11
Let's Go Fly a Kite:
STEM, Literacy & Dragons in Secondary English Classroom
Dr. Joy Dewing
Kokomo High School
email: [email protected]
One Friday morning, I was surprised when over 25% of my students were absent from class. This affected the day’s lesson, of course, so I decided to find out what was causing the high number of absences. I learned that these students were on a field trip that day with the area Career Center. I was teaching English 11, which is a course for students who mostly score average and below on grades and standardized tests. Just over half of the students in the course had failed their 10th grade ECA test, a state required test for graduation, and would have to retake it during their junior year. I knew many were reluctant readers, but I hadn’t realized so many were involved in Career Center classes. As I talked to the students during the following weeks, I learned that at the Career Center they were taking classes in welding, collