the ministry recognizes as: an active participant in education who gains satisfaction from the dynamics of learning. The concept of the learner as a mere processor of information has been replaced by the image of self-motivated, self-directed

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 75 problem-solver, aware of both the processes and uses of learning and deriving a sense of self-worth and confidence from a variety of accomplishments. This learner is guided by values consistent with personal religious-ethical beliefs, cultural traditions, and the common welfare of society. The image also reveals a methodical thinker who is capable of inquiry, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, as well as a perceptive discoverer capable of resourcefulness, intuition, and creativity. (Ontario Ministry of Education, 1980, Issues and Directions)

The Toronto District School Board publicizes the existence of its alternative schools through documentation and public relations materials. However, most students learn about the school through word of mouth, their networks of friends, and the school's reputation. Students say that they are attracted to Corktown because it is structured, but not regimented, because it invites a high degree of student participation, and because they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and to develop their voices and learning profiles. Many students quickly learn that a culture that is highly interactive and participative is one in which they can be self-directed in their approach to their own education and can develop their interests, identities, and sense of belonging: 'I find it very interesting because there isn't a music program here. Yet, I think more students here play an instrument or are involved in music than at bigger schools where there is a music program. Ask anyone in the whole school, really, they sing or they play some sort of an instrument... I play the violin and I sing ... I'm still in the learning process, and every other Saturday morning, I help teach a big group of little kids with my teacher' (Melanie, Corktown Student). School and classroom practices are focused on helping students to develop their voices, to practise making choices, and to grapple with the consequences of choices made. The following account of Irma's World Issues class provides insights into the relationship between the development of students' respect for their own voices and those of others, and respect for issues and voices in the community at large. For Irma, the development of students' voices is a focus of all her teaching, and in this and in other classes, Irma continually urged students to consider other perspectives and options on an issue, to specify the conditions that must hold true for an option to be a good choice, to test and analyse the differences between the options available, and to consider the consequences of each one before making a decision. The World Issues class is set within the context of the federal election of

76 Narratives in the Making October 1993, which had infused the curriculum of the course for the previous few weeks. Groups of students had been making presentations on behalf of their hypothetical political parties, stating their positions on significant issues, and responding to questions from their peers. An account of Irma's OAC world issues class is presented here from the researcher's perspective. IRMA'S OAC WORLD ISSUES CLASS Joseph is the spokesperson for this group calling themselves the Transparent Party. He identifies himself and says, 'We are an environmental party and we would mandate recycling. We would buy the helicopters to protect our natural resources and our fishing boundaries.' (These are the famous forty-three helicopters that the federal Conservative Party had ordered and which caused so much controversy nationwide throughout the political campaign.) The helicopters now raise as much controversy in this classroom as they have in the national setting, and questions come fast and furious. The volume of sound in the room is turned up almost immediately, as voices jostle for space and recognition. Joseph and his group have done their research, and they are well prepared for all of these questions. 'Why do we need these special kind of helicopters? We already have helicopters.' 'Do we really need forty-three?' 'Do these helicopters really need to have the special technology that will detect Soviet invasion, which is highly unlikely? The discussion is very animated. When interrupted in the middle of what she is saying, Farina says to her interrupter, 'Can I just finish before you start?' and then she carries on with the point she was making. Irma reminds the group that they are going around in circles about the helicopters and losing the focus. Joseph responds by picking it up again. He reminds the class of the other two issues for which the party stands: the environment and recycling. 'Has anyone done the reading on the International Court?' asks Sonia, to which Martin says, 'Yes,' and defines the mandate in considerable detail. The questions start again and as they get tougher and more probing, Irma says, These are very tough questions and some of them are almost unfair.'

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 77 'It's just that he is doing such a good job answering them,' says a student who is wearing a smile. Irma says, There is a tendency to be confrontational in how you ask your questions. There is another way. If your attitude is to be competitive, then you are going to end up yelling. If your attitude is like it is in your small groups ... to arrive at consensus, then it will be different.' Adrian says, 'I don't think we were confrontational,' to which Christine adds, 'I think we're getting better.' Irma addresses the group and says, 'Keep it in your mind, we're not in competition with each other. Why not make your focus, what can we agree on and what do we have in common rather than on disagreement ... Bertrand Russell who was very active in the peace movement jwas once asked if he would die for his beliefs and he said, 'Heavens, no, I might be wrong.' Joseph summarizes the three main points that his party wishes to leave the group with in this way: 'One: It will take millions of dollars to recycle the helicopter contract. Two: Recycling plants can't take all they get so we need to plan. Three: You can't put the homeless to work arbitrarily.' Irma then says, 'I need a break' (the class is halfway through), and the talk and discussion continues as she and some of the students make their way outside (and off the school property) to the smoking group. Some of the remaining students make their way (still talking about the issues) towards the student lounge. I join them and get a cold drink from the pop machine. Two of the students from the class are already jamming on the piano and Rob comes in and joins them, adding a third part to the musical mix! Some of the students lie on the couches, and with quite obvious enjoyment, listen to the music. The qualities of spontaneity, energy, and creativity are in evidence. There is space for both individual and communal expression. It is a continuation of the experience of Irma's classroom: from world issues to music. This account of Irma's class illustrates the ways in which students develop their abilities to express themselves coherently, and to learn from and with their peers. It shows how they learn to learn to think independently and to develop respect for the opinions and ideas of others. It also shows how the tension between competitive and collaborative attitudes come to the fore when students are excited and engaged, and how they learn to become aware of their own responses

78 Narratives in the Making

and processes of interaction. Throughout the class, Irma continually reminded students about the processes of the proceedings, and the short anecdote she told about Bertrand Russell enabled her to put the issues into a new perspective for students. It had a noticeable effect on students when she told it. The account of the World Issues class shows how students' interest and engagement in the curriculum is enhanced when they find that the content is relevant, worthwhile, and connected to everyday life. It shows how the processes of conducting hands-on research, of talking to a wide range of people about a topic, reading in a variety of sources, and preparing classroom presentations for their colleagues, give students learning experiences and activities that mitigate against passivity and disconnectedness. When students find that their teachers and peers are genuinely interested in their work, they are drawn in to further participation and engagement, and they show this by asking probing questions in order to learn. Classroom experiences provide students with opportunities to give and to get feedback, to learn the vocabulary of constructive criticism, and to develop a sense of accountability towards their own learning and that of others. In all courses at Corktown, students are expected to make presentations and to organize seminars and discussions as part of the course assignments. These can (and do) take the form of multimedia presentations; performances that include music, dance, poetry, and visual resources; and experiential, 'audience-involving' learning situations. Isadora explains how these kinds of teaching and assessment strategies promote self-expression, the development of a vocabulary of constructive criticism, and of relational learning. The following excerpts from Margaret's English and Geography classes show how teachers use learning experiences, student assignments, and assessment to enable students to develop independence of thought and expression, the development of a vocabulary of constructive feedback and criticism, and an ethic of relational learning. MARGARET'S ENGLISH AND GEOGRAPHY CLASS Margaret's Grade 11/12 English class is studying Ken Kesey's novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The class discusses the trip to the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry which they took the previous week, the links between the issues they are studying and what they learned, and the feedback they will give to the people who organized the experi-

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 79 ence at the Clarke. The students receive a feedback questionnaire which invites them to comment on the learning they did, the most informative part of the program, suggestions for future sessions, and a rating scale for the various parts of the presentation (the verbal presentation, the patient interview, the video tape, the imagery, the auditory exercise). Students will be assessed on the quality of the feedback which they will give to those who organized the learning experience at the Clarke. In Geography (travel) 12, later that day, Margaret begins the class by explaining that things are rushed because of the upcoming exam, and because of all the work that has to be done in the next few weeks. There will be presentations all next week,' she says, and goes on to say, I've got the exam ready and I'm happy to explain the format to you. Because you all did a good mid-term exam, this one will only be an hour long and it has three components. Part A is worth 30 per cent and it is the "content/essay" type answer component. Part B is the analytical component and it is worth 10 per cent. Part C is the student presentation component, and it is also worth 10 per cent. If you have been paying close attention to each others' presentations, this part will be very straightforward. This is an important part of the exam, and it shows why it is important for you to support each others' presentations and to be in attendance.' The excerpt from Margaret's English class illustrates the way in which students connect their first-hand experience at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry to some of the complex issues and concepts dealt with in the Kesey novel. By providing feedback to the Clarke as part of a class assignment, students are indirectly learning about the connections between their own learning and the learning of others, and about the responsibility of giving back as well as of receiving in learning situations. They learn this also in the geography class, where the process of responding to their colleagues' presentations promotes the development of respect for what others know and can do and of developing the capacities of responsiveness and reciprocity. Students who have not listened carefully to their colleagues' presentations, or who have been absent during presentations, simply cannot study the answer to this question the night before the exam. Directly and indirectly, students are learning to express their own learning and opinions, to respect and value the ideas and work of others, and to provide feedback, new insights, and perspectives.

80 Narratives in the Making Creativity, Care, and Respect: The Environment Makes All the Difference For students, a learning environment which provides opportunities for the expression of their own ideas and the development of their authentic voices is a major reason for their choice of school. Students are keenly aware of the connection between the development of their voices and their sense of satisfaction and self-worth and the way this enables them to build a bridge between themselves, the school curriculum, and the learning community. The portraits of two students, Ehren and Philipa, which follow, show from the students' perspective, how the qualities of the learning environment can have such a profound influence on a student's level of engagement with the school curriculum, with academic achievement, and with success in life itself. P O R T R A I T OF EHREN

Ehren was born on 7 October 1977 and is a Grade 10 student in his first year at Corktown. He has attended five schools prior to Corktown, including a Montessori school in Buffalo, Montview, Keele, Ryerson Public School, and a reserve school in Cayuga, Ontario. At one time he was diagnosed and treated as learning disabled; now he likes to write. His favourite subject is drama, and he hopes to pursue arts studies at university. His current favourite musician is Tom Waits because he likes his 'words.' Ehren's mother is an actor and he comes from a family of actors. His natural father is a photographer, his stepfather is an artist. He is of Native and mixed background (Iroquois Nation) and has been involved with the Native community in Toronto, especially in the area of Native dramatic arts. At Corktown, Ehren takes a very creative approach to the work he does, and he asks thoughtful questions in the classes he attends. In Irma's Math class, he asked reasonable questions throughout the class and followed the logic of the equations well. In Greta's drama class, he developed a character called 'Corry Longboat,' who came from the Six Nations Reserve and had a Rastafarian father. Ehren was one of the students in the class who kept insisting that 'something was happening' when others were resisting this. In Margaret's English class, he answered five out of the ten questions on the test on Timothy Findley's novel, Not Wanted on The Voyage, explaining that he had only read the book to that point. Following this, he began work on imaginary

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 81 characters for a short story based on his interpretation of characters in photographs which Margaret had circulated. Then, along with the others, he did some writing in his journal. His work is high on creativity and low on the mechanics of language such as sentence structure, spelling, and grammar. Ehren is a significant figure in the life of the school, and he is well liked and respected by other students. The bulletin board with quotable quotes in Margaret's room has one that says: 'We need a little Ehren in all of us.' At the two indoor Coffee Houses held this year, Ehren read his poetry to a hushed audience and was applauded enthusiastically on each occasion. He was confident and assured, and his spoken words belied the appearance of the written text. Ehren is active in all aspects of school life, and in the focus group interview for this study he was a major participant and voice. He expressed many of his ideas about the school, namely, that he is shown respect, and as a result he can be the person that he is, good spelling or not, without feeling censored. He did not like the institutional quality of larger schools and frequently got in trouble. He was also labelled 'learning disabled' and, ironically, was held back from classes he found interesting and challenging. Ehren is a large person whose easygoing quality makes it hard to imagine him in trouble. He has longish hair and dark skin. He looks like an aboriginal person, which he accentuates by wearing traditional jewellery and double T-shirts (long sleeves, short sleeves on top) with traditional designs or slogans. Other students respond well to him, and he certainly 'fits in' and is a valued member of this community. His talents are clearly people oriented and creative, and he seems to have the critical mind and the extroversion required for his interest in studying the arts. His academic record prior to Corktown would have been a serious obstacle to this, but his academic achievements have improved enormously over the past year. Ehren's written work has been transformed since he began to use the computer and to use the spellchecker on his work. He has also started to use his mother as a resource and has her read and check what he writes. During the 1993-4 academic year, Ehren passed all of his courses and achieved seven credits. When asked about his success this year, in a conversation, he said, 'In previous years I haven't been as happy because of the environment I was in. It was easier to justify to myself not doing anything. Here, the environment makes all the difference.' In this school year, he also ran for an executive position in TASC (Toronto

82 Narratives in the Making Association of Schools Councils), and subsequently decided to become actively involved in the Alternative Schools Alliance (ASA) because, in his own words, TASC is too bureaucratic. If we are going to work with adults we should be able to express our point of view, rather than accepting what they have already laid out.' This portrait of Ehren shows how the learning environment has enabled him to acknowledge himself as a worthwhile person who can create meaning and express it artistically. It also shows the connection between the development of voice, self-respect, and self-esteem. Ehren's story also illustrates the importance of the aesthetic in students' lives, and the necessity for schools to nurture students' imaginations and creativity. The portrait of Philipa, which follows, also highlights the significance of respect and care in a student's life, showing how self-respect, self-knowledge, and self-esteem are so necessary for student engagement in academic matters, and so necessary for success. PORTRAIT OF PHILIPA

Philipa attended a mainstream high school before coming to Corktown. Prior to this, she had also attended an alternative, French-immersion elementary school. In the 1993-4 year, she was making a major contribution to the Corktown school community by counselling other students, giving them support and feedback, and being the kind of listener and confidante that many students could go to with their difficulties. Philipa was a trusted and valued support person for a female student who was able to leave an abusive relationship because of the support and encouragement she got from the community. I came to this school originally because I was at a mainstream school (for a year and a week) and I hated everything about it. I was used to being in a smaller group atmosphere and having good teachers that cared about how you were doing. At my other school, none of that was happening. One of the guidance counsellors told me to check out this school and when I came here ... right away, I felt comfortable. People were really friendly, and so I decided this was where I was going to come. The students are more involved in what happens in this school, and we make a lot of decisions for the school. I think the more that we're involved in it, the more we benefit from the school. It helps for a lot of people that have had

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 83 a hard time socially to come to this school. We are a pretty friendly group; you can tell that we don't hold prejudices against people, not necessarily just for race, but we've had teenage parents at this school, we have people of all sexualities, different races, different styles. At other schools, it seems to be a problem. You are not a part of a certain group of friends unless you like the same music, you dress the same way, and we're not like that at all. Here, we look past those boundaries and it seems to be an understood attitude at this school that we accept people for who they are, and it seems that goes for everybody, including the teachers. So that's why it works for me. Before I came to Corktown I was always in a bad mood. I was depressed all the time. I would come home from school, have something to eat, go up to my room, spend the whole night in my room; I cried myself to sleep at nights, and I never knew why. My mother and I used to fight all the time, and then my whole family noticed ... When I came to this school everything changed, totally changed. I grew up a lot because you are given the chance to speak your mind here, and I wasn't at my other school. I think part of the problem at the other school is that I wasn't learning about myself at all. I wasn't finding out who I was, because I wasn't given the chance. Then I came here. There are so many opportunities that come out of this school. I've learned so much about myself and about the way I react with other people and how other people react with me. I've learned that basically I can get anything I want if I try hard enough, and that's something that I didn't believe before. When you get out of the mainstream high school you still don't know anything about life. You know what certain people in society think you should know, and you usually don't even remember that. If I had stayed where I was, I know that this sounds really morbid, but, I don't think I'd be alive right now. I had so many problems I was trying to deny, and when I came to this school, I realized that these were people that I can trust, that cared about me, that noticed. Now I plan to go into marine biology, and if I do, I'll be at University of Victoria. I went to visit a friend in Victoria and sitting on her dock being able to look at jellyfish that were just floating by, and seeing starfish everywhere, and seals coming through, it just amazed me. The more I started learning about it the more I wanted to do it. We have a guidance computer, and I was looking up marine biology, and it's either Victoria or Newfoundland, and I don't want to go there [to Newfoundland]. They offer it at U of T but I hardly see the point in doing it there because we don't have anywhere to research in Toronto, so that's what I'm thinking.

84 Narratives in the Making

Modelling Care, Respect, and Commitment to Community For the teachers at Corktown, there is a focus on creating a learning environment where care and respect for others is at the heart of all human interactions. There is an acknowledgment that teaching is about modelling the processes of democratic community living and of mentoring students in collaborative meaning-making and shared vision-building. Within authentic relationships between teachers and students, there is an understanding that individuals' lives are works in progress; teachers and students are all working towards a more selfresponsible mode of existence in which there is a moral force behind the impetus for self-fulfilment. This requires that teachers acknowledge their imperfections and do not hide behind a hyper-rational, emotionless, humanless professional image that protects them from genuine interactions with students and other community members. Teachers at Corktown have a large degree of autonomy over the courses they teach, and they have more control over their work environment than teachers in mainstream high schools. The professional and the personal aspects of their lives are not as sharply defined or divided as they might be in a traditional high school setting, where teachers often teach the two academic subjects in which they have specialized and are not so deeply involved in the administration, governance, and ongoing culture and community-building. These circumstances provide teachers with a culture for continuous learning, as they pool their expertise and resources in the service of community maintenance and renewal. They also enable them to bring the personal and professional together in authentic ways in their lives. Teachers understand this as a major benefit to teaching in a school such as this, as is the absence of bureaucracy that they would have to contend with in a mainstream high school. Margaret explains that she and the other teachers value the extent to which they can take advantage of opportunities 'without having to go through a lot of red tape as you would in schools with a hierarchical structure of department heads and administrators, and having to plan everything months in advance.' She told of the time when the school had received, at very short notice, an invitation to the Canadian premiere of a film entitled, Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo. She had taken a class and she explains, Tt was a real teachable moment, we didn't have to fill in any forms for this one; we just went, and it was a wonderful learning experience.' The following profiles of teachers' work lives in the year of the

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 85

research study show the extent to which individual teachers are prepared to be 'teachers of people' as opposed to 'teachers of subjects.' They show how the personal and professional are connected in teachers' lives, and how critical it is to the success of the school that they have a wide range of teaching qualifications and a well-developed set of personal interests from which to draw. These profiles also provide insight into the level of commitment which teachers have to making the school work in the academic, social, and communal senses, and show how the quality of the program offered in any given year is associated with the extent to which they can and will push the boundaries of subject specialization, personal interest, and energy. All the teachers at Corktown have Ontario Teacher Certification (Intermediate/Senior) which qualifies them to teach all subjects to Grade 10. Many also have Additional Qualifications granted by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The profiles show teachers' 1993-4 teaching assignments, current qualifications, teaching experience, and willingness to teach additional high school subjects. They also list the extracurricular activities for which each teacher is responsible, as the total duties of the school are divided up among the school staff based on the amount of responsibility and work load associated with a particular activity. PROFILES OF THE T E A C H E R S AT C O R K T O W N IN THE 1993-1994 SCHOOL Y E A R 1

Isadora is a Teacher/Coordinator who has been at Corktown for three years and has six years of teaching experience. She taught: • Semester 1: Art OAC, science 10 • Semester 2: Science and society OAC, people, perceptions, paradox 12 Isadora has specialist qualifications and experience in teaching Art, Science, Biology, and Guidance. She has a BA, BEd, and is an Associate, Ontario College of Art (AOCA). She has teaching experience without specialist qualifications in English, OAC families, and Society Challenge and Change. She also has Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications in guidance (part 1), and in Visual Arts (honours specialist). Her extracurricular duties involved being responsible for the school art gallery, timetabling, and student permits.

86 Narratives in the Making Isadora's initial specialization in Art and Science is extended by her interest in interdisciplinary studies. She is known to students as a 'working artist,' and has several examples of her artwork displayed in the school. She also has public exhibits at the Student Art Show, 'Art from the Boyne,' which was on display at Harbourfront during the year. At the beginning of one of Isadora's Art classes, students showed each other sketches, drawings, photographs, articles in the art magazines, and talked to each other and to her about the pieces they had been working on during the weekend. The talk had an 'artist-to-artist' quality to it, as technical details were discussed and suggestions shared. Students then worked on their own projects until Isadora addressed the group:' I'm going to show you how to stretch a canvas. Anyone who wants to learn how to do this should attend this small group session.' Isadora explained to students that one of the standard ways that artists use to know whether a frame is square is by lining it up with a prefabricated square such as a window frame. Two students who had completed frames were shown how to use the window frame of the classroom for this purpose. Isadora then demonstrated to a receptive audience the technicalities of cutting, stretching, and stapling a piece of canvas to the frame and of folding the corners. It was evident that she had done this many times before, and that she was sharing her expertise. The attentiveness and interest shown by the students signalled their respect for this. They watched with interest and admiration. Rob is a Teacher/Coordinator who has been at Corktown since he began his teaching career seventeen years ago. He taught: • Semester 1: Geography 10, art 11/12 • Semester 2: Canadian families OAC, religions 12 Rob has specialist qualifications and experience in teaching Art and Geography. He has a BSc, BA, BEd, and an art diploma (AOCA). He has teaching experience without specialist qualifications in world religions and history. His Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications are in Visual Arts (Part 2) and in Geography (honours specialist). Rob's extracurricular responsibilities were for the student council, audio-visual sign-up, Coffee House, school budget, and health and safety.

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 87 Rob's initial specialization as an Art and Geography teacher also includes a personal interest in world religions which grew out of time spent in Tibet. He is known to students as someone who is connected to the arts communities in the city and as a 'working artist.' He has several examples of his artwork displayed in the school and, like Isadora, has exhibited his work at the 'Art from the Boyne,' exhibition at Harbourfront. In Rob's Art classroom, his personal philosophy of helping students to see things from a number of different perspectives was reflected both in his teaching and in the physical setting of the classroom. Reggae music filled the room, and all around, students were creating their own visions of the world, considering options, making decisions, and talking to each other about the various possibilities. The walls and floor of the classroom were backdrops for artistic products, some completed and some in progress. Pieces of artwork, big and small, leaned against doors, walls, and furniture, and the shapes and colours were eyecatching and visually stimulating. A huge piece of theatrical set design stood in one corner of the room, and propped against it was a large piece of masonite on which two students (a female and a male) collaborated to add the details to a huge tree trunk with a head and face at the top. An orange and red sun formed the backdrop for the lower portion of the painting. Rob walked around the classroom talking to students and engaging in the 'consideration' of their work. He did this dramatically, with the aid of a grey, cut-out circle which had shapes protruding from the outside edges. He used this device to view the particular piece under consideration. He talked to the student-artist about what he saw, about the process involved in its creation, and about the completed product. One student referred to the fact that Rob had recently cut off all but one of his 'dreads' (dreadlocks), and there was some conversation about this, in the middle of the talk about the artwork. The process of teaching and of thinking about different perspectives was informal, conversational, and collaborative. Greta is a teacher with six years teaching experience, and she has completed her first year at Corktown. She taught: • Semester 1: English 1 OAC, History (oppression) 12, drama 10 • Semester 2: Drama OAC, History (ancient civilizations) 12, English (women and literature) OAC

88 Narratives in the Making Greta has specialist qualifications and experience teaching History, Drama, and English. She has a BA, BEd, and MEd. She also has specialist qualifications in Society Challenge and Change, world religions, and media, and has a strong interest in women's issues and in drama. She is also willing to teach (but does not have specialist qualifications) in Latin and family studies. She has Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications in Learning Specialist (LS) and in drama (part 1). Her extracurricular duties involved responsibility for the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Association in the school, for CEASA, for the outer/inner environment, for Education Week, and for affirmative action/women. Greta's classroom has a carpet on the floor, a blue French Provincial sofa for students to use, and a variety of flowering plants on the window ledges. It looks altogether unlike a traditional classroom in a high school. The range of current publications on women's issues displayed along one wall speaks of her interests in women's rights and feminist studies, as do the books by women authors stacked all around the room. These are also a reminder of the course on women in literature which Greta teaches. A poster on the wall requests volunteers to help her and Margaret mount an exhibit in the gallery (6-10 December) to commemorate the Montreal Massacre, and to raise awareness regarding violence against women. Lola is a teacher who has been at Corktown for 15 years. She taught: • Semester 1: Biology OAC, math 11, media 12 • Semester 2: Biology 11, math 12, classical civilization OAC She has specialist qualifications and experience in teaching Biology, Math, Science, and Guidance. She has a BSc, BEd, MA (History and Philosophy of Science). She has teaching experience (without specialist qualifications) in world religions and media, and is also willing to teach screen education. Her Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications are in guidance (part 1) and in biology (honours specialist). Her extracurricular duties involved responsibility for the Board's initiatives in restructuring-benchmarks-destreaming, new educational technologies, CEASA, and audio-visual. In Lola's Grade 12 Media class, she explained that Socrates liked to teach by asking questions, and that Plato, his student, wrote plays as a way to express his philosophical ideas. She explained that Galileo

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 89 used the same form, a dialogue between two voices to show how world views could be explained and their implications explored. Then, in her own teaching, she quickly moved students beyond the facts and into the essence of ideas, using a wide variety of teaching techniques, audio-visual resources, and technology, to highlight the concept of different views on an issue. Students viewed a portion of the film, 2001, A Space Odyssey within the context of an analytical framework which focused their perspective. A follow-up activity focused students on 'looking for the essential, eliminating the unnecessary, identifying the simple truth.' Lola's personal interests in media and in new technologies were very evident in the way she directed students to see and understand how others have expressed their ideas and expanded the thinking of others. Irma is a teacher who has been at Corktown for five years. She taught: • Semester 1: Physics 12, Math 12, World Issues OAC • Semester 2: Calculus OAC, Physics OAC, Math 10 She has specialist qualifications and teaching experience in Math, Physics, and Science (BSc, MSc). She has teaching experience (without specialist qualifications) in Politics, History, Computers, and Geography. She has Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications in Physics (honours specialist), and her extracurricular duties involved responsibility for recycling, professional development representative, CEASA, race relations, and the board of directors. In all Irma's courses, she taught students to think for themselves, which for her is a critical aspect of being an educated person. She explained that she thought of many of her courses as 'courses in intellectual self-defence.' In the world issues course she taught, she emphasized the questioning of received ideas, assumptions, and established hierarchies of knowledge. She followed up one class by showing Noam Chomsky's film Manufacturing Consent: A Film for Those Who Think Their Opinions Are Their Own, to interested students during the noon hour. Crediting Noam Chomsky with the phrase 'intellectual self-defence,' she explained that self-understanding and figuring things out for yourself is the best preparation for life now and in the future. Irma asks:

90 Narratives in the Making How do you defend yourself against authority, against assumptions, against all those rules and supposedly inalienable truths that we've been convinced of all these years? The way you defend yourself against this is by understanding what you think, understanding yourself, understanding where you exist in the world ... I'm not talking about rejecting authority. Authority is going to be in your life always, and you've got to learn to live with it, you can't reject it because it's part of your world. There will always be an authority figure. What I'm talking about is recognizing it for what it's worth. Part of creating values is the questioning of values and we do that, I know. You have to question what you've always assumed are the proper values before you can figure out what your own are. (Irma, Corktown Teacher)

Margaret is a teacher who has been at Corktown for four years, and she has spent one year teaching in England on exchange. She taught: • Semester 1: English 11/12, Geography (travel) 12, Modern Western Civilization • Semester 2: English (imagination) 11/12, Film 12, English (writer's craft) OAC Margaret has specialist qualifications and teaching experience in History, English, Families, and Law (BA, honours). She also has specialist qualifications in Media, English as a second language, Politics and Economics, and she is willing to teach (without specialist qualifications) Screen Education, Geography, and Drama. Her Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications are in history (honours specialist), English as a second language (part 1), and primary junior education. Her extracurricular responsibilities were for the alternate advisory council, career information, CEASA, and outreach coordinator. In Margaret's English class, she talks about her love of music using examples from her personal music collection to create a rich and stimulating creative writing environment. She talks easily about her own personal reading habits and favourite authors, and uses many excerpts from current magazines, journals, and film to enrich her courses. Her Grade 12 film class is imbued with her own personal interest in film, and engagement with the artistic and technical possibilities of the film being studied. She brings this perspective to directing and structuring

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 91 the ways in which students view, discuss, and are enabled to come to new understandings of the film being studied. Joy is a half-time teacher who has twenty years teaching experience and has been at Corktown for four years. She taught: • Semester 1: English 10, Law 12 • Semester 2: History 10 Joy has specialist qualifications and teaching experience in Guidance and English (BMus, MEd). She is also willing to teach Law, Society Challenge and Change, History, and Family Studies. Her Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications are in Music (honours specialist), and in Guidance (specialist). Her extracurricular duties were for CEASA and the board of directors. Bob is a teacher with nineteen years' experience who has been at Corktown for sixteen years. He was on leave in the 1993-4 school year, pursuing doctoral level studies in curriculum at OISE. He has specialist qualifications and teaching experience in English, Media, Visual Arts, History and Politics (BA, MA, and AOCA). His Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications are in Visual Arts (part 2), English (honours specialist), and Special Education (part 2). The creation and re-creation of the curriculum and the learning culture at Corktown each year provide both the opportunities and the pressure for teachers to expand and develop their professional knowledge by working together to meet the changing needs of students. As they do so, they engage of necessity in the principles of lifelong learning and of self-directed professional development. These circumstances can be deeply satisfying and enriching. In an unpublished essay written for a university course, teacher/co-ordinator Isadora explains: The philosophy of alternative educators is simple. Students are human beings living in the same complex society in which teachers live ... Awareness of this reality flattens the typical mainstream hierarchy and allows for personal empowerment of the school's community members ... the teacher's role is seen as being comprised of group instructor, tutor, resource person, counsellor, confidante, and educational entrepreneur.' Isadora goes on to explain why a teacher would choose to work at an

92 Narratives in the Making

alternative school such as Corktown: The factor common in alternatives is the personal control allowed both students and teachers in these schools. Having the power to determine their use of time, the authority to decide to move a class to another location, the absence of hierarchy and the empowering involvement of both students and teachers in rule- and decision-making are the key happiness factors.' Fostering Independence and Interdependence in Community: The Boundaries and the Limits The provision of necessary and new courses, and accessing required learning resources, are cited by teachers as the major obstacles to the accomplishment of the goals of the learning community. Students, parents, and teachers acknowledge that the restrictiveness of course offerings at Corktown, and the necessity to go elsewhere for compulsory courses, is a major weakness of the school. Students sometimes have to leave the school because of the limitations in course offerings. This is especially so in the area of science, which is significantly affected by limitations in budget because of the expense of equipment and materials. As Lola said, "There's no Chemistry, and we lose students because we can't offer the courses they need. Sometimes, also they have to take night classes in subjects we don't offer, and they burn out because they are doing too much all at the same time.' The difficulty between teaching students to be resourceful and capable of generating creative solutions, and the negative consequences of the scarcity of necessary teaching resources, is also felt as a tension by all community members. As Margaret says, the philosophy of conservation and making do with less breaks down when what is considered to be a good attitude towards living, becomes a major disadvantage to running a school program. Margaret goes on to explain that sometimes courses cannot be offered because teachers cannot get the necessary books and because recycling and scrounging take time and energy. Teachers at Corktown also tell of having to use valuable time to ensure the continuance of existing programs such as The Breakfast Program. This program for students who were coming to school hungry was funded by one parent during the 1993-4 year. A new source of funding was not found by the end of the year, and at the last staff meeting of the year, teachers agreed that they would organize shopping and baking projects in order to continue to provide food each morning for those students who needed it. They agreed that this was the only

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 93

option available other than shutting the program down. All agreed that this was unacceptable. In a learning community that emphasizes the development of independence and interdependence it is essential that students learn to balance freedom and responsibility in their lives. This is a major determinant of student success at Corktown, and it also determines whether teachers' efforts and encouragement can be successful also. When students in this community cannot accept the responsibilities that go along with the freedoms they are given, and when they abuse their freedom, it is felt as a negative influence on the learning atmosphere and environment. In a small community where full participation is so necessary, a lack of participation and commitment to the community by some of its members is experienced as a force that holds them all back, saps emotional energy, and lowers spirits. Certain students find mandatory attendance unacceptable, and they cannot or will not become accustomed to it. When this is an insurmountable problem for students, there are other alternative schools in the board where it is not an issue, and to which they can go. Other students find the workload of advanced courses too heavy, and their lack of commitment shows in their neglect of the work required in an academic program. These students can enrol in another school where they can take a combination of advanced and general level courses, or where they can go into a co-op program and receive credits for their work outside the school. In the 1993-4 school year, approximately eight students received a 'cease to profit' letter, the majority of which were for violations of the mandatory attendance rule. Learning to think independently, to develop one's own opinions, ideas, and creativity, requires the freedom to make many decisions and choices, and to have lots of practice in the processes of decision- and choice-making. This freedom also includes the freedom to make poor choices, to make mistakes, and to voice uninformed and unacceptable opinions and ideas. For students whose previous educational experiences have not prepared them for taking ownership or responsibility for their own learning, there are many opportunities to learn these at Corktown. When students cannot learn to make the necessary commitments, and abuse their privileges and freedoms, they are asked to leave. Some of these students go to other alternative schools which are better suited to their current needs and lifestyles; others to mainstream high schools where they can take courses at different levels: 'When a student has ceased to profit from attending the school, and whose

94 Narratives in the Making

needs would best be served elsewhere, this student would be deadmitted from the school. This would only happen after consultation with the student, a student committee, the staff, and potentially a community group comprised of parents, alumni, and any other interested members. The basic premise of this approach is to protect the interests of the student under review and the interests of the community as a whole' (Isadora, Corktown Teacher). An alumna of the school, Eva, explains the way that the abuse of freedom by some students has a negative effect on others and on the learning environment. She explains that when she was graduating, the place had become very political, and this affected the atmosphere in negative ways: Teachers tried to make room for all the viewpoints to be shared. If there was a lot of animosity and you couldn't live with compromising and with making it work out for you, there was always CEASA.' Eva explains that students enjoy a wide range of freedom at Corktown: the freedom to express dissenting opinions and ideas, freedom not to call teachers by their first names even though this is the norm in the school culture, freedom not to participate in the individual expression of Coffee House and in classroom discussions, and freedom to express personally held, even though 'unacceptable,' views when done in an acceptable manner. However, this freedom does not extend to the violation of the freedom of others or to the freedom to endanger or destroy the open, safe, trusting environment of the school. When this happens, it has a destructive effect on the community and is felt as a failure by community members: It isn't always cooperative and feminine at Corktown. There were lots of conflicts and arguments and challenges. There were raised voices when people felt threatened and some of these people didn't change their cynical, satirical views. Someone I knew was very capitalist and I found it very degrading. With politics, things move to groups; with art, it is more individual and individual differences are respected. We are a lot of individuals here and groups, but not exclusive groups and no hierarchy, even with the teachers. When this starts to happen, people make protests. It goes to a staff meeting. It goes to CEASA. Even teachers are taken to CEASA and it gets dealt with. People don't tolerate it here if you are racist, sexist, or homophobic, even if this is your personal opinion.

Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 95 For some students, the failure to balance freedom and responsibility is related to their previous experiences and lack of opportunities to develop the abilities to respond to situations requiring them to take ownership of their own learning. The following story of Justin, an alumnus of Corktown, shows that just because adolescents do not respond to situations of freedom and autonomy positively, this does not mean that they cannot learn to do so at a later time. Justin's story provides insights into the complexities of balancing freedom and responsibility from the adolescents' perspective. JUSTIN: AN ALUMNUS OF CORKTOWN Justin was admitted to Corktown for the second part of Grade 11, and was a 'dropout' after one semester, getting 'one or two credits.' Three years later, after he had worked at a variety of jobs, he was re-admitted to Corktown for Grades 12 and 13. He explains why he went to Corktown from the mainstream high school he was attending and tells why he 'dropped out,' and why he 'dropped back in.' I was not succeeding at the other [mainstream] school and it wasn't because I wasn't very bright. It was because it was an uncomfortable situation. It was mass schooling. The population of the school was 2,100, and it was very hard to become, I guess, a great participator. I didn't feel that comfortable. Of course, if you were falling behind nobody would ask you why. You would simply be one of those people the teacher looked at and just walked away, kind of thing. In my first experience at Corktown, I abused the freedom I was given. I ended up not being able to be self-motivated because of my previous thirteen years of schooling, or whatever it was. I was pretty used to having people write something on the board and open the book and sit down, don't talk kind of thing. At that time I was young, male, rebellious, into music and partying and things like that. I worked at night clubs. I first started as a bus boy and worked up to a lighting technician which brought me into a technical area where I could sense that my education was lacking. I needed to have some more specific education plus my focuses in life were changing. I was no longer that interested in the music or the scene or whatever was going on, I was more interested in what I wanted to do. So there I had a little bit of focus. Then I asked if I could go back [to Corktown], and they let me in.

96 Narratives in the Making Justin explains that once he became focused, Corktown was his first choice as a school to obtain the credits he needed to get in to Ryerson, and to take the courses he wanted to take. He credits the 'system' at Corktown for preparing him for Ryerson and enabling him to be successful there: If I had gone to a regular high school, I wouldn't have been prepared for Ryerson. At Corktown you're given a lot of responsibility as far as your own schooling. You're to do a lot of research...and also you're allowed to do things you're interested in as long as it's up to the level of the grade that you're dealing with. Your project or whatever it is can be virtually anything you want within given boundaries. It goes with being more selfdirected, and this is much like a university does. Justin graduated with a four-year degree in Film and Media from Ryerson in 1992. Following that he graduated as an elementary teacher with a Bachelor of Education degree in June 1993 from the faculty of education, University of Toronto. He plans to teach in a third world country.

Justin's story throws light on the 'dropping-out' issue, and on one student's experience of needing additional time and experiences to appreciate and take advantage of the support and encouragement available to them. Students at Corktown said regularly, 'It is those connections with people that keep you from dropping out,' and Justin's story shows that in cases where the connections are not strong enough to do so, they have the power to draw some of the 'dropouts' back. It shows how this student (and other students at Corktown who did not get their credits) do not hold grudges against teachers, but hold memories of good experiences, strong relationships, and a friendly, supportive community. These remain with students, and they can be the force that draws them back and enables them at a later time to turn a temporary failure into a lasting success.

6 Educating Global Citizens: Developing Connections and Commitment to Self, School, and Community

Toronto really is an interesting laboratory for a whole lot of social change around urban organization, and how people interact with one another, and how a democracy functions. The school system has to be a part of that, and children have got to learn those things. There are so many ways that people can isolate themselves from their responsibilities to society, and there has to be an enormous counterbalancing to make them see that this just doesn't work... The whole business of personal and civic responsibility is essential for this society to function and at the moment it isn't. Fiona Nelson, Corktown Trustee

Creating a Culture of Connectedness The learning culture at Corktown emphasizes the education of global citizens, and the development of connectedness and commitment to self, school, and community. The school culture and curriculum emphasize the interconnectedness of all things and encourage the development of a vision which sees the universe as a whole. They stress the replacement of an ethic of separateness, disconnection, and dependence, with an ethic of unity, connectedness, and interdependence. Through classroom and community activities, students are encouraged to focus on making connections between the various domains of knowledge, between science and art, between linear thinking and intuition, between different ways of knowing, between what is learned in one class or situation and another, between the

98 Narratives in the Making

content of the curriculum and life itself, and between self, school, and society. Most students are stimulated and challenged by a school culture and curriculum which encourages them to respect and learn from their first-hand experience, to collaborate with each other, and to become more aware of their roles as responsible citizens. Most students understand that, as they participate in the classroom and in the learning community, they are developing the skills and the knowledge to engage in participatory democracy in the school and beyond. In the classroom and in extracurricular activities, there is a reciprocity in the exchanges of knowledge between teachers and students, and between students and their colleagues. Interdisciplinary approaches to learning are encouraged throughout, and all classes have scheduled activities which take place in small, collaborative groups where students help each other, and where the teacher provides individualized instruction to those who need it. In classrooms, collaborative groupings of students form spontaneously when necessary, and this is facilitated by the ease with which the furniture can be rearranged from the horseshoe shape required for whole-class instruction to informal groupings determined by the students themselves. The physical space and size of the school, and the size of its population, are conducive to collaboration and ongoing interaction, as they facilitate communication and extended conversations among community members: 'You get to know the people in your classes and the whole school staff. You're able to sit in the class and talk to your teacher while there's other people around, but that doesn't really dissolve the class at all. It's small enough that it stays in context and flow keeps going in the class whatever the subject is' (James Corktown Alumnus). Education for global citizenship, and the development of connectedness and community, are illustrated from a student's perspective in the story of Eva, an alumna of Corktown. Eva tells of the way in which the classes and culture at Corktown stimulated her to make significant connections between her own interests, the school curriculum, and the local and global contexts in which she was living. Her story provides insights into the ways in which the development of voice and identity is connected to the development of increasing self-awareness, connectedness to others and the transformation of consciousness. It shows the development of care for others, and the ability to envision and to enact social change.

Educating Global Citizens 99 EVA'S STORY Eva spent three years at Corktown and graduated in January 1993. She returned to the school in October 1993 to interview teachers and to make a video of the school as part of an independent study assignment on community for one of her courses in the first-year arts program at university in which she was enrolled. Professors and students at the university found it difficult to relate to her descriptions of her high school as a community which engaged students in real life issues through its programs and were disinclined to believe that 'such a high school existed.' Eva decided to conduct a study of Corktown and to present it to them, factually, philosophically, and visually. She then admitted that before she came to Corktown, she had been an 'at risk' student and that she was currently 'at risk' of dropping out again. Eva went on to explain: It seemed to be a real artists' haven when I came here. It was a very creative place to be. It was human and small, and I couldn't handle the other place (a well-known, prestigious high school close by). The whole point of Corktown is to help you to get the most out of every situation, to sample things; you are connected to the world. Now, I find university a big disappointment. They assume you know nothing. I find it very degrading. The place is not involved in the community it is in. I'm taking courses in World Issues, and I'm supposed to just sit there and talk about this and do nothing about it. It is a very pessimistic view, focused on grinding you down; get you into one system and to keep you there. When I came to Corktown, Yes, I had almost dropped out and had a part-time acting job. I wanted to be connected to the real world and to do things that were meaningful. It is the connection with people that keeps you from dropping out at Corktown. This is what makes you want to come to school even if you don't go to class. Teachers are not threatening and will talk to you about why you do not come to their class. The papers I wrote, I did many of them because I felt that I owed something to the teachers. They had done so much for me, I couldn't let them down, so I did it. I couldn't not do my independent study. Here everything is connected and Outreach is the key. It is so intense, you spend a lot of time here. It is inviting, you can discuss ideas, do work. Whenever I come into town, I always come back to see people and to be in this atmosphere ... I remember sitting in a class [at Corktown] and something being said connected with things I had just done in another class, and it's all con-

100 Narratives in the Making nected to the real world, and you're not just sitting in an ivory tower. Here they are trying to teach us to put things into a context and the courses are all about reality, living in the world, living in Toronto. Corktown teaches you to have trust in yourself and to trust your own judgment. At university, they assume a very low level of awareness and a low ability to function as an individual. The more they teach that, the more it becomes true. I have a knowledge that things can be different in life, so that is why I'm writing this paper for university about community. The things I've heard from any one class here are more meaningful than what professors say where I am now, and they are lecturing to a hall full of hundreds of students. In terms of learning what I don't know, putting things into context, inspiration that what I'm learning matters, I am so disappointed. In classes [at Corktown] you can talk to teachers about things. I was in Irma's Politics class, and I did a project on Nicaragua. I got so connected to this, so inspired. Then one day I went into a cafe and they had photographs on the walls. I said, 'Oh God, this is Nicaragua.' There was an advertisement on the wall also. The artist had a write-up of the photos and the project and the phone number for volunteers to work there rebuilding schools. I called and went there in the summer for a month. I raised it at a student meeting, and it was accepted for the Coffee House proceeds to go to the project. I came back then for the last semester. I did a presentation about the Brigade in one class, and in OAC Art, I did a paper about the murals of Nicaragua and the relationship between politics and art. It was all really connected ... the individual parts and the incidents of my life

In the 1993 Corktown yearbook, there is a 'postcard from the edge,' dated 29 July 1992. It has a picture of a smiling young woman, holding a machine-gun in one hand and a baby who is breast-feeding in the other. The postcard is from Eva, in Managua, Nicaragua, and it reads: Irma: What can I say to you to thank you for this fate? I have been here for two weeks and there is so much to say. Jungle plants abound in the lush anticity of Managua. The rains keep coming and the people keep hoping. The revolution ain't half over! Eva

Eva's story shows the development of self-understanding, of social awareness, and consciousness of her role and responsibilities as a global citizen. Her story provides insights into the effect of a learning

Educating Global Citizens 101

environment where adolescents feel connected, feel that the curriculum is connected to the outside world, and where they can develop the confidence and capacities to explore connectedness in increasingly wider arenas. A further postscript to this story tells what happens when this is not the case. Eva dropped out of university in April 1994. Field Trips: Connecting the 'Wow' to the Curriculum [The challenge is]. . to provide experiences where students react with a 'Wow/ to connect the learner with his own learning and to accelerate his ideas. Then the art and the difficulty of teaching is to encourage and help the learner to translate the 'Wows' into a product. That is the hardest thing to do, and sometimes I think students have a fear of trying to do that because they know they can go on. Without this connection, they can sort of play it safe and flow through the system. That's the sad part. Rob, Corktown Teacher/Coordinator

Field trips are an integral part of the curriculum at Corktown, and they serve to reinforce the goals of the learning community in many ways, including the development of imagination, the cultivation of new visions, and the development of commitment to community. By providing experiences which open students' eyes to new ways of knowing and being, field trips often work to stimulate students' imaginations and to enable them to cultivate new visions of how things might be. Through their involvement and participation in the arts, in particular, students are encouraged to consider alternative realities, to challenge the taken for granted, and to open up to new possibilities. The challenge, as Rob says, is how to translate the 'Wow' factor into increased student involvement, engagement, and interest in the school curriculum, and in their own learning and development. Field trips also provide a way of connecting with the communities outside the school in significant ways, of taking advantage of the richness of the city at their doorstep, and of enriching the school curriculum. They are also used to build community spirit, and each year there are a number of all-school, half-day field trips organized for this purpose. These include events such as university and college tours, an annual baseball game with City School, and an orientation visit to the Boyne or Boyd conservation area. All-school events help students and teachers to get to know each other outside the school setting and to have shared experiences that are both pleasurable and educative. They

102 Narratives in the Making

contribute to relationship-building in that they provide a venue for informal conversations and dialogue, humour, and fun. All classes have a number of field trips associated with their curriculum, and a portion of the school's budget ($8,000) is allocated for transit tickets. Classes of students visit the galleries, libraries, neighbourhoods, and events of the city throughout the school year. In the 1993-4 school year, some of the field trips students went on included the following. • The Grade 12 Ancient History class had three visits to the Royal Ontario Museum. • The OAC Drama class went to see a play entitled, 'Avant Gandhi.' • The OAC Physics class had a physics day at Canada's Wonderland. • The Grade 10 Science class had a waterfront walk and a tour of the St Lawrence market. • The Grade 11/12 English class visited the Metro Reference Library and the Native Canadian Community Centre. • The Grade 10 Canadian history class went to the Enoch Turner School House, Toronto's first post office, McKenzie House, the archives of the Toronto Board of Education, the archives of Metro Toronto, Campbell House, Spadina House, and the Canary Restaurant (the former Palace Street School). • The Grade 12 Media class went on a tour of CITY TV, a visit to the Bay for Liz Taylor's personal appearance there, and students were required to go to various TV and radio stations on their own time. • The OAC Art class visited the Galleries at 80 Spadina, Ontario College of Art open house, the Art Gallery of Ontario, WARC (Women's Art Resource Centre), private artists' studios, and the Ydessa Hendeles Art Gallery. On a Thursday in November, as a part of her OAC art program, Isadora visited the Ydessa Hendeles Art Gallery with her class. The purpose of this field trip was described as 'exposing this group of working artists to the works of other artists in the community.' Isadora explained that Rob had already seen the exhibition and had recommended it for her class. She had prepared students prior to the trip, and all had read the review in Canadian Art. Isadora expected that students would be stimulated and inspired by the experience; she expected that it would be educative in a myriad of ways. The account of the field trip is presented here from the researcher's perspective.

Educating Global Citizens 103 VISITING THE Y D E S S A HENDELES GALLERY IN THE C O M P A N Y OF A GROUP OF WORKING ARTISTS

It was a beautiful sunny day in mid-November as we walked up to the streetcar and looked forward to what we would see at the gallery. There was an air of excitement and expectation among the group which I felt too. Rob had seen the show and had told Isadora that it was a 'must' for her OAC art class. We had taken turns borrowing Canadian Art, the art magazine to which the school subscribes, and reading about it overnight. Rob's exact word was that the show was 'amazing.' He had told Suzie that we were going, and, as we headed out, we were surprised and delighted to find that she was joining us. Suzie asked Isadora why we were going to the gallery, and Isadora explained that part of her mandate was to include the artistic community of the city in her class. 'We go to lots of galleries as part of our program,' she said. These students are working artists and I want them to see and know about what other working artists in the city are doing. This is very much a part of our outreach with the community.' The streetcar whisked us along King Street, and we noticed all the renovations, the new restaurants, stores, and additions to this vibrant cityscape. The gallery was housed in a converted factory, and, once inside, we took our coats off, signed the visitors' book, and went in to see the huge display of Muybridge's photographs on the ground floor. We looked at these photographs individually and in groups, talking to each other about the amazing way in which he had captured the details of movement with his camera. He had explained movement to a nineteenth-century world so that the way in which people understood motion and movement was forever changed. Then, in groups, we made our way upstairs where the installations were housed in individual galleries. Suzie and I went upstairs together. I was relieved to have her company when I found that I was going to enter the darkness of a seemingly gigantic boiler room where Bill Viola's Arc of Ascent was installed. I was terrified by the loudness of the rushing water, my own powerlessness to stop the body jumping into the depths, and then disoriented and dizzied by watching the body drifting calmly down the river. Gradually, I managed to get a grip on my thoughts and feelings, and took a look around. I saw that small groups of the students were sitting on the floor in this gigantic room with no windows, their eyes

104 Narratives in the Making glued to the fifty-foot screen and the rushing water. They seemed so relaxed and calm, talking to each other about the technicalities of the installation from the artist's perspective, just as they had done with Muybridge's photographs, without ever taking their eyes off the big screen. With Muybridge, they had pointed out the variety of camera angles he had used, the positions he had taken, and the perspectives achieved. Now, the workings of the installation, the processes used, and the results achieved by the artist were under discussion and analysis. The talk here was more animated though. They were excited and stimulated by the actuality of what they were seeing, and by the aesthetic possibilities offered by the technology. As Suzie and I went from one installation to another, we kept meeting groups of students in the long darkened hallways. They were excited enough to express the 'Wows' of what they were seeing, and they passed us, and each other, saying things like: 'Have you seen 'Tall Ships" yet? You must go in there. It is amazing! Watch out for the velvet curtain at the doorway. Don't let it freak you out.' 'Have you seen "The Boxer"? Don't miss it whatever you do.' It was great to be with this group of students, to hear and feel their excitement, and also to notice my own reactions to the wonders of this learning experience. Afterwards, when I told Isadora about my reactions, she said, 'I want them to see my initial response to the show also. I want them to see my honest, straightforward, and not secondhand reactions. This is why I didn't preview the show, so I was seeing it for the first time, too. Rob had recommended it, and he goes to a lot of galleries. I want them to understand that I'm learning all the time too, and I want them to see that.' In the streetcar on the way back to the school, we talked all the way about what we had seen and experienced, describing our varying responses to the exhibits. We talked about the links between the Muybridge photographs and the different installations, and how we saw the possible connections. 'We go on great field trips from our school,' said Joseph. 'But the best of them all was the time we went to Phenoxia, a commune outside the city. We all went, the whole school... and it was fantastic,' he said. I asked why it was so great, and moving his head to the left, then to the right, and back again, he said, 'Because it was one "Wow" after another. Everywhere you looked you saw something that was the opposite to what you were

Educating Global Citizens 105 expecting. It was an amazing experience and it was Rob's idea. He organized that one.' In the course of conversation with Rob the next day, I told him what Joseph had said about the field trip to Phenoxia, and how all the others had agreed. He smiled and said, 'Yes, that was a good one and of course the challenge then is to have them translate the "Wows" into products once they get back into the classroom. We want them to have diverse and stimulating experiences, but it isn't all fun and entertainment. The "Wows" are great, and they can be a stimulus for seeing things in different ways.' The account of the field trip to the Ydessa Hendeles Gallery shows the power of the aesthetic to stimulate students' intellects, imaginations, and emotions. It also shows the importance of shared learning experiences, of dialogue and conversation in which students learn from and with each other. The account shows how this group of students responded actively and deeply to the work of other working artists, and how the exhibition provided them with an enriching environment in which to practise their skills of perceptivity, develop more sophisticated levels in their understandings of symbolic forms, and be inspired to further develop the skills and means of visual representation in their own work. Students' responses to the photographs and the installations at the gallery reveal a sophisticated knowledge of the forms and means of representing meaning, and the propensity to inquire, to question, and to extend their knowing. The account highlights the importance of enriching experiences such as this in enabling learners to see things from new perspectives, to make new connections from existing structures; and to have the potential to translate the excitement of the new and novel into engagement, productivity, and creativity. The conversations and dialogue on the streetcar back to the school showed the importance of direct experience and of the aesthetic for generating excitement about learning and the stimulation of the imagination. The group laughed, talked, and enjoyed each others' company as they discussed the artwork, and their own work, the informal relationships providing an ongoing context for discussion, collaborative reflection, and shared meaning-making. Experiences such as this figure prominently in what students and parents say about why the school is a 'successful school,' as they promote collaboration and con-

106 Narratives in the Making

nectedness, by connecting students' interests to the academic work of the school, connecting community members together within supportive groupings and environments, and connecting the school community to external communities. Collaborating to Learn: Connections and Continuity Classrooms at Corktown have their own individual styles and distinctiveness. What they have in common is that they adhere to the principles of respect for the learner, acknowledge the student as a constructor of knowledge, and encourage creativity and the making of connections. A description of one of Irma's math classes is used here to show how this can take place even in what is regarded as one of the most traditional aspects of school life, the review for tests and exams. The course outline describes the course as follows. Math Hysteria: Mathematics 12 This course expands on previous work with relations by reviewing the plane, the fundamental properties of a function, and investigating various functions: polynomial, algebraic, rational, and transcendental functions. Transcendental functions include exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions. Non-functional relations will also be studied by sketching them both in and out of standard position. Both similarity and the geometry of the circle will be covered, as well as some work statistics. Students in this course will be expected to participate fully and communicate effectively. Successful completion of this course should adequately prepare a student for any OAC Mathematics course. Credit value: Mathematics 12 MAT 4AO; Prerequisite: Mathematics 11. IRMA'S MATH CLASS There was six inches of snow to drive and shuffle through in order to get here this morning. It was 8:35 a.m. when I arrived. Isadora was there first. All the teachers were here now, and there was no caretaker yet. The school was functioning as if it was a normal day. Students were arriving and congregating in the foyer. Isadora was listening to the news updates on the radio in the inner office ... the cancellations in

Educating Global Citizens 107 schools because of the snowfall, and the big earthquake in Los Angeles. I went to Irma's math class at 10 o'clock. Irma's class is in Room 6 where lots of light comes in through the big windows, and students' desks are arranged in a semi-circle facing the blackboard. This is a double class (10:00-12:00), and Irma is doing a review of conies in preparation for the math quiz which will take place in the second part of the period. This is one of the components of the upcoming math test and math exam. Irma worked through the formulae for the circle, the parabola, the ellipse, and the hyperbola, explaining as she moved backwards and forwards, and covering the board with the following formulae: Circle = (x- h) to the power of 2+ (y- k) to the power of 2 = r to the power of 2 Parabola = y = a(x- p) to the power of 2 + q Ellipse = x= a(y- q) to the power of 2 + p x to the power of 2 + y to the power of 2 a to the power of 2 + b to the power of 2 = 1 Hyperbola = xto the power of 2 - y to the power of 2 a to the power of 2 - b to the power of 2 = 1 The class begins as a monologue, but very soon it becomes a conversation, first with one student, then another. Irma begins by explaining the concepts in a quiet voice, writing on the blackboard as she does so. The students listen and write things down in their notebooks. There are sixteen students in the room, and they have the usual assortment of edibles and drinkables (Coke, Cheesies, sandwiches, Crunchies, coffee, juice), and they drink and eat as they listen and write. They hold up their end of things with ongoing questions, clarification statements and questions, suppositions, what ifs, the continuous making of connections between the sense any one of them is personally making of the material, and what she or he thinks Irma might be describing. If someone has a question, he or she asks it, and if the answer is not understood, the issue is pursued until it is understood. Eric asked a question, and Irma began to answer it. Eric still didn't understand, and he persisted with one question after another. Finally, he sorted out his understanding by getting closer and closer to the question which would give him a satisfying answer. Gradually Irma came to see that she had

108 Narratives in the Making understood the question differently to the way it had been intended, and she said, 'You asked me a question and I understood it in a certain way. This happens all the time in life. Someone asks a question and someone else understands it in a way other than the way it was intended. This is normal, and you could see this and you persisted. Do this. Persist until you are understood the way you want them to understand you.' Sometimes students ask questions of the person sitting beside them, and sometimes they ask the question of Irma. Sometimes a student thinks he or she can answer a colleague's question, and when this is the case, they offer an explanation. Sometimes a student will bend over and explain things to another by working it out on paper. Students then work away at their own pace, some work alone, and others work together. One student asks Irma to explain exactly what is going to be on the quiz today, the test tomorrow, and the exam next week. Irma explains and she writes on the blackboard: (1) Absolute Value, (ii) Conies, (iii) Logarithms. A few students have come in while all this is going on, and they give their reasons and apologies for the lateness. All of these have to do with the snow. The students sit down quietly, pick up the conversation, and write down the material on the board in their notebooks. Irma tells them that the tests to be done the next day (Tuesday) will be returned and taken up on Thursday. On Friday there will be a major review for the exam the following week. We take a ten-minute break between the two parts of this double period. The smokers, who include Irma, go outside and carry on the discussion in the freezing cold, standing in six inches of snow. I can only take the cold for so long, so I decide to leave the conversation and go back inside to the classroom where several of the students are sitting around and helping each other to prepare for the quiz. They work in groups of twos and threes, working through the problems in their notebooks and patiently explaining what is not making sense. I ask them about the assignments for this course in Grade 12 math, and they tell me, Two tests, two exams, quiz every Monday, two assignments (one in class, one out of class), and homework every night.' After the break, Irma hands out the quiz papers and students begin to work on the problems. She leaves the room, 'to make a few extra copies,' and nothing changes; the students carry on just as if she was there. When she returns, she puts the radio on and quiet jazz music comes over the airwaves. A student asks her a question and she

Educating Global Citizens 109 replies, 'We've just done one of those, take a good look at the board.' She bends down beside the student and helps her to see the connection, leaving her to work out the solution herself, which the student does. Students finish up the quiz, hand it in, and pick up the sheets of waxed paper for the paper-folding exercise scheduled for the second part of the period. (The agenda for the period and the dates for the test and the exam are on the blackboard.) Irma calls the group to attention and she draws the shapes of the circle, the parabola, the ellipse, and the hyperbola on the blackboard. Using a sheet of waxed paper, she shows them how to make the shapes by moving the dot around the circumference of the circle, the ellipse, and the hyperbola, and along the line of the parabola. She does a demonstration with her own hyperbola. Students choose the one they will begin with, and they set to work. Each student has four pieces of paper. They draw their circles, sharing resources (Coke cans, compasses, drink containers), and they begin to fold. The interactions are noticeably supportive, non-confrontational, friendly, helpful, and quietly encouraging. They are conducted in calm, low voices. The concentration and the intensity on the faces is remarkable at first, as students get started, and then they begin to relax and to talk quietly as they fold and watch the shapes emerging. 'How many folds does this need to have?' someone asks Irma who is walking around, offering suggestions, advice, encouragement, and assessment of the work being done. Irma says, The more folds you have, the more defined the shape will be.' The music is playing softly. The girl in the desk beside me asks if I shouldn't take a break from writing and make one too. She will help me. Students talk to each other and comment on each other's emerging shapes. Irma eats a few Crunchies from a bag she brought in to the class. I hear snippets of conversation, and I notice that the room is full of people doing, looking, and commenting on each other's work, and thinking out loud. I notice also that the girls are as actively involved in this class as are the boys. The girls have participated in the whole class dialogue, and they have asked just as many questions as the boys. Irma puts the full details of the upcoming math review on the blackboard. Math Review: Term 2 1 Absolute Value (Chapter 3- equations and inequalities, functions of graphing, radical equations

110 Narratives in the Making 2 Exponents (Chapter 9 and section 3.5- exponent rules, functions and graphs, solving equations 3 Logarithms (Chapter 10- definition and log rules, function and graphs, solving equations 4 Conies - circle, parabola, ellipse, hyperbola, equations in graphing form, graphing The class comes to an end, as some students put their books in their bags and leave. There is no bell or buzzer, and nobody seems to be in a hurry to leave, but somehow they know that the time is up. As they drift out of the room, Irma is talking to a student at the desk at the back of the room which I now see is 'the teacher's desk.' They appear to be talking about the student's marks and progress this past term. More students finish up, hand in their waxed-paper shapes, and leave, with their friends. I leave too, get my coat, and follow a group up to the deli at the corner, trudging together through the snow. Like them, I am hungry for my lunch. Irma's class had begun and had ended quietly. Throughout, students had been engaged in the content and processes of the math. Irma's quiet enthusiasm for math was unmistakable. She wants students to understand why math is exciting, and she communicates this with her explanations, her body language, and her accessibility to them before and after school, and during the smoking break. On the way to the deli, a female student said to me, 'I used to be intimidated by math, but not any more. Irma gave me free tutoring every morning when I first came to the school, until I caught up with the class, and I have no problems really now.' The account of Irma's math class shows the artistry and improvisational nature of her teaching and the way in which she uses them to connect students' learning needs with the curriculum requirements of the school and the board. It shows how she connects the present and future of students' lives by providing them with an engaging learning experience in the present, while also preparing them for the continuation of their studies in this field elsewhere. In a lesson as traditional and formal as a review for a test or exam, the conversational quality is present, as is the interconnectedness of school math with real life issues, and the acknowledgment of the learner as meaning-maker with her or his own purposes and priorities. The account of the class highlights the tensions associated with

Educating Global Citizens 111

meeting individual student's needs, and of adhering to the course content and reaching the expected standards of achievement for the grade level. Many of the other teachers spoke of experiencing this tension, and described the difficulties associated with it in the different subject areas. Irma explains how she deals with this in the context of respecting each student's purposes, and of collaborating with students to enable each one to achieve his or her own purposes and goals. Irma explains that she creates a structure so that students themselves choose their level of participation. Success should be defined by the individuals involved rather than the external criteria. Of course, that's not real life, that's not the way things end up being. I guess maybe the distinction between the two kinds of success is two kinds of passing in my course, one to satisfy the external requirements and one to satisfy the internal requirements. I'm very conscious of board requirements and what is expected in the next course. I recognize that my OAC students will be going on to university next year and have to be ready for it. I might be teaching Grade 10 math, and these people might be going to another school and need to get a Grade 11 course. For example, one of the things that I do in all my math courses (and I do it in all my courses) is that I know the entire five-year course. I know what I need to do to prepare them for the next year, and I share that with them. To pass the course, you need to fulfil the requirements, and I set definite expectations on those. It's a lot more difficult then to get a high mark. In order to get an 80 in the world issues course (and every year there are two or three students who get over 80), you are going to have to show me evidence of reflection, thoughtfulness, and the ability to analyse an issue, to show analytical skills as well as writing skills. The same applies to math and physics courses. I guess what I do is like teaching two courses. There's the course you can pass and then there's the other.

The development of student autonomy and of ownership is nurtured in classes like this where teachers provide students with the course outline at the beginning of the course, and discuss and negotiate the sequencing of the content, due dates, and possible formats for course assignments. In the area of assessment, students can negotiate the percentages on which their marks are based within the given boundaries and restrictions of courses. Changes are also possible. In an English class where a student has contracted for 20 per cent of the

112 Narratives in the Making

mark to be allocated to assignments involving written work, and who subsequently finds that poor writing skills are lowering the marks, this student can renegotiate and substitute some of the written assignments for audio-visual or multimedia presentations. In this way students can capitalize on their strengths and talents and "buy time' to develop the skills that they need. With this kind of flexibility, students who would be 'at risk' in another setting can work out ways to get through difficult situations, and to progress towards their personal goals. In all classes, students have choices regarding the ways in which meaning is represented, and creativity and innovation are encouraged. As well as text, students use video, film, art, and music to create products and to make presentations. This creates an equitable and diversified learning environment where students can use their strengths to learn, as well as developing the capacity to express themselves in forms other than text. Students also know that they can collaborate with teachers in the choice of course content in certain courses and can negotiate changes within the boundaries of the guidelines. An example of this was the way in which Rob adapted the curriculum content of his OAC course called Canadian families to include a unit on dreams. Responding to students' requests to 'liven up the course/ Rob presented the options available within the parameters of the course outline. The students chose dreams, studied Jung and Freud, looked at archetypes and the theme of journeys, and kept their own dream journals for a time. The student-initiated theme provided an equally good vehicle for the concepts and skills to be learned in the course as any of the other options outlined. Because it had the added advantage of being chosen by the students, it was thus more likely to engage their energies and intellects. Students involved in film, music, or art will often introduce a teacher to a new director, a new band, or a new artist. Students who learn about a new advancement in a field, a new artist, director, or filmmaker will expect to share this knowledge. In this way, teachers are introduced to new fields and perspectives, new links between subjects, new innovations and movements. This is particularly evident in the field of popular culture, where students are often very knowledgeable about new trends and movements, and can provide stimulating new insights for teachers. Rob gave an example of this from the time when punk culture was new, and he and other teachers dismissed it at the outset, thinking that there was nothing to it. In talking to students, listening, and finding out about the work of artists like Malcolm McClaren, Rob and the other teachers learned to think differently. He

Educating Global Citizens 113

told of how a student who was very involved in computers and in innovative computer games had introduced Bob to a game (Sim City). This experience led Bob to look at issues of virtual reality, a field he went on to explore in his doctoral level studies. Teacher Collaboration and Commitment to Community For me, it's the only school I can imagine myself teaching at, or a school very like this. I find myself almost re-inventing teaching daily. Teaching is not separate from the rest of life. It is an integral part. In life there are uncertainties, there are risks we have to take, things come out of left field and hit you on the head. I mean this is what real life is like. It isn't a regimented process that we trundle through. Personally, I think that learning is fundamental to living. Classes here should not be all that different from learning processes or environments or systems elsewhere in life. Irma, Corktown Teacher

Independence and interdependence is a feature of teachers' lives at Corktown, and it is essential that teachers collaborate to keep the school working on a daily basis. Teachers who apply for teaching positions at Corktown are interviewed by a team composed of the principal, staff members, and students; selection is based on the match between an individual's professional qualifications and program requirements, on professional adaptability and flexibility to be a member of a team within a small learning community, and on a philosophy of progressivist pedagogy. When there is a good match between the philosophy of the school and the philosophy and professional qualifications of the individual teacher, these teachers often remain at the school for long periods, and make major commitments to colleagues and students. They get to know each other on a personal as well as a professional basis, pay visits to each others' homes, and become aware of many of the personal details of each other's lives. Teachers cover each other's classes when illness strikes, knowing that students are much more likely to stay for a class being taught by a member of the school staff rather than a supply teacher. Supply teachers are therefore only requested on special occasions, such as when teachers are attending professional development conferences or when they are representing the school at full-day board meetings. Extraordinary levels of collaboration are called for in this small learning community, especially in times of crisis, such as when there is

114 Narratives in the Making

unexpected illness or an unexpected turn of events. This is highlighted by a description of an occurrence on an unusual day in mid-winter, when three of the seven teachers were absent because of illness, and yet the school program continued.1 First thing in the morning, as groups of students gathered in the foyer, Isadora went around the school and asked each student about his or her timetable for the day. She suggested activities and possibilities to fill the period or two that would be affected, and she worked with students to ensure that they remained in the school for the day. The announcement of the three absent teachers on the communications board could have sent all these students home, but, after the conversations, all students had programs for the day that involved some classes, independent study, reading time, and time to work on collaborative projects with colleagues. Isadora explained that if things had become even more critical, she would have organized a 'whole floor event/ such as a film, making a student lunch for the whole school, taking a field trip, or organizing an upcoming all-school event (e.g., the graduation, the Winter Solstice gift exchange, or the next Coffee House). In a conversation with Bob before one of the Coffee Houses, he explains the interconnectedness of teachers' lives at Corktown, and their common focus on creating connections. In the alternative schools teachers' community, most of the people go back a number of years, and there's a fair amount of circulation. There's a perception of a shared philosophy and shared interests, yet the subcultures are different in each school. At one time teaching in alternative schools was viewed as being banished to Siberia. Alternative schools need versatile teachers and in my first two or three years I never taught the same course twice. I had six lesson preparations, but this is good because you start to see the connections between subjects. Art, English, History, and other school subjects are not discrete, but are interrelated. I studied with McLuhan, so I did media fifteen years ago, and now it is part of the curriculum. A school has to respond to the community and address learning critically. Under postmodern conditions the boundaries disappear between teachers and students, school and community, adulthood and adolescence. Boundaries have dissolved but we're holding on to barriers institutionally.

Teachers use the weekly staff meeting to make connections between the different parts of the school curriculum and students' lives and to

Educating Global Citizens 115 make further connections to the life of the external community. The following account of a Wednesday staff meeting shows the principles of collaborating to share limited resources, to share information and responsibilities regarding those students who are deemed to be 'at risk/ and of making connections across subject boundaries. It shows how the weekly staff meeting provides teachers with a regular framework in which to do this, to assess the learning going on in their classrooms, and to plan for the future. It also shows how this structure provides teachers with the framework for ongoing inquiry into teaching and learning, and for reflection on practice. It gives them a space and time to work through controversial issues, to gain understandings of each other's work, and to develop the skills of working together as a team. A WEDNESDAY STAFF MEETING

What makes it a successful school is that we address our problems. We recognize that there are problems and we're free to talk about them. That's the kind of environment it is. You can thrive if you want to and there's no room for passengers. I think we work because we enjoy working, but as well, we work because we have to work to make it work. Margaret, Corktown Teacher

It is noon on Wednesday, 26 October 1993, and the teachers and offsite principal have gathered in Room 2 for the weekly staff meeting. The desks are arranged in a circle, and Isadora has put an agenda on the blackboard. Items are not numbered or timed, and they consist of the following: • • • • • • •

The Inner City initiative - Gerry Connelly Integrated History and English Course - students to discuss Greta's birthday OHASTA (Ontario History Teachers Association) conference Budget/supplies Semester 2 CEASA

The meeting opens with a discussion about the cornucopia table in the foyer which has had apples and grapes on it for the past few days. Observations are made by various teachers about how it has been

116 Narratives in the Making working. This food has been made available through a private donation from a parent who knew that some of the students in the school go without food. Joy said that she had brought apples in the day before, and explained that she had spoken to a particular student, Otto, who was eating an apple, saying, 'You know, you could bring things in too. Wouldn't it be nice if those who could afford to would bring things in for the others?' The discussion centred around how this parent-donated money could be used to benefit those students who needed it most, without embarrassing anyone. Someone suggested a continuation of the cornucopia table. It would not look like anything new, there would be additional food. I'd be willing to buy apples in bulk and bring them in,' said Rob. 'I'll bring a seasonal tablecloth, too.' Discussion followed about having muffins also, and about whether a sign would be needed indicating that the food is for those who need it, but not for everyone. The decision reached was that this issue should be handled tactfully and that a sign would be inappropriate. The group moves on to the second item on the agenda, and Margaret proposes an integrated history and English course (Grade 12) for the second semester, worth two credits, which would integrate the concepts from these two courses. Students would use the literature to inform the history and vice versa. Each assignment would 'belong' to one or other of the courses. There is discussion regarding the separation of the knowledge of each course from the other within the process of integration, so that students would learn the distinctions between them as well as the connections. Margaret presents a proposed course outline, giving a rationale, a description of the units to be covered, and an evaluation process, wherein students would complete one substantial independent study unit involving the twentiethcentury novel and historical research.2 Questions and discussion follow Margaret's presentation, then the staff agree to put the proposal forward officially to Dave (the off-site principal), and to the board for approval. Item three on the agenda involves the list of names on the blackboard which identify students deemed to be 'at risk.' The list had been generated by the group. Teachers focus on each student individually, identifying the problem, seeking information, providing details, and making suggestions. Regarding Serge: 'He has a very serious learning disability. He disclosed this earlier in the year and talked about the strategies he has

Educating Global Citizens 117 learned to deal with it. He talked about it in his admissions CEASA. Chris is working with him and if we can help him to get through this phase, he will be all right.' About Lisa: 'What is going on with this student? She talked to me half an hour ago about dropping off? I always tell them to hang in there until the exam, see what the mark is before making any serious decisions.' About Darryl: 'He hasn't been handing in his work. He hasn't attended science since he broke up with Susan [his girlfriend]. His parental situation is very difficult. Can anyone relate to him?' About Leon: 'He didn't submit his proposal for art, and this is very irresponsible. He lives by himself now.' Isadora then tells the staff in confidence that this student has applied for welfare but he doesn't want anyone to know this. He is embarrassed about it in the extreme, as it is a big cultural issue for him. Irma asks, 'How does he think about the other students in the school who are on welfare?' Lola asks, 'How does understanding this help us to help him to be a better student in the school?' Irma replies, 'Because if he has this attitude towards welfare, maybe he can't communicate or relate to the other students in the school.' Isadora says, 'What about calling in Allan L [the social worker]. Perhaps he can help here.' Somebody notices that the time is running out and that there are a number of important items still to be dealt with. Greta says, 'I want to talk about Paul. He has only handed in two of the ten assignments in history.' Margaret says, 'I want to talk about Steven. He wants to drop my course, and I won't let him. He wants to get a full-time job, too.' A student who has been absent eight times, late four times, and who has handed in only two assignments is then discussed. 'He really is a terrific writer, so I've encouraged him on this and tried to get him to do the work. We are trying to get him to understand community and the kind of community we are trying to foster here.' Greta puts the name of a student forward and asks if there is anything in the Ontario Student Records (OSR) which would help her to understand the difficulty she is having with this student. One of the other teachers says, 'You can go to the file but my personal opinion is I don't go looking for problems. That is why it is good to say [in this forum], Tm concerned about this person. Is there anything you can tell me?' Greta says, 'Yes, it's foolish of me to ask people to warn me, but I wanted to share that I had screwed up with this kid. It was a failure on

118 Narratives in the Making my part.' Margaret says, 'I don't see it as a failure at all. This forum is good and it is good to share.' At this point they decide to take a break. It is Greta's birthday, and Rob goes outside and returns with a chocolate cake. Lola has made a pot of coffee and they sing Happy Birthday, as Greta is presented with her gift in a Bi-Ways bag! It is a tie-dye shirt, with 'Corktown Community School' emblazoned on the front. She also receives a pot of paper white narcissus bulbs. It is Greta's first year in the school, and she is noticeably touched. The smokers go outside for a quick cigarette. The others make phone calls or discuss the details of one of the items already discussed, and then they reconvene. The next item on the agenda is the Ontario History Teachers' conference. It is Greta's turn to go to a conference. She doesn't want to go because of losing the impetus in her drama class, and because she knows that a supply teacher can't do things the way she does them. Several people urge her to go: 'It's an exciting conference.' 'You need to have something for yourself.' 'It might be June before anything else comes up, go for it. It is your choice and your decision.' Greta agrees to go. The next item concerns budgets and supplies, and the subsequent discussion addresses needs such as a large table, cameras, a VCR, and a fax machine. The large table is a pressing need, and they discuss whether to order it from the board catalogue, where there is nothing of the exact dimensions, or to go to IKEA and get a cheaper version which would be closer to what is required. This is why I always buy things out of my own money,' says someone in response to the cost of this table in the board catalogue. There is a decision to wait on the technology, as 'something always comes out of the heavens for technology.' Here Lola, who is responsible for planning the implementation of new technology in the school, points out, 'Corktown's furniture and equipment budget for the school is less than $2,000, and computer needs compete with science needs, art needs and general furniture requirements.' Rob says that he would like to get a video-editing suite to put all the art slides for his courses on video. Dave [the off-site principal] is asked to clarify the exact details of the social contract, and he replies that it involves four days without pay. Teachers will take two social contract days added to the Christmas vacation, one day in November and one in February. This is followed by a discussion regarding late assignments, initiated by Greta who says, 'I need clarification here as my students can hand

Educating Global Citizens 119 an assignment in late, but I have trouble giving an A paper a B mark.' Greta, who is in her first semester at the school, is told that after five days, she is not supposed to accept an assignment. The official policy (as written up in The Corkbook) is that the assignment loses 5 per cent a day each day after the due date. Greta had had her own system; now the official one is clarified for her. There is a discussion regarding the dilemmas involved in the official policy. Isadora says, There's always the appeal process. No matter what we decide, they know that if their circumstances are so special that our rules don't apply, they can appeal and they will be heard.' Isadora then distributes a tentative timetable for Semester 2, for the approval of staff. Decisions about courses have been made on the basis of student need, by counting the numbers in the current classes and figuring out who will be ready for the next course if they pass the current one. The suggested courses are discussed, and there is talk about where courses fit into the official codes (e.g., Black studies is part of American history). Someone looks at the list and says: 'We also have to consider our new student intake,' to which Rob replies, 'We can't take too many as we have 113 students now.' Lola says, 'Look at all the math and science courses we are offering. We're a Math and Science school now,' and the discussion refocuses on the need for teachers not to become 'ghettoized in the sciences or humanities.' Isadora says, 'If we want students to use what they know from math to calculate their marks in history, we have to be able to cross over between courses. There is a need for us to think about not getting ghettoized. We are all qualified to teach core subjects. I'm looking for opportunities for intellectual growth and this is one.' Isadora summarizes what they have agreed upon, and Irma says, 'We need a lot of OACs, as most of our student body is up at the top end at the present time. We will all have an OAC, lots of marking, but they give a lot back.' Rob says, The Grade 10s give a lot, too.' The meeting draws to a close as they agree that there's nothing more to be done until Guidance Day when students pick their courses. Greta says, 'So we wait until Guidance Day to figure out what we're teaching?' and Margaret confirms this. Isadora asks, 'Is there anything here that you wouldn't want to do?' to which Greta replies, 'I had to take the ticket (and it cost me $500) to teach drama, so I have to teach the drama OAC.' 'You are the only one qualified,' she is told. As they move out of their desks, Greta asks what CEASA stands for, and she is told that it stands for the Committee of Evaluation of Academic Stan-

120 Narratives in the Making dards and Admissions. It is explained that CEASA is used to admit students to the school and to deal with problems of attendance, behaviour, discipline, and counselling. 'It acts as a vice-principal. Students can bring students to CEASA. Students can bring teachers to CEASA. And teachers can bring students to CEASA. CEASA then makes recommendations which are carried out by the coordinators. It is used as a conflict resolution model, students and teachers together, and it is used as a last resort. CEASA means that students sit on interview teams for teachers. They also help to devise the questions, and have a say in the hiring of teachers.' By now most of the teachers have left and this informal explanation enables Greta to gain further insights into the school's culture.

The details of this staff meeting show the ways in which the teachers at Corktown collaborate and work as a team to promote the goals of the learning community. Specifically, the account shows how teachers deal with showing care for students, deal with curriculum issues, plan and design the school program, discuss the interpretation of policies and practices, and respond to each other's personal and professional needs. It also shows the ways in which they help each other to get to know individual students, become more aware of the content of each other's courses, and share the ways in which they connect their curriculum with ministry guidelines, students' lives, and the rest of the program. This regular and intense time for discussion and interaction provides a framework for the introduction of new school and board policies, such as computers across the curriculum, advisory programs and crosscurricular initiatives, such as interdisciplinary units of study. These can be instituted and carried forward in this setting with the minimum of administrative direction. The account highlights the ways that teachers work behind the scenes to provide help and assistance for needy students and those identified as 'at risk,' as well as how they collaborate to enable students to persevere and to achieve success, and work together to share limited school resources, personal and professional responsibilities, and professional development opportunities. It shows how the experiences of ongoing problem-posing, problem-solving, decision-making, and taking responsibility for actions and decisions is as beneficial for teachers as it is for the students they teach. Like students these teachers develop their existing knowledge and skills by engaging in the processes which require the continual adaptation of what is known to

Educating Global Citizens 121

meet the exigencies of the present. They learn by stretching themselves to meet the challenges with which they are presented, and grow in their abilities to show empathy for students and to respond to individual differences and difficulties. The staff meeting provides them with a weekly opportunity for intense professional interaction and the possibilities for ongoing professional development. Through dealing openly with controversial issues on an ongoing basis, personal philosophies of teaching and learning come easily to the fore and can be discussed, reflected upon, and transformed. The daily life of working on a small staff requires teachers to continually face and deal with controversial issues, to develop skills of listening, of asking for information and clarification of understandings, and of working together to resolve these difficulties and differences. Working in this setting requires a high level of interpersonal communications and the ability to play different roles. The teachers in this school, as in any school, have different philosophical perspectives, which are expressed here throughout the account, especially with regard to students and the degree to which they should be supported and assessed, in the interpretation of policy, and in the dilemmas raised by established policy. Concepts of ownership, of autonomy, of self-direction, of responsibility for self and for team members, and of change and flexibility are understood differently by individual teachers in this school, just as they are in other schools. Personalities enter this professional arena, shaping and colouring the interactions between people, as seven different individuals work through the difficulties and challenges of collaborating to address their own needs, those of peers, and of the learners. We try to do everything in-house. We solve our own problems and we don't retreat to a hierarchy. We don't have the luxury of avoidance; we have to deal with things. Students also get used to wearing different hats. They're a student one day, but they may be reviewing a case of another student at lunch time. Then they may go back into the next class with that student. It's tough but they will understand that there are different roles that they need to play, the same as we do. Mainly what I think we can do as coordinators and teachers is to be a good example of what we think human beings should be. To try to be consistent, fair, relatively happy, deal with our problems honestly and bluntly sometimes. By doing that openly, we can give examples to students of how they might go about solving their own problems and solving [difficult personal] interactions.

122 Narratives in the Making They know that we don't all get along. There are times when a teacher will be out of sorts with another teacher. It is inevitable. But because we are a family in a sense, we have to deal with that, we can't let it go, to be compounded by time. Example is number one. I think we try and be a good example. (Isadora, Corktown Teacher/Coordinator)

Parents as Community Members Strong connections and collaboration with parents are an important part of the philosophy and practices of the school. Parents speak of the open door policy, of being encouraged to participate in school events, and of feeling very welcome in the school. They value the fact that they can have a voice in the official policy-making and governance of the school through the board of directors. Many parents are actively involved various aspects of the school. The extent of parental involvement changes from year to year and depends on circumstances such as their own interest and available time. It also depends on the degree to which they feel that their involvement is beneficial, and the degree to which their daughters and sons wish them to be involved. In any given year, connections with parents extend way beyond regular, twice-ayear, parent interviews. Many parents and teachers come to know each other as they interact on committees and meet at extracurricular events. Isadora explained how teachers relate to parents in this way: We enjoy our parents, and we get to know each other. They participate in our functions; we phone them and they phone us. They tell us about their families and personal matters that might impact on their student. We want to hear about those matters, and they know that. They are usually very supportive of the students. A few parents will come in who are very hopeful, but still doubtful, that this school will be a transformation for their child, because they have not had success at other schools, or have been unhappy, but had academic success. By the time they've been through a year here, they see a change in personality. Their child has opened up and is ready to be more interactive with the world, and they still have maintained their academics. Parents are always welcome in classes. They are a respected part of our community. (Isadora, Corktown Teacher/Coordinator)

Parents speak of thinking of themselves as part of the Corktown community. They also speak of restricting their involvement because

Educating Global Citizens 123

of their children's desire to be independent and of respecting this. One parent said, 'She prefers her territory. I would like to go in more, but she needs a place for herself. She has chosen it ... The students create the community, it's where the heart is, it's their life line.' Another parent expressed this same sensitivity to intruding in his son Michael's school space: 'Generally I believe in parent involvement, but maybe it should be peripheral because of the desired independence of these students ... the kids attend this school because they have soulmates; strong bonds. They come to our house and Michael has not had friends like this before. The kids create their own community' (Mark, Corktown Parent). Mark's son Michael graduated from the school in June 1994. At the outdoor Coffee House at that time he presented a cheque for $400 from his parents to Dave Gracey, the off-site principal. He also made a moving speech about the quality of the education he had received at Corktown. The Boundaries and Obstacles to Collaboration and Connectedness Parents, teachers, and students see the major limitations to the accomplishment of the goals of the learning community as largely caused by budgetary restraint, which places restrictions on the courses that can be offered, and also accounts for the scarcity of resources and equipment. Another major factor is the issue of time, as the teachers' role of being 'all things to all people' means that they do not have time for planning, course preparation, or marking of student assignments during the school day. Collaborative projects in curriculum development take place after the school day is over, as does all the major planning and preparation for school events. Lack of time and lack of resources lead to frustrations, frayed nerves, and days which are too full. Teachers in this setting play too many roles, and they experience stress and burnout. The multiple roles that teachers play in each others' and in students' lives call for a high degree of self-knowledge, interpersonal skills, adaptability, and flexibility within relationships. These conditions provide teachers with both the opportunities and the pressure for ongoing personal and professional growth and development, and with the potential for a continual drain on their intellectual, emotional, and physical resources and energy. It is acknowledged that alternative schools need certain kinds of teachers to make them work. In a small

124 Narratives in the Making

school, the 'unsuitability' of one team member is a very significant issue, because, in such a setting, disputes are very disruptive. The matter of finding 'suitable' teachers for the alternative schools is one which is complicated by the policies of the board and the teachers' federation. These policies require that when a vacancy exists at the school, a teacher who is surplus to requirements at another school in the board can be allocated to the school. When this happens, the teacher is then 'bumped in' to the school. In a small school with a coherent philosophy, this can be a major source of tension and conflict if the teacher does not fit in. These tensions remain unresolved until either the circumstances or the person changes. The level of commitment required from each individual for the smooth functioning of the program and of the school is high, and individuals are not always as willing to make that commitment. Even within a smoothly functioning team, teachers are not always as flexible and willing to take on challenges as their colleagues would wish, and they differ regarding the boundaries they set for what they feel qualified and comfortable in teaching. Dave Gracey, the off-site principal says, 'Some people just find it very hard to rise above those things. And I do think, you see, that it goes back to the whole staffing issue ... I do think that there are some people who just aren't suited for alternative schools, and that's just not where they ought to be; but they're usually they last persons who'll admit that.' Many of the teachers at Corktown speak of over-exhaustion, related health problems, and an over-commitment in time to the professional part of their lives. They speak of rushed lives where a balance between the professional and the personal is not possible. Dave Gracey explains, Alternative schools have a different kind of ethos, the people who do the work make the decisions around the place, and it is demanding of time and energy. A lot of people burn out after they've been in alternative schools for a while. Just from my own experience I know that. Teachers have come to me and said, 'I've been here for six, seven, eight years and it has been great, but I think I need a change or I think I need something a little more ordered and predictable, because it is very demanding of time and energy/ there's no question about that.

The importance of staffing in a small school cannot be underestimated, and in the case of alternative schools, this matter is a complex

Educating Global Citizens 125

one, as neither the federation contract nor the Education Act gives specific recognition to the fact that alternative schools do not function the way regular schools do. Dave Gracey is responsible for staffing, and he explains: The teachers' federation contract specifies the rights and obligations of teachers. It ties them down very specifically. But there's always been this interesting dynamic where the federation sort of agrees to look the other way on alternative schools, providing that no teacher in an alternative school goes and makes a fuss about what's going on. Because there's no provision in either the Education Act or the Teacher Profession Act for what alternative schools do and how they function. So if someone says, 'Look the teaching assignment that I have been given or whatever it is, is contrary to federation rules/ and this goes to the federation, you've got a problem because you have to deal with that. So we have to work out some kind of compromise and usually we do this on an ad hoc basis. We deal with each situation separately. Frankly, I find it a pain in the neck because I wish there was some kind of recognition that alternative schools don't function the way regular schools do.

The process of interpreting board policies regarding staff surplus is done internally through group consensus. These policies are set down by the board and the teachers' federations, and the decision-making required to apply surplus procedures in a school make for unusually intense professional interactions. Isadora explains, 'It is the ultimate in stress and responsibility.' Rob, who has been at the school since the beginning and has seen many of these crises, expressed the consequences of the very intense interactions in this way: 'It is felt as a positive heaviness; a negative flow for some time and then it moves on. It is passive-aggressive, not active energy and it de-energizes everyone around here' The strong formal connections which teachers in alternative schools have to the board help them to deal with the obstacles, to have their voices heard, and to receive the organizational support necessary to maintain their strength and status. John Davies, the associate director, explains that alternative schools need to have officially established frameworks within which they can continue to be established, maintained, and treated as a normal and regular part of the system: I give a lot of credit in this system to the trustees. A lot of people will say,

126 Narratives in the Making 'My goodness that's a very political system in which you work,' and it is, but it is also very productive. Trustees will bring to the table issues that take forever to work through the bureaucracy, and if you don't have a political commitment, alternative schools are really difficult to create and support. It is important to talk about the stress they find themselves under in a 'regular' organization. They need space, they need advocates, they need people that will buffer. They really are an innovation and in order for innovations to work, they need to be given a special place in the organization. They need a surrounding structure that recognizes that this is not going to be the same as the other parts of the organization. There are going to be different issues that we will be dealing with, and we will need to resolve some of these issues in creative and different ways. There has to be a supportive climate, there has to be a climate that will say, 'We'll go out of our way to be supportive of this innovation.' Without it I think they have a tough time.

In spite of obstacles, and restrictions, the teachers at Corktown know that the work they do year after year can lead to new and unexpected outcomes, and can bring about significant and surprising effects in people's lives. When teachers, parents, administrators, and students work together in students' best interests, their efforts can have farreaching and immeasurable influences on students' lives. The following account provided by Lem, an alumnus of Corktown, is a reminder of the ways that a learning community can have a significant and lasting impact on an individual student's life. LEM'S STORY Lem told about a time when he was a student at Corktown. The parents, students, and teachers got together to challenge the (then) stance of the board, and to maintain a philosophy of the acceptance of difference and of equality for all persons in the school, specifically the rights of gay and lesbian students. We were having a Human Rights Day, and we had wanted to address gay and lesbian issues during the day. And we'd come up against some flack from the board. There were a number of young lesbians at the school who were pretty active and they started letter-writing and things like this. We had a sort of parents' meeting. I guess it was just basically a general

Educating Global Citizens 127 meeting, but that came up, and the question of whether we were going to write a letter as a school, saying that we objected to this. There was a really good discussion and a number of parents came out and said things like, 'Well it really comes down to whether you want to teach people how to think or whatto think.' It was a very good community feeling. In some ways there were a lot of parents there who were like 'No, you go to school to learn reading, writing and arithmetic.' But then there were others and it was great to see adults in a different role, articulating for you something that you believed in. This was actually particularly good for me because my stepfather came and he said things like this. I didn't have a lot of respect for him before that, so when he came out with this, it was like, 'Yeah, we do think a little bit the same!'

Lem's story shows how collaborative relationships among teachers, students, and parents can change the balance between institutional, social, professional, and formal academic knowledge. It shows how collaboration among community members alters the nature of what is taught, the ways in which it can be taught, and influences the politics of what counts and is valued as knowledge. His story illustrates the ways in which the politics of the system determine the politics of knowledge, and influence in serious ways questions such as: What counts as knowledge in a school system? Whose knowledge is valuable? and Who tells who, what matters in a school system? These issues are especially critical in the case of alternative schools, and call for an established and official process on the part of the board: We have a process by which alternative schools, parents, and staff are represented at a political level. There's an open political process that brings the concerns of the alternative schools to the board any time members of that community think that an issue should be dealt with, and that is one of the strengths of this board. This is a formal sub-committee of the board, so anything that comes to that agenda will automatically be dealt with by our standing committees and go on to the board. We have a tremendous number of sub-committees who have a formal relationship to the board, and so the community and the parents on those committees, the teachers on those committees, and the trustees on those committees can make sure that their issue will not be buried through the bureaucracy. This changes priorities. Political priorities are often higher than bureaucratic priorities, so having access to two different routes provides positive opportunities for peo-

128 Narratives in the Making pie whose issues might struggle through the line and this has made a lot of difference in terms of the support they get. To their credit, alternative schools are very adept at using the political structure, and if you have an issue that you think should go into the political process, you have access to it in this board without necessarily having to go through the kind of bureaucratic screen that sometimes gets issues settled in different ways or not settled at all. (John Davies, Associate Director)

The success of a learning community such as Corktown is closely connected to the interrelatedness of people, policies, and practices. The levels of commitment of community members determine the levels of success and achievement that can realistically be attained and maintained. For administrators this means a continual struggle to validate and fight for the principles espoused by Corktown in the organizational, political, and budgetary arenas. For teachers it means an ongoing commitment to these principles, despite the price to be paid in personal terms and the continuing acceptance of change, learning, and the ongoing challenges of life in this community as a 'normal' part of professional life. For students it means commitment to their own learning and growth as whole human beings. For all it means striving for the creation of local, national, and global conditions of living and learning where the full achievement of their potential is within the reach of all human beings. Afterword - The Legacy of Corktown The challenge is to make the ground palpable and visible to our students, to make possible the interplay of multiple voices, of 'not quite commensurable visions/ It is to attend to the plurality of consciousness - and their recalcitrances and their resistances, along with their affirmations, their 'songs of love.' And yes, it is to work for responsiveness to principles of equality, and principles of freedom, which still can be named within contexts of caring and concern. The principles and the contexts have to be chosen by living human beings against their own life-worlds and in the light of their lives with others, by persons able to call, to say, to sing, and using their imaginations, tapping their courage - to transform. Maxine Greene (1995) The foregoing chapters have attempted to show the distinctiveness of

Educating Global Citizens 129

Corktown Community High School, and to illustrate the qualities of the school life and culture which affect student retention, achievement, and success. The details of the chapters have attempted to show the way in which members of the Corktown community interact with each other and with the surrounding communities to which they are connected, enabling students to develop their individual voices, to create personal coherence and relationships with others, and to develop an ethic of connectedness and of civic and global responsibility. Through the descriptions of everyday life in this community, the portraits of people, accounts of classroom and school practice, and analysis of the processes of teaching and learning, I have sought to show the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the community members at Corktown and to present their perspectives. It has been my goal throughout to capture the temporal nature of situations and of people's lives and to show that all lives are works in progress, all narratives in the making. The narratives of Corktown and of its community members are all narratives in the making. The narrative of one of Corktown's alumni, Linda, provides a way of bringing closure to a book that has no real ending. Linda graduated from Corktown in 1987 having completed Grades 12 and 13. She went on to the University of Toronto where she studied History and English, graduating with a Bachelor's degree. In the 1993—4 academic year she was accepted in the teacher education program at the faculty of education at the University of Toronto, and she planned to become a secondary school teacher of history and English at the high school when qualified. In the 1993-4 academic year she was teaching as a volunteer at Toronto Alternative School which she attended as a student in Grades 9, 10, and 11, prior to attending Corktown. Linda's story shows how her image of herself as a teacher is grounded in her personal experiences of being a student at Corktown, and in the knowledge of teaching and learning she constructed there. It shows how that image shapes her current conceptions of teaching and learning. Linda explains that her understanding of teaching is about 'teaching the whole person ... imbued by a sense of caring.' She explains that the purpose of school writing is 'to express new meanings, as distinct from repeating what has been heard from others,' and that the purpose of schooling is in 'teaching students how to think, as differentiated from teaching them what to think.'

130 Narratives in the Making PORTRAIT OF A NEW T E A C H E R ! LINDA, AN ALUMNA OF CORKTOWN

Corktown provided a really good space for me to do some very good work. When I look back at some of the things I thought and wrote about, I'm really impressed. In a women and literature course, it was excellent, and it sort of gelled for me how to write an essay, because I felt I was learning about something that was important. I think that's really one of the best aspects of the school. It felt like your work was important. In history, we had Myrna G, and she was doing Canadian labour history for us in Grade 9. There was just so much passion involved because she loved what she was doing, but also because it felt like this is real history, this is people. This is actually a lot of work on the teachers' part because they really have to know their stuff. That was one thing about Myrna for sure, she knew her stuff. This was true of Bob as well, and of Rob. They are wonderful. I've thought a lot about this since I left Corktown. I think that it would be really good if the kids, at some point or other, understood the philosophy behind what was going on there. One of the things that made me appreciate all the schools I was at was that I had done a lot of reading. I read a lot about Summerhill and so I could see why we were doing what we were doing. A lot of kids had such bad experiences at school that they still saw it as 'them' and 'us,' and so they felt that whatever they could get away with was ok. It takes a long time to get that out of your system, so sometimes I think it would be good to sit down and say why we do things the way we do. I worry about how well it works when you just jump into this kind of system after being in a straight system all your life. However, I think it can work, too, because I see people who've just all of a sudden gone, This is what I've been looking for for so long!' I think so many people go to school and see it as a 'them' and 'us' thing, and I think I could create a space where it's not like that. I mean, my experience right now at Toronto School has been really good that way, and I know that has partly to do with the kids, because they've already chosen to go there, so they already had a little bit more trust in teachers. It is amazing because I can also see the baggage of people sitting there going, 'Nope, I'm not doing that.' As soon as I stepped into university I was doing really well. I think in some ways it had to do with the fact that I had always been working on my own. There is so much independence and you have to be so self-

Educating Global Citizens 131 directed at Corktown. I also benefited by being familiar with the issues being discussed. For some people university was the very first time they ever talked about sexism, racism, or whatever, whereas we had been discussing these issues for a long time. At Corktown there's a basic belief in non-authoritarian teaching and respect for the student. That's really the most important thing. But I think the nugget has to do with being a critical thinker. I think that one of the things that gave me strength to continue to be who I am is to be able to come here to Corktown and to Toronto School. If I was thrown into a regular high school where the teacher did not really know my name, or where I connect in the world, or anything about me, it would be difficult. One of the first things that Noel [a student-colleague from Toronto School who is now team teaching the English course there with Linda] did with our class was a piece called, Tell me who you are.' The kids had to write three pages about who they were because I really felt like I can't mark them, and that they wouldn't take me seriously if they didn't feel that I cared a little bit about who they were. It seems that's one of the biggest things that I've learned in this course is that teaching really has to do with the whole person. Students are not going to trust you, they're not going to work for you, unless they feel that you actually care a little bit. I wouldn't want to be writing for a stranger. It's like you put a piece of yourself forward whenever you write. And it's amazing that we expect people to do that all the time. Of course, they write things that are sort of taken from the introduction to the book, or they go on and on and say nothing. It's a way of masking themselves, because it's really scary to say something, to actually perform, and to think about something. Linda's story illustrates the connections between her experiences of learning in a community where she was encouraged to think creatively, to trust and develop her own voice, to develop a commitment to community, and her desire to enact that philosophy in her own teaching life. Her story shows that the influence of a school such as Corktown cannot be assessed only according to numbers of credits or numbers of Ontario scholars graduated, but must be understood through the work and lives of its alumni whose lives have been shaped and directed by the experiences and the people there. It shows that the success of Corktown is to be found in the stories of lives changed and transformed by the philosophy, pedagogy, and educational processes

132 Narratives in the Making

of this educational community. The total legacy of Corktown can be found in the reports of the retention of students for whom school would otherwise prove difficult or impossible, the accounts of students' achievements and academic success, and in the daily lives of its graduates who have been inspired there, and who work to create holistic and humane conditions for others.

7 The Research Study

Imagination is what, above all, makes empathy possible. It is what enables us to cross the empty spaces between ourselves and those we teachers have called 'other' over the years. If those others are willing to give us clues, we can look in some manner through strangers' eyes and hear through their ears. That is because, of all our cognitive capacities, imagination is the one that permits us to give credence to alternative realities. It allows us to break with the taken for granted, to set aside familiar distinctions and definition ... To tap into imagination is to become able to break with what is supposedly fixed and finished, objectively and independently real. It is to see beyond what the imaginer has called normal or 'common-sensible' and to carve out new orders in experience. Doing so, a person may become freed to glimpse what might be, to form notions of what should be and what is not yet. And the same person may, at the same time, remain in touch with what presumably is. Maxine Greene (1995: 3-19)

The creation of new meanings and new visions requires the development of our voices and imaginations, the ability to open our ears, eyes, and understandings to worlds outside our own experience, to see situations and issues from multiple perspectives, and the ability to envision and enact social change. In all her writings, Maxine Greene has consistently called for a liberating and humane definition of education that nurtures the imagination, that emphasizes the development of the whole person, and that is based in the principles of freedom, equality, care, and concern. Many educational researchers such as Greene (1995, 1978), Dewey (1916,1934), Eisner (1998,1994), Hunt (1987), Miller (2000,1996,1993),

134 Narratives in the Making

Noddings (1984), and Kessler (2000) have documented the connection between the development of the individual's voice and the growth of identity, between the ability to shape one's own narrative and to become more responsive to the narratives of others, and between the capacity to imagine a better world and to enact social change. These researchers all emphasize that we need schools which foster the development of the whole human being, where students learn about the interconnectedness of self, society, and the whole of humanity. Despite, or perhaps because of the fragmentation and relativism of our current times, we really need schools where learners express their own meanings, build understandings across differences, construct visions of possibility, and develop a commitment to their roles and responsibilities in a democratic society and a global world. Connecting to the Literature, the Research Design and the Methodology of the Study The approach taken to the collection and interpretation of data, and to the writing of the case study, is grounded in qualitative research and in narrative inquiry (Connelly and Clandinin, 1991; Beattie, 2001, 1995a, 1995b; Eisner and Peshkin, 1990; Lincoln and Cuba, 1985). Narrative inquiry provides a holistic and unified orientation to professional learning, curriculum development, educational reform, and educational research: a way of studying and representing practitioners' knowledge, a way for researchers and practitioners to learn from and with each other, and ways to bring the voices from inside schools into the arenas of educational research and policy-making. Extensive elaborations of narrative and narrative inquiry have been provided by Beattie (2001,1995b), Denzin (1989), Connelly and Clandinin (1990), Bruner (1990), Polkinghorne (1988), Mishler (1986), Witherall and Noddings (1991), and Mitchell (1981). Clandinin and Connelly provide a synthesized statement here: 'Narrative names the structured quality of experience to be studied, and it names the patterns of inquiry for its study ... To preserve this distinction, we use the reasonably well-established device of calling the phenomenon 'story' and the inquiry 'narrative.' Thus, we say that people by nature lead storied lives and tell stories of those lives, whereas narrative researchers describe such lives, collect and tell stories of them, and write narratives of experience (1994: 9). The processes and products of narrative inquiry provide significant possibilities for researchers and practitioners to enact and document

The Research Study 135

new stories of educational research - stories of reconstructed relationships between university faculty and school practitioners where the power and privileged position of knowledge-making is shared, where researchers and practitioners collaborate to be responsive to each other in the research relationship, and to be responsive to the diversity of individual lives, cultures, languages, genders, and perspectives represented in today's classrooms. The necessity for new ways of researching, of reconstructing research relationships, and of documenting research become evident in a postmodern world, where current scholarship has raised new awarenesses about multiplicity and dialogue, new understandings of diversity and inclusion, and the presence and validity of many voices and viewpoints. Maxine Greene explains that, in a postmodern world, 'there cannot be a single standard of humanness or attainment or propriety when it comes to taking a perspective on the world. There can only be a conversation drawing in more voices kept inaudible over the generations, a dialogue involving more and more living persons. There can only be - there ought to be - a wider and deeper sharing of beliefs, an enhanced capacity to articulate them, to justify them, to persuade others as the heteroglossic conversation moves on, never reaching a final conclusion, always incomplete, but richer and more densely woven, even as it moves through time (1993: 213). Throughout the research period, the research team collaborated to situate the educational practices and values observed at Corktown within the history of educational thought and practice. In the early stages of the research, it became evident that the literature of the progressive and humanistic movement in education provided a context for the study of this case, as did the work of the educational researchers cited above, and the current literature on community-based schools and holistic education. Dewey's (1916, 1938) legacy of learning from experience through reflection and action, of continuity, and of community became increasingly evident throughout the study. The analysis of Toronto District School Board and Ontario Ministry of Education documents revealed strong links between the philosophy being lived out in Corktown School, and the philosophies espoused in the documents of both the board and the ministry. As the research progressed, we found that the equity and excellence issues, and the community and achievement themes found in the day-to-day life of Corktown School, were grounded in the principles of the Toronto District School Board and the Ontario ministry as expressed in the thirteen goals of education.1 The thematic constructs of 'the learning community/ 'voice and

136 Narratives in the Making

choice/ and 'collaboration and connectedness' emerged from early observations of classroom and school practices as evidenced by the three researchers at Corktown. These themes served as frameworks within which to explore the central questions of the research, to create tentative meanings, to share these with school staff and invite feedback and further meanings, to engage in shared interpretive mutuality, and to explore the boundaries and obstacles to the full realization of success as experienced by members of the learning community. They also served to enable us to search for corroborating and conflicting meanings throughout the collection of data, the continuous interpretation and meaning-making, and the writing of the case study. The programs, pedagogy, and educational environment that supports the learning community that is Corktown can best be understood when viewed through the lenses of the principles of progressive education as outlined and described as the principles of continuity (or the experiential continuum), and of interaction and situation, by Dewey (1916,1938). The themes emerging from practice were linked to the literature, and it was seen that the learning environment at Corktown was one within which it was acknowledged that the processes, skills, and understandings required to live, learn, and achieve self-actualization in a democratic society should be the material of daily existence in students' lives within this miniature social group. The details of everyday school life resonated with the aims of a liberal education as put forward by Schwab as 'knowledge, power, and affection' (1978: 127) and of the connection between what is learned in school and the 'attachment to conjoint work with others towards an admirable objective' (1978: 132). The relationship between the structures and the culture of a school and the effect of a collaborative, connected culture on student retention, student achievement, and student success is made by Schwab, who says, The administrative organization of the school becomes important because it may impose upon student teacher relations which are inimical to the liking, respecting "friendship" which is to be developed. Physical circumstances intrude in so far as they impede or facilitate the sometimes subtle, and often wordless, communications by which the relation is established and maintained. The curricular materials are obviously important, since they embody the purposes for which the relationship is established' (1978:117). Dewey's (1934) philosophy of growth is evident in the concept of success held by community members, in the ways in which voice, choice, and relationships are valued, in the policies and practices of the

The Research Study 137

school, which acknowledge the rhythms and tensions in an adolescent's life, and which work with them rather than against them. Dewey explains, 'In a growing life the recovery is never mere return to a prior state, for it is enriched by the state of disparity and resistance through which it has successfully passed ... Life grows when a temporary falling out is a transition to a more extensive balance of the energies of the organism with those of the conditions under which it lives' (1934:16). Dewey distinguishes between experiences which are educationally worthwhile and those which are not, in terms of whether the principle of continuity or the experiential continuum is present. The individual who has an educative experience is changed, and these changes affect the quality of subsequent experiences. In Dewey's terms, education as change and growth take place when 'an activity is continued into the undergoing of consequences, when the change made by the action is reflected back into a change in us, the mere flux is loaded with significance. We learn something' (1916:139). Dewey explains that the quality of an educative experience is determined by the balance between what is going on internally for the individual and what he calls the 'objective conditions' of the environment. Collaboration, connectedness, and the need for teachers to know what is going on internally for students, are fundamental to knowing how to design appropriate learning environments. This is emphasized by Dewey: 'Responsibility for selecting objective conditions carries with it then, the responsibility for understanding the needs and capacities of the individuals who are learning at a given time. It is not enough that certain materials and methods have proved effective with other individuals at other times. There must be a reason for thinking that they will function in generating an experience that has educative quality with particular individuals at a particular time' (1938: 46). Schwab explains that it is through interpersonal relationships and the discussion which they enable to take place that the process of learning to think occurs. This highlights the importance of the kinds of relationships in a student's life, which teachers and students have at Corktown, and the level of discussion and learning that can take place within them. Discussion, says Schwab, is 'indispensable to a good liberal education,' as it is 'an engagement in and a practice of theactivities of thought and communication' (1978: 106). He tells us that 'there are neither biological, psychological, nor philosophic grounds for isolation of the intellectual as a principle of education ... or for the exclusion of the aesthetic and the practical... [and] that the training of

138 Narratives in the Making

the intellect must take place ['must' in the sense of 'unavoidably'] in a milieu of feelings and must express itself in actions, either symbolic or actual' (1978:106-8). Schwab explains what the necessary qualities of an environment where a liberal education can take place effectively involve: 'The first and central factor of the situation is a certain face-to-face relation between teacher and student. The other three are enabling factors involving the administrative organization of the institution, the physical conditions of instruction, and certain characteristics of the curricular materials. These subsidiary factors are important in order to establish the face-to face relation and in order that its effects may be channelled towards the envisaged outcomes of the curriculum' (1978: 110). Schwab contends that it is in the reciprocity between teachers and students that a student experiences an 'awareness of himself as a person ... his own movement from item to individuality, from anonymity to personality' (1978: 111). It is within authentic, reciprocal relationships that individuals experience the other's recognition of themselves, and thus learn to acknowledge themselves as worthwhile human beings. Schwab believes that 'to experience another's recognition of one's self is to receive reassurance of that self's existence' (1978: 111). Such assurance initiates further growth of self, and the desire for continued recognition and for success. The democratic principles which underpin the philosophy, the organization, and the norms of the Corktown learning community are solidly grounded in the progressive and humanistic movement in education. Dewey (1916) recognized the importance of the link between the organization of schools and the preparation of citizens for a democratic society. Dewey (1900) strongly expressed the view that individuals must learn through educative experiences, the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for them to be productive members of a democracy. Dewey's views are supported in the renewed interest in community by other contemporary philosophers such as Hannah Arendt, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Charles Taylor, and Richard Rorty. The centrality of a concern for community can be found in the work of experiential philosophers such as Carr (1986) and Maclntyre (1981). For Maclntyre, membership in communities is the way we construct the narrative or life history through which we give meaning and personal coherence to our lives. The qualities of the learning community at Corktown are also sup-

The Research Study 139

ported by several recent studies of high schools which have highlighted the importance of a sense of community, and the positive effect this has on both learning and teaching, such as the studies conducted by Meier (1995), Peshkin (1986), Lightfoot (1984), Sizer (1984), and by Gregory and Smith, who state: 'A very important - probably the most important - segment of a school's culture is, the degree to which all its inhabitants see themselves as one group that collaborates to make the school work, that is, the extent to which they experience a sense of community' (1987: 50). Communal school organizations have what Noddings (1988) calls 'an ethic of caring/ and the collegial relations and respect which staff members have for one another translate into relationships of caring for students and into teaching students to care for each other. Here, teachers and students are connected to each other through shared values, beliefs, and purposes, through engagement with each other and connection to the academic and social goals of the school. The consequences of caring relations between staff and students for the school's academic mission have also been explored by Bryk and Driscoll (1988), who reviewed the literature on the school as community, and who hold that the social engagement of adults with each other and with students is critical to a school's academic mission. They hold that teachers in a communal school find that meaningful human engagement provides reasons for them to work hard, and for students to expend effort on the acquisition of knowledge which may have little immediate value: 'Because of the increased effort on the part of both students and teachers, which is promoted by a communal school, we hypothesize that positive academic outcomes for students should also accrue' (1988: 14). These researchers go on to note the positive influences which communal school organization has on both teachers' work and on student outcomes, and, in the case of the former, they cite higher levels of teacher efficacy and satisfaction, teacher enjoyment of work, staff morale, and a lower level of teacher absenteeism. For students, they cite lower levels of class-cutting, of student absenteeism, classroom disorder, and dropping out, and a higher interest and achievement in academics. Through engagement in a liberal curriculum, based on a philosophy of progressivist education, students can engage in the process of achieving personal coherence within a context which also emphasizes commitment to community, a process which is both engaging and liberating. It is a process which is supported by Schwab, who says:

140 Narratives in the Making

'The liberal arts, however formulated, are to be understood as the best statement of our present knowledge of the human make, of the various means - some special in their application to specific subject matters, some general - by which the understanding frees us from submission to impressions, beliefs and impulses, to give us critical and organizing power and deliberative command over choice and action. A liberal curriculum is one that is concerned that students develop such powers' (1978:125). Success for students at Corktown requires the continual adaptation to changing circumstances, and the extention of what is learned into new areas. The success of a learning experience depends on the extent to which it will 'enlarge and enrich the scope of experience, and keep alert and effective the interest in intellectual progress' (Dewey, 1916, 234). For the teachers at Corktown, and for Dewey: 'The criterion of the value of school education is the extent in which it creates a desire for continued growth and supplies means for making the desire effective in fact' (Dewey, 1916: 53). Thus, the means, and the ends of education, as understood in this learning community, are echoed in Dewey's philosophy and in Schwab's notions of a liberal education: 'For the end includes not only the knowledge gained but knowledge desired and knowledge sought. The outcome of a successful liberal curriculum is actively intelligent people. They like good pictures, good books, good music, good movies. They find pleasure in planning their active lives and carrying out the action. They hanker to make, to create, whether the object is knowledge mastered, art appreciated, or actions patterned or directed. In short, a curriculum is not complete, which does not move the Eros (the energy of wanting), as well as the mind of the young, from where it is to where it might better be' (1978:109). Within a Deweyian philosophy of the fine arts, the creation of a learning community is one of 'restoring]' continuity between the refined and intensified forms of experience that are works of art and the everyday events, doings and sufferings that are universally recognized to constitute experience' (1934: 3). Here, art and artistic products are part of everyday living rather than objects to be enshrined in galleries and museums, and where life itself can have an artistic dimension. Educative conditions and experiences are those which enable and promote further growth and the capacity to create within the learner, 'the inclination to learn from life itself and to make the conditions of life such that all will learn in the process of living' (1916: 51). As Eisner further explains, this concept of growth 'represents the extension of

The Research Study 141

human intelligence, the increase of the organism's ability to secure meaning from experience and to act in ways that are instrumental to the achievement of inherently worthwhile ends' (1985a: 44). The Design of the Study and Methodology As the principal researcher at Corktown, I designed the research methods to be used by the research team, led and participated in the research on a daily basis, and wrote the case study which was presented to the Canadian Education Association (Beattie, 1995a). As a project team of three researchers, we addressed the central five questions of the shady as well as the qualities of living and learning in this setting through classroom and school observations, interviews, informal conversations and interactions with community members, questionnaires, student shadowing, attendance at staff meetings and community events, and the analysis of documents. I spent in excess of twenty days in the school in the 1993-4 year, in classrooms with teachers, observing their teaching, working with students, and talking to both teachers and students. My purpose throughout the research period was to try to understand, as fully as I could, the nature of the environment, conditions, and structures, programs, and procedures which contributed to student engagement, achievement, and success through direct observation and participation in the school. It was through direct observation and also participation that all the members of the research team explored the ways in which the school was connected to the communities it serves, how it is organized internally, and the ways in which teachers and students experience their lives in this learning community. A case study format was the required format for the presentation of the research to the Canadian Education Association, and this format was used to present a portrait of Corktown Community High School, as it is contextualized within the Toronto District School Board and the Ontario Ministry of Education. Data were collected over the period of the entire school year, September 1993 to June 1994, and continual discussion and ongoing tentative analysis took place throughout this period. The collection and interpretation of data took place simultaneously, as researchers and practitioners shared ideas and insights, and as they moved through a progressive and recursive process to reach a satisfactory interpretation of the phenomena being explored. The interpretation could be described as having taken place in layers, as new levels of understand-

142 Narratives in the Making

ings led us to the collection of new data, to the making of connections between the various aspects of our understandings, and to the continual seeking of shared interpretations. After each block of time that I spent in the school, the school staff received a written account of observations and tentative meaning-making. They were invited to comment on this written document and to provide feedback orally or in writing. This all took place informally, and school staff provided ongoing feedback that was mainly oral. They also expressed gratitude at what they saw as a courtesy towards them and respect for them as subjects of the research. In March 1993 all the data collected to that point in time were reviewed and the themes were identified, verified, and substantiated by the members of the research team. The data were then coded, patterns and new connections established, inconsistencies noted, and new questions and issues identified for exploration. Eisner's (1991) concepts of 'connoisseurship' and 'criticism' have been used at all stages of the study, and as Eisner explains, 'connoisseurship' comes from the Latin 'cognoscere,' meaning 'to know,' where knowing depends on the ability to see, not merely to look, and 'criticism' depends on having the abilities to enable others to see the qualities being described. Three major sources of evidence were used throughout the various stages of the study: structural corroboration, consensual validation, and referential adequacy (Eisner, 1985b). Structural corroboration is 'the means through which multiple types of data are related to each other to support or contradict the interpretation and evaluation of a state of affairs/ Consensual validation is 'agreement among competent others that the description, interpretation, evaluation, and thematics of an educational situation are right.' Referential adequacy is the means by which the researcher can provide the reader with 'the expansion of perception and the enlargement of understanding' (Eisner, 1991:110-13). I wrote five drafts of the original study, which provided opportunities for continuous interpretation, the search for validation and clarity of expression, and for feedback from a variety of sources. For each draft feedback was received from three groups: the teacher/co-ordinator and teachers at Corktown School, from members of the Corktown and the Ontario research teams, and from the national research team. The feedback received on each draft was analysed and used to inform the writing of the subsequent draft. The process of writing the drafts was itself a valuable exercise in interpretation, as the writing revealed

The Research Study 143

hidden complexities and understandings, and the continual surfacing of new questions. As Taylor (1971) and Ricoeur (1978) have suggested, interpretation in social science research occurs on more than one level, and for Ricoeur: 'Validation is an argumentative discipline comparable to the juridical procedures of legal interpretation. It is a logic of uncertainty and qualitative probability' (1971: 552). Therefore, the power and validation of an interpretation, which is inherently an act of judgment, depends on the logic of the argument, together with the supporting evidence presented. Three researchers collaborated to collect the necessary data for the study, to share tentative and emergent understandings and interpretations, and to read and provide feedback on field notes, transcripts, and on written drafts. Three researchers were involved in the collection of data and in the design of the study. The sharing of responsibilities was outlined as follows: Mary would spend a minimum of twenty days in the school, in blocks of time in October 1993, November 1993, and in March 1994. Most of this time would be spent on classroom and school observations, and field notes would be kept of these observations. Following classroom observations, teachers would be interviewed, and questions asked which would explore the meanings of what had been observed as well as the specific research questions of the study. Mary would also attend a number of the significant school community events throughout the year and make field notes of observations. Margaret and Suzie would both spend time in the school getting to know the people, the patterns of school life, school and classroom procedures, and setting up the schedules necessary for subsequent interviews. Margaret would interview administrators at the board, community members, alumni, trustees and students, attend staff meetings, and analyse documents. Suzie would shadow three students and conduct two focus group interviews with groups of students. Mary would write the final case study. Three other researchers from the faculty of education, University of Toronto, also helped with the collection of data for this study. Nina Bascia conducted a focus group interview with the teachers at Corktown in February 1994. This interview was taped and transcribed. Nina also provided oral feedback on the culture and nature of the school from her observations. Anne Millar attended an information meeting, and a CEASA admissions meeting in January 1994. A synthesis of the observations and the details of these meetings was prepared

144 Narratives in the Making

for the first draft of the study. Mary Stager attended the information meeting in January 1994 and gave oral feedback on the proceedings. Classroom and School Observation The collection of data for this aspect of the study involved over twenty days of classroom and school observations. Twelve of these days were spent in the classrooms of three of the teachers who agreed to be studied intensively, and researchers observed some classes of all the teachers in the school. Observations at special events such as staff meetings, Coffee House, graduation, admissions, Outreach Product Day, and CEASA admissions were also conducted. Field notes were kept of all of these events and situations observed. The school, classroom, community, and 'out-of-school' observations which took place in the study were conducted from the stance that the researcher and the persons being observed are seen to be in a reciprocal and responsible process. In Hunt's (1980) terms, we were 'persons in relation,' and the research process viewed as a shared one which acknowledges the values and purposes of both researcher and person researched. This view originates in ethnographic methods, such as those described by Spradley, who explains that the goal of this kind of research is 'to understand another way of life from the native point of view' (1979: 3). It takes up Dwyer's emphasis on the need for a dialectical relationship between the researcher and the person researched, such that the task becomes 'a particular form of social action that creates dialectical confrontations and produces inter-subjective meanings' (1979: 211). In this view of observation, the researcher makes explicit her purposes, her approach, her biases and intentions, and acknowledges her respect and valuing of the purposes, intentions, values, and priorities of the other. Thus, as Elbaz has pointed out, the research stance emphasizes 'the fact that the person being studied has feelings, values, needs and purposes which condition his participation in the research, and which can enrich and validate the study which elicits them as much as it can sabotage the study which ignores or suppresses them' (1983: 58). Interviews and Focus Group Interviews Interviews (totalling forty hours, approximately) were held with each of the following groups: board personnel, the off-site principal, teacher/co-ordinators, teachers, the school administrator, students,

The Research Study 145

community representatives, parents, and alumni. Focus group interviews were held with two different groups of students (eight and ten in number) and with the seven teachers in the school. These interviews were all transcribed and subsequently analysed for emergent themes and patterns. The interviews conducted in this study were based on the view that interviewing is a form of discourse (Mishler, 1986), and interviews viewed in this way rely on natural conversational moves rather than on interrogation. The effectiveness of this approach for the gathering of research data rests in the care by which the interview conditions are established and maintained, and on the relationship that exists between the interviewer and the interviewee, on the way that questions are asked, and on the way in which the interviewer acts and responds. Bruner (1986) elaborated the necessary conditions for successful interviews. These are preparatory conditions which ensure that the participants are willing to engage in conversation, essential conditions which emphasize that the speech event be logical in its intent, sincerity conditions which require that the intent of the speech act be genuine, and the affiliative condition which requires that the speech event take place in the relationship that exists between the speaker and the hearer. Above all, these conditions point to sincerity, authenticity, trust, and respect. Thus, the qualities of the interview conditions, and the relationships that exist between the persons involved, significantly affect the way in which individuals experience research interviews and the quality of the data that can be collected. This point is well illustrated in Anderson's and Jack's commentary on the processes of an interview study: 'Interviewers had either ignored these more subjective dimensions of women's lives or had accepted comments at face value when a pause, a word, or an expression might have invited the narrator to continue' (1991:12). While traditional interviews rely heavily on questions and answers, the interview viewed as discourse draws from the vast array of linguistic structures available in the repertoire of the speakers. It is highly structured and complex, shaped by the intent of the interviewer and the experiences of the interviewees. Early interviews on the study focused on biographies, teaching philosophies, and on the key concepts in the five research questions of the study. Later interviews, guided by understandings, insights, and questions emanating from classroom and school observations, from interview transcripts and from document analysis, were focused on further elaborating the key concepts of the research study and on understanding the ways in

146 Narratives in the Making

which they held meaning and were lived out in the culture and the structures of Corktown Community High School, and in its educational context. Student Shadowing Three students were shadowed; one student was shadowed for a whole day including lunch, and two other students were shadowed for a half day each. The purpose of these observations and participant activities was to try to understand the school as students know it and to find out how they experience its rhythms, cycles, tensions, and lifestyle. Document and Guideline Analysis Documents and guidelines pertaining to the Ontario Ministry of Education, the Toronto Board of Education, and Corktown Community School were studied and analysed. A wide variety of school documents which included the minutes of board of governors meetings from 1973 were analysed, as were budget and planning documents, Ontario Student Records, student report cards, and the number of credits achieved by students in the school. Written Papers Presented Margaret Robertson prepared a written paper providing an overview of the documents and data related to the context of the study, and she also prepared a written account of the interviewing methods she used during the study. Suzanne Stiegelbauer prepared a written account of Ehren, the student she shadowed for a day. Writing the Case Study and Responding to Feedback In December 1993 the principal researchers from across the country met with the members of the national design team in Toronto. For a week of full days, we discussed research methods, clarified understandings, and shared ideas and perspectives. Draft 1 of the case study was prepared for the Montreal meeting of the research teams at the beginning of June 1994. Feedback on the draft was received from two members of the national research team. A second draft of the case was

The Research Study 147

written and distributed to the teachers and the off-site principal of Corktown School in early June 1994. Feedback to the draft was provided orally by staff at the end of June, who agreed that the case study provided real insights into the life of the school and its people, and an honest and valid account of the school, which neither overvalued, nor undervalued the place and the people as they knew them. They commented that the case study enabled them to gain a better understanding of how others see them, and to more fully understand the feedback from parents, former students, and community members, which they have received over the years. The staff also provided a wealth of additional information on various aspects of the school, details regarding the final grades, credits, and destinations of the graduating students, further examples of students' work, and phone numbers where they could be reached during the summer, should further assistance or information be required. Feedback was also provided on this Draft 2 by three members of the Ontario research team. Rob and Isadora (the teacher/co-ordinators at Corktown) agreed to read further drafts of the study throughout the summer, and they provided feedback to Draft 3 in mid-July. Dennis Thiessen, the coordinator of the Ontario research teams, provided in-depth and extensive conceptual feedback to this draft also. A fourth draft of the study was prepared for submission to the Canadian Education Association (CEA) in August 1994. This draft was sent out to two external reviewers, one from the academic community and one involved in educational policy, by the CEA. The cases were also reviewed by at least three members of the national coordinating committee at this time. In October 1994 the reviews from the design team and the external reviewers selected by the CEA were received. The reviewers commented on the decision by school staff to use a pseudonym for the case. On revisiting this issue, the staff at Corktown remained steadfast in their decision to remain anonymous. A fifth and final draft of the case was prepared in response to these reviews and submitted to the CEA in November 1994. The twenty-one cases of the schools studied are available from the CEA. They formed the basis for the national report, Secondary Schools in Canada (Gaskell, 1995).

This page intentionally left blank

Appendix 1 Evidence of Success and Achievement of Corktown's Students in the 1993-1994 School Year

Twenty-one students (out of a population of 114), graduated with thirty credits, including at least six OACs (Ontario Academic Credits). Three others took a final half-credit in the 1994 summer school). Nine out of these twenty-one students were Ontario scholars with average marks of over 80%, and were successful in gaining admission to the university of their first choice. These were: Joe L. Average 91%, accepted at York University, with scholarship. Accepted also at Waterloo with scholarship. Jill D. 89.83%, accepted at York University with scholarship to applied science - space and communications. Accepted also at Western and University of Toronto. Susan K. 81.66%, accepted at York University (Glendon College) to psychology. Accepted also at Guelph University. Farina G. 80.16%, accepted at three Ontario universities for 1994-5, and has decided to postpone university entrance for one year in order to travel. Martin H. 80%, accepted at Concordia University, faculty of arts. Accepted also at Western and University of Toronto. Jennifer L. 82.5%, accepted at Trent, faculty of arts, to study English and geography. Accepted also at Waterloo and Ryerson. Malcolm T. 81.%, accepted at Concordia, faculty of fine arts, to study art history and women in the fine arts. Accepted also at Waterloo and York. Mary M. 82.66%, currently travelling and working in the Northwest Territories. Applying for university in 1994-5. Saya K. 83.5%, accepted at Dalhousie. Of the twenty-one students who have graduated with their thirty credits, which might include OACs, the following is known by school staff:

150 Appendix 1 Jerry B. Spending eight months at a design firm, will travel and apply for university in the fall of 1996. Peter J. Graduated in January 1994: currently at University (not known which one). James K. Will work for a year in computer graphics (possibly in the family's computer graphics firm); will apply for university entrance in the fall of 1996. Margaret L. Returning to high school to upgrade OACs. Karen M. Information not available at this time, August 1994. Ryan G. Information not available, August 1994. Joseph U. Accepted at university (location unknown). Aline P. Travel (Scotland) and work; plans to apply for college or university in fall of 1996. Jim R. Returning to Corktown for two OACs. Nathan S. Returning to Corktown for additional credits. Alan S. Returning to Corktown for the four remaining OACs needed for university acceptance. Daniel U. Attending university (graduated in January 1993 but location unknown). Kerry G. Short one-half credit and obtaining it at summer school. Staying home with two-year-old child. Kerry's husband is also a graduate of Corktown and has since obtained a degree in engineering from Ryerson. Sasha D. Short one credit and has no immediate plans to get it; hopes to begin work immediately. Cristine K. Applied to Ontario College of Art and was not accepted; she will attend a special four-year arts diploma college program in Toronto. Teachers gave these additional accounts of the achievements and success of individual students at Corktown. These itemized accounts cannot be categorized easily, yet they are understood by community members as success stories, and as evidence that the school plays a major role in some students' lives. Margaret told of the former student who had returned to Toronto in November 1993 from a university out on the west coast where he was enrolled: 'He was an academic success, too, but he got involved in drugs out there, had a gun to his head, ran away, and this was the first place he came. He stayed and talked to teachers, and then admitted himself to a rehabilitation centre here in the city. He came to see us. We talked and he said that he felt safe here. I'm so proud of him but so torn about it.' Margaret told of a seventeen-year-old female student who was living in an

Evidence of Success and Achievement 151 abusive relationship with a boyfriend, and who, with the help of the teachers and students, summoned up the courage to leave him: The student community really encouraged her to leave this guy because he was so abusive. The students didn't really like her but she's a member of this community, so she was protected. He came into the school and it fell to the teachers and the offsite principal to place a restraining order on him. It was a huge achievement for her to leave and it could have taken until she was forty years old, but she said it was with the support of the community that she had done it.' Arnold told about Joseph, one of the 1993-4 graduates, with university acceptance, who was 'forced on us by the principal back then' and was 'amazing' when he came to the school in Grade 9: 'He came from a very dysfunctional family, was running around the school with a little (toy) car, and into self-destructive behaviour. He went to work out at the YMCA, and I talked to him often there. Now five years later he graduated as a leader. He was so antisocial, and now he can speak with sensitivity. He was in the school play ... he couldn't take criticism back then because of his home life, and now he can look at his own performance. In six years, he has come so far.' Margaret told of 'the two single moms who were back here to complete last semester, with their babies. They both completed ... "A" students.' Joy said, 'One after another in the fall, new parents are surprised that their children are on track here... that they connect... whereas in other settings these students just [haven't] connected.' Roy said, 'Students come back here from all over the place. They continually come back to see us and to tell us what they are doing with their lives.' Arnold said, 'Don's story is one of achievement and success. He was gay but couldn't come out. Over the course of a year he realized that this was a safe environment and eventually he came out. He told his mother who is a fundamentalist, and he said that it was the hardest thing he had ever done ... but the sense of relief.... In a community where he was safe, he could come out.' Irma told of Joseph's excellent mark of 98% in her physics class. He was interested in virtual reality and the creation of virtual reality worlds by changing various laws of physics. In an independent study, he began designing these different worlds where by changing one of the constants, everything else changed also. To think about what would happen if one of the constants was changed, Joseph had to understand how everything works as a coherent, selfconsistent whole. In the 1993-4 academic year, one of Corktown's students, Gerry MacD won the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) Leadership Award. In the nomination letter for this award on behalf of the staff at Corktown, Margaret had written:

152 Appendix 1 I have encountered few students with his calibre of leadership and academic ability.... He has made an invaluable contribution to CEASA, a conflict resolution body, and has handled delicate issues with a seasoned sensibility. Gerry's sensitive and collegial leadership style is infectious both in and out of the classroom; he addresses issues of women, race, and sexual orientation with unusual maturity. He is quick to make newcomers feel included and to help students when in difficulty. Students have started to emulate his approaches and it has had a very positive effect on the school. Academically, Gerry is easily one of the top students in the school. Frequently he will audit classes when he has a spare period, he attends speaker series within the community, and reads regularly. Work is usually submitted with several edited drafts and considerable research notes; Gerry has a mature work habit that will ensure his success at the post-secondary level. I am convinced that Gerry is going to make an important contribution to the community in the future. Indeed he has already touched the minds and hearts of the students and teachers at Corktown.

Appendix 2 Toronto School Board Survey: Every Secondary Student 1991

According to a survey conducted by the Toronto District School Board in 1991, entitled Every Secondary Student, 93% of Corktown's students are white, 5% are black, and 2% are other; 88% were born in Canada, 5% in Europe, 2% in Central and South America, and 5% other. Ninety per cent of students have English and/or French as their first language, and 10% have English and/or French and other. Thirty-one per cent of students have both parents at home, 41% have the mother only, 21% are on their own, and 7% defined themselves as 'other' (e.g., they chose not to disclose this information). Eighty percent of students have a part-time job of up to twenty hours a week, and one-third to half of the student population are returning from one semester to another. According to this survey, the socioeconomic status of parents is 41% professional, 31% semi-professional/technical, 23% skilled/semi-skilled, and 5% non-remunerative; and 68% of parents are university educated, 24% community college, and 9% are secondary school educated. With reference to the school climate at Corktown, 92% of students in this survey said that extra help was available at school if they needed it, 97% said that the school treats students of all races and ethnic backgrounds fairly and equally, 81% said that they feel that they belong in the school. Ninety-two percent said that most teachers at the school make an effort to know their students, 89% said that the school has an atmosphere that encourages students to learn, 89% said that students at the school have enough say over the things that are important to them, and 70% said that the school gives students the help they need for planning their future education and careers. According to the survey results, the average number of hours of homework done is five hours a week and students work on average eleven hours a week. Thirty-seven per cent plan to go to university, 14% plan to go to community college, 7% to work full-time, 23% were not sure, and 19% were other.

Appendix 3

Key Facts Name of School: Corktown Community High School (pseudonym) Location: Toronto Address: n/a Telephone: n/a Principal: Dave Gracey (off-site) Type of School: Alternative Secondary School School Board: Toronto Superintendent of Curriculum: Don Beggs Grades Taught: 10-OAC Enrolment: 114 Major Languages Spoken: English Administrators: 2 Teacher/Coordinators (rotating) Number of Teachers: 6.5 Facilities: Victorian School Building Community Served The school draws its student population from the greater Metropolitan Toronto area. The community served is not geographically defined but is defined by interests, purposes, and philosophy. Community Characteristics • A learning community where the focus is on the development of the whole person, and where the development of creative intelligence is a priority. • A community school which is connected to its external communities in significant ways.

Appendix 3 155 Special Programs The Outreach Programme Distinguishing Features of the School • Emphasis on the development of all aspects of students lives: creative, intellectual, social, emotional, moral, aesthetic, and physical. • Emphasis on freedom of expression, self-government, and autonomy. • Emphasis on a collaborative work culture, connectedness between school learning and life experience, and the development of commitment to community. Destination of Graduates • 70% to university or college • 30% to freelance work in area of arts, media, education, social work, and service industry Accountability Measures (key data kept by the school) Attendance records: Ontario Student Records Student marks in courses: Student credits accumulated Review of programs

This page intentionally left blank

Notes

3. Relationships as a Context for Learning 1 Parents and alumni are kept informed about upcoming events at the school, examination dates, parent-teacher nights, the date of the next Coffee House, and newsworthy items through The Corknews, a newsletter written by the teacher/coordinators. In this way community members are apprised of ways in which they also can have their voices heard in future events and situations. 2 The programs offered by Toronto's secondary schools are all governed by the requirements of the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. In order to earn an OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma), a student must accumulate 30 individual credits, several of which are compulsory. These requirements provide the boundaries within which teachers and students work together, and they define the limits of teacher and student choice within the curriculum. Students begin to earn credits in grade 9, and included in the 30 credits are advanced level credits (OACs) which students take in their fourth and fifth years of high school. Approximately six OACs are required for entrance to Ontario universities as well as for some other post-secondary institutions. A credit requires 110 hours of course work, and decisions regarding whether credits are given by semester, trimester, or the full-year are made locally. To earn the OSSD diploma, a student needs the following credits: 8 credit equivalents from Grade 9; 5 credits in English (at least 2 from the senior grades); 2 in each of mathematics and in science; 1 in each of French, Canadian geography, Canadian history, the arts, physical and health education, and business or technological studies; 1 additional credit in the social sciences (senior) is also required.

158 Notes to pages 44-85 4. Living and Learning: The School as a Learning Community 1 Toronto's secondary schools programs are shaped by the requirements of the Ministry of Education and Training. They are outlined in the 1989 document entitled Ontario Schools: Intermediate and Senior Divisions Programme and Diploma Requirements (OS:IS). This document was last revised in 1979 and currently applies only to Grade 10 to OAC. Grade 9 programs are no longer governed by this document because of innovations such as the Common Curriculum and Transition Years initiatives. Curriculum guidelines for each subject area are generated at the ministry level, and they are interpreted in 'second-generation' documents at the board level. Ministry guidelines outline the expectations of the ministry, provide course outlines, and suggest forms of assessment and evaluation. All individual student assessment is done at the school level, and there are no provincial examinations. 2 The budget for Corktown in the 1993-4 school year was $643,410, a figure which includes the off-site principal's salary in total and the money allocated for a staff sabbatical. The teachers at the school have decision-making powers over approximately $20,700 which includes the budget allocations for supplies and services ($18,000), furniture and equipment ($1,500), improvements ($500), and 'other' (field trips, transit tickets; $700). Individual teachers are allotted $250-$300 per course each semester, from the $18,000 allocated to supplies, to buy what they need for new courses. The budgeting formula for schools in the Toronto board is complex and includes per capita allowances and many different allowances for special programming and inner city schools' allowances. 3 Other reports and commissions that affected education in Ontario in 1994 are as follows. At the provincial level: Fair Tax Commission Repori (1993), The Common Curriculum (1993), Young Voices (1994). At the Metro level: Metro's Unique Educational Needs (1993). At the Toronto board level: Dealing with Youth Alienation (1991), The Challenge of the '90s: Restructuring for the Future (1992), Equity and Opportunity: Learning for a New Century (1994), and Voices (1993). 5. Independence and Interdependence in the School Community 1 In the 1993-4 academic year, the staff allocation at Corktown was six fulltime and one half-time teacher, with two of those teachers acting as teacher/ coordinators who teach one class less than the others in lieu of administrative duties. Courses are allocated according to teachers' qualifications and teaching experience, and teacher certification comes under the direction of

Notes to pages 85-135 159 the Ontario Ministry of Education. Teachers in Ontario usually have three levels of qualifications: academic qualifications, Ontario teacher certification (primary/junior, junior/intermediate, or intermediate/secondary), and Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications. Initial preservice teacher education takes place in the universities, and consists of a one-year program for students who already have a minimum three-year undergraduate degree. At the end of the year of preservice education, a Bachelor of Education degree and an Ontario Teacher Certificate are granted. Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications provide teachers with additional specializations and opportunities for in-service professional development during their careers. 6. Educating Global Citizens 1 The day was very unusual because the rate of teacher absenteeism in the school is low. Teachers at Corktown take an average of three sick days a year. Within board regulations, teachers are entitled to take up to nine days for reasons of ill-health. 2 The course would be arranged according to the following units of study: the beginning of the century, between the wars (1919-39), World War II (193945), the emergence of the global village (1945-present), and specific studies in the global village (1945-present). A brief selection of the literature texts to be studied included: Conrad's Heart of Darkness; The White Man's Burden; Poems by Wilfred Owen, Alden Nowlan and others; Timothy Findlay's The Wars; Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath; Hemingway's The Sun also Rises; Elie Wiesel's Night; Miller's The Crucible, and anthologies such as Arabic Short Stories, edited by Mahmoud Manzalaoui; Tapestries, by Sharon Jeroski; Soulstorm by Clarice Lospector; Coming Home by Farida Karodia, and Games at Twilight by Anita Desai. 7. The Research Study 1 They are: (1) develop a responsiveness to the dynamic processes of learning; (2) develop resourcefulness, adaptability, and creativity in learning and living; (3) acquire the basic knowledge and skills needed to comprehend and express ideas through words, numbers, and other symbols; (4) develop physical fitness and good health; (5) gain satisfaction from participating and from sharing the participation of others in various forms of artistic expression; (6) develop a feeling of self-worth; (7) develop an understanding of the role of the individual within the family and the role of the family within

160 Notes to page 135 society; (8) acquire skills that contribute to self-reliance in solving practical problems in everyday life; (9) develop a sense of personal responsibility in society at the local, national, and international levels; (10) develop esteem for the customs, cultures, and beliefs of a wide variety of societal groups; (11) acquire skills and attitudes that will lead to satisfaction and productivity in the world of work; (12) develop respect for the environment and a commitment to the wise use of resources; and (13) develop values related to personal, ethical, or religious beliefs and to the common welfare of society (Ministry of Education, Ontario, Ontario Schools, Intermediate and Senior Divisions (Grades 7-12/OACs): Program and Diploma Requirements, 1989, 3-4).

References

Documents Brown, R.S., Cheng, M., Yau, M., and Ziegler, S. 1992. The 1991 every secondary student survey: Initial findings. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. Corktown Daily Plan-it. 1993-4. Toronto: Corktown Community High School. Corktown News. 1993^4. Toronto: Corktown Community High School. Metro Youth Task Force. 1991. Looking to the future. Toronto: Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. Metropolitan Separate School Board and Metropolitan School Board. 1993. Metro's unique educational needs: A report of the public school boards in Metropolitan Toronto and the Metropolitan Separate School Board to the Ministry of Education. Toronto. Ninth OISE Survey. 1992: Public attitudes towards education in Ontario. D.W. Livingstone, D. Hart, and L.E. Davie. Toronto: OISE Press. Ontario, Government of. 1980. Education Act: Revised statutes of Ontario. Toronto: Queen's Printer, Ministry of the Attorney General. Ontario, Ministry of Education, 1989. Ontario schools: Intermediate and senior divisions (Grade 7-12/OACs): Program and diploma requirements, rev. ed. Toronto: Ministry of Education. - 1992. Transition years, Grades 7,8,9: Policies and program requirements. Toronto: Ministry of Education. Ontario, Ministry of Education. 1993. The common curriculum: Grades 1-9 (working document). Toronto: Ministry of Education. - and Ministry of Colleges and Universities. 1980. Issues and directions: The response to the final report of the commission on Declining School Enrolments in

162 References Ontario. Toronto: Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation. 1993. Public education: Retracing our path. Brief to the Royal Commission on Learning. Toronto: Ontario Secondary Teachers Federation. Ontario Fair Tax Commission. 1993. Fair taxation in a changing world. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Toronto Board of Education. 1989. Alternative secondary schools. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. - 1992. The challenge of the 1990s: Restructuring for the future. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. - 1993a. Joint report of the representatives of the Toronto Association of Student Councils (TASC) and the Student Affairs Committee of the Toronto Board of Education to the Royal Commission on Learning. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. - 1993b. Your choice, 1993-1994. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. - Yours, mine and ours: Ontario's children and youth. Phase 1.1994. Toronto: Queen's Printer for Ontario. Premier's Council on Health, Weil-Being and Social Justice. Children and Youth Project. - 1994a. Young voices: Ontario Coalition for Children and Youth: Final Report. Compiled by Zenia B. Wadhwani and Chung Tang. Toronto: The Ontario Coalition for Children and Youth. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. - 1994b. Equity and opportunity: Learning for a new century. A submission by the Toronto Board of Education to the Royal Commission on Learning. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. - 1995. Programs in the secondary schools, 1994-1995. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. Ziegler, S., Hardwick, N., Botrie, M., and Carter, A. 1993. Voices: Academically successful inner city secondary school students. Toronto: Toronto Board of Education. Secondary Sources Anderson, K., and Jack, D. 1991. Learning to listen: Interview techniques and analyses. In B. Gluck and D. Patai (Eds.), Women's words: The feminist practice of oral history. New York: Routledge. Beatttie, M. 1995a. The case ofCorktown Community High School: A distinctive urban alternative school. Toronto: Canadian Education Association. - 1995b. Constructing professional knowledge in teaching: A narrative of change in

References 163 professional development. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University, and Toronto: OISE Press, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. - 1999. Connecting mind, heart and soul. Orbit, 30(2): 34-7. - 2001. The art of learning to teach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill PrenticeHall. - 2002. Educational leadership: Modeling, mentoring, making and re-making a learning community. European Journal of Teacher Education, 25(2 and 3). Bruner, J. 1986. Actual minds: Possible worlds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Bruner, J. 1990. Acts of meaning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Bryk, A.S., and Driscoll, M.E. 1988. The high school as community: Contextual influences, and consequences for students and teachers. Madison: National Center on Effective Secondary Schools, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Educational Research. Carr, D. 1986. Time, narrative, and history. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Clandinin, D J., and Connelly, P.M. 1994. Personal Experience Methods, in N. Denizen and Y. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage. Connelly, P.M., and Clandinin, DJ. 1986. 'On narrative method, personal philosophy, and narrative unities in the story of teaching.' Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 23(4): 292-310. - 1990. Stories of experience and narrative inquiry. Educational Researcher, 19(5): 2-14. Denzin, N. 1989. Interpretive biography. Newbury Park: Sage. Dewey, J. 1900. The school and society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. - 1916. Democracy in education. New York: Macmillan. - 1934. Art as experience. New York: Capricorn Books. Dewey, J. 1938. Experience and education. Toronto: Collier Macmillan. Dwyer, K. 1979. The dialogue of ethnology. Dialectical Anthropology, 4, 205-24. Eisner, E.W. 1998. The kind of schools we need. Portsmouth: Heinemanh. - 1985a. Aesthetic modes of knowing. In E.W. Eisner (Ed.), Learning and teaching the ways of knowing (pp. 23-36). Eighty-fourth yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part II. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. - 1985b. The educational imagination, 2nd. ed. New York: Macmillan. - 1991. The enlightened eye: On doing qualitative research. New York: Macmillan. - 1994. Cognition and curriculum reconsidered. New York: Teachers College Press.

164 References - 1995. Introduction, in M. Beattie, Constructing professional knowledge in teaching: A narrative of change in professional development. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University, and Toronto: OISE Press, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Eisner, E.W., and A. Peshkin. 1990. Qualitative inquiry in education. New York: Teachers College Press. Elbaz, F. 1983. Teacher thinking: A study of practical knowledge. London: Croom Helm. Gaskell, J. 1995. Secondary Schools in Canada: The National Report of the Exemplary Schools Project. Toronto: Canadian Education Association. Gregory, T.B., and Smith, G.R. 1987. High schools as communities: The small school reconsidered. Bloomington: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. Greene, M. 1978. Landscapes of learning. New York: Teachers College Press. - 1993. Diversity and inclusion: Towards a curriculum for human beings. Teachers College Record, 95(2): 211-21. - 1995. Releasing the imagination. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Hunt, D. 1980. Studies in mutual adaptation (Interim Progress Report 2). Ottawa: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Ottawa. - 1987. Beginning with ourselves in theory, practice and human affairs. Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books. Jackson, P.W. 1990. Life in classrooms. Reissued ed. New York: Teachers College Press. Kessler, R. 2000. The soul of education. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Levin, M. 1984. What's 'alternative' about Toronto's alternative schools? Unpublished manuscript. Lightfoot, S.L. 1984. The good high school. New York: Basic Books. Lincoln, Y.S., and Cuba, E. 1985. Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills: Sage. Little, D. 1989. Reform II - the sequel. In Our schools, our selves. Toronto: Our Schools/Our Selves Education Foundation. •Maclntyre, A. 1981. After virtue: A study in moral theory. London: Gerald Duckworth. Meier, D. 1995. The power of their ideas: Lessons from America from a small school in Harlem. Boston: Beacon Press. Miller, J. 1993. The holistic teacher. Toronto: OISE Press. - 1996. The holistic curriculum. Toronto: OISE Press. - 2000. Education and the soul: Towards a spiritual curriculum. Albany: State university of New York. Mishler, E. 1986. Research interviewing: Context and narrative. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

References 165 Mitchell, W.J.T. (Ed.). 1981. On narrative. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Noddings, N. 1984. Caring: A feminine approach to ethics and moral education. Berkeley: University of California Press. - 1988. An Ethic of Caring and its Implications for Instructional Arrangements. American Journal of Education, 96(2): 215-30. Peshkin, A. 1986. God's choice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Polkinghorne, D.E. 1988. Narrative knowing and the human sciences. Albany: State University of New York Press. Ricoeur, P. 1971. The model of the text: Meaningful action considered as a text. Social Research, 38(3): 529-62. - 1978. Explanation and understanding: On some remarkable connections among the theory of the text, theory of action and theory of history. In C.C. Reagan and D. Stewart (Eds.), The philosophy of Paul Ricoeur: An anthology of his work (pp. 149-66). Boston: Beacon Press. Schwab, J.J. 1978. Science, curriculum and liberal education: Selected essays. Ian Westbury and Weil J. Wilkof (Eds.) Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. Sizer, T. 1984. Horace's compromise: The dilemma of the American high school. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Spradley, J.P. 1979. Participant observation. New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston. Taylor, C. 1971. Interpretation and the science of man. Review of Metaphysics, 25(1): 3-51. Witherall, C., and Noddings, N. 1991. Stories lives tell: Narrative and dialogue in education. New York: Teachers College Press.

This page intentionally left blank

Index

Alternative schools in Toronto District School Board, 58, educational reform, leaders in, 5,14,23,66; origins of, 64-6; secondary schools in, 66; self-governance of, 4-5 Alternative Schools Alliance, 82 Alternative Secondary Schools, (1989), 66 Anderson, K., and Jack, D., 145 Assessment and evaluation, 22; Irma's teaching, context of, 111; Outreach Programme, 20; policy of, 119; student input, 60 Beattie, M., 7,11,15,134,141 Beggs, D., 3,14,21, 38,58 Best, S., 15,35 Bruner, J., 134,145 Bryk, A.S., and Driscoll, M.E., 139 Campey, J., 62,63 Canadian art, 102,103 Canadian Education Association, 6, 141 Carr, D., 138 Clandinin, D.J., and Connelly, P.M., 134

Connelly, P.M., and Clandinin, D.J., 10,134 Corktown Community High School, 4; accountability measures of, 155; admissions to, 37-8; all-school events, 101-2; board of directors, 62,66; breakfast program, 61,92; budget, 22, 64,118,158; CEASA (Committee for Evaluation of Academic Standards and Admissions), 32,38,59-60,68, 74,93,94, 99,120,143,144; community, importance of, 25; communitybuilding events, 23-5,101-2; community served, 154; Corkbook, The, 22, 37, 55; courses offered, 36; curriculum guidelines, 63; destination of graduates, 154; difficulties at, 68-72,92-5,123-6; distinctiveness of, 21-3,154; educational reform, leadership of, 5,14,126-7; field trips, 101-5, founding mandate/ principles, 14,22,57; governance/ administration 4-5,58-9; guidance day, 119; information meetings, 38; key facts, 154-5; origins of, 57-8; parental involvement in, 24,57,

168 Index 61-2,122-3; physical description, of, 18-9; pseudonym, 7-8; rules of, 37; school day, structure of, 19-20; staffing, 124-5; student population, 36; support staff, 41; teachers, 39. See also Teachers at Corktown; Teaching; Teacher-student relationships Curriculum, 21,40,63; assessment and evaluation of, 111; constraints and obstacles to, 66,68-72,92-5, 123-6; courses offered, 36; connecting life experiences and, 13, field trips and 101-2; guidelines, 21, 63; student engagement and, 40, 74-8; teacher collaboration and 40; voice, development of, 25-6, 33-4 Davies, J., 5,23, 73,125,128 Denzin, N., 1 34 DeweyJ., 133,135-140 Dwyer, K., 144 Education Act, 21 Eisner, E., 8, 9,11,133,140,142 Eisner, E., and Peshkin, A., 134 Elbaz, R, 144 Equity and Opportunity, Learning for a New Century, (1994), 55-9 Every Secondary Student, (1991), 153 Exemplary Schools Research, administration of, 6; classroom and school observation, 144; Corktown, selection of, 5; data collection and interpretation 9,134-47; definition of exemplary, 7; description of, 5-11; field-notes, 9,144; funding, 6; interviews and focus

group interviews, 144-6; principal investigator, role of, 7,133-48; research design and method, 8-11, 141-7 (see also Narrative inquiry); research teams (national and provincial), 142,147; research team (Corktown), 142-3,146; research questions, 7; student shadowing, 146; writing the case study / responding to feedback, 146-7 Gaskell, J., 7,147 Gracey, D., 20,44, 66,116,118,123, 124,125 Greene, M., 128,133,135 Gregory,T.B., and Smith, G.R., 139 Holistic education, connectedness, development of 97-100; definition of, 11-12; development of whole person and, 4, 97; teaching, enactment of 41-2 Hunt, D., 133,144 Innovations Program of Human Resources Development Canada, 6 Issues and Directions (1980), 74-5 Jackson, P., 9 Kessler, R., 134 Learning, assessment of, 111, 119; self-expression and, 33-4, 74-8; school culture and, 35; global citizenship, development of 13-14,61, 97-100; voice, development of, 13-14, 61, 97-100 Levin, M., 65 Lightfoot, S.L., 9,139

Index 169 Lincoln, Y.S., and Cuba, E., 134 Little, D., 63 Maclntyre, A., 138 McConnell, P., 61-3 Meier, D., 9,15,139 Miller, J., 133 Mishler, E., 134,145 Mitchell, W.J.T., 134 Narrative Inquiry, as phenomenon and method of study, 9-11; collaborative relationships and, 10; description and explanation of, 134-141; narrative forms, 9,10; narrative accounts of classes and school events: 'A Wednesday Staff Meeting,' 115-20, 'Irma's Math Class,' 106-10, 'Irma's World Issues Class,' 76-7, 'Isadora's Art Class,' 86, 'Lola's Media Class,' 88, "Margaret's English and Geography Class,' 78-9, 'Rob's Art Class,' 87, 'Visiting Ydessa Hendeles Art Gallery,' 103-5 Nelson, R, 25, 59 New Democratic Party (NDP), 62 Noddings, N., 134,139 Ontario History Teachers Association, 115 Ontario Ministry of Education, 21, 63,135,141; curriculum guidelines, 21; goals of education, 135, 159-60; image of the learner, 74-5; Ontario Academic Credit (OAC), 36,149,157 Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), 157; teachers' additional qualifica-

tions, 85; students' graduation requirements, 70,157 Ontario Secondary School Diploma, 157 Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF), 64,151 Ontario Student Record, 29,117 Outreach Programme, 13,22-3, 44-56; advisory groups, 54,56; assessment of, 56; connections, fostering of, 99; description of, 22, 44-5,54; guiding principles of, 45; indirect benefits of, 54, levels of 55-6; sponsors of, 53,61 Peshkin, A., 9,139 Polkinghorne, D., 134 Public Attitudes towards Education in Ontario (1992), 67 Ricoeur, P., 143 Robertson, M., 142-3,146 Royal Commission on Learning, 60, 67 Schwab, J.J., 136,137,138-40 S.E.E.D., 64-5 Sizer, T., 9,139 Social Contract, the, 67-8 Spradley, J.P., 144 Stiegelbauer, S., ix, 142-3,146 Student Art Show, 86 Student welfare, 36 Student success and achievement, academic/professional, evidence of, 149-52; definition of, 25-6; obstacles to 68-72, 92-5,123-6; parents' perspective on, 34; students' perspective, 42-3; voice, development of, 26,34; whole

170 Index person development and 4, 25, 111 Students, portraits of individuals: 'Eva's Story/ 98-100; 'Justin, An Alumnus of Corktown/ 95-6; 'Lem's Story/ 126-7; 'Portrait of Ehren/ 80-2; 'Portrait of a New Teacher, Linda/ 130-1 'Portrait of Philipa/ 82-3;

Tao, the, 24 Taylor, C, 138,143 Teachers at Corktown, 39; academic qualifications of 39; additional qualifications of, 85-91; 'at-risk' students, support of, 4,5,11-2,13, 27-35,62, 69, 71, 73, 80-3,95-6, 106-110,112,116-18; collaboration among, 40,113-20,127; courses taught, 39,84-91; profiles of, 84-91: 'Bob/ 91; 'Greta/ 87-8, Trma/ 89-90, 'Isadora/ 85-6, 'Joy/ 91, Lola/ 88-9, 'Margaret/ 90-1, 'Rob/ 86-7, roles of, 39-40, 84-91,121,123; stresses of, 123-5; teacher-coordinators, roles of, 40, 61 Teacher-student relationships, 12, 27-30,34,39,69,139; context for learning, as, 12; friendships, life-

long, 24; importance to student success, 29,71, 96; obstacles, dealing with, 69; relational learning, modeling of, 30. See also Narrative Inquiry, Portraits of Students Teaching, purposes/intentions in, 41-3; styles, variety of, 40. See also Narrative inquiry, accounts of classroom and school events Thiessen, D., 147 Toronto Association of Schools Councils (TASC), 60,63,81-2 Toronto District School Board, 15,75, 135,141; alternative schools in, 58, 65; alternative schools, origins of, 64-6; student voice in, 60 University of Toronto, 47,55,83; Faculty of Education (FEUT) of, 55, 96,129,143; Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT), 49, 50,65, 91 Witherall, C, and Noddings, N., 134 Ydessa Hendeles Art Gallery, 102-5 Yours, Mine and Ours; Ontario's Children and Youth (1993), 67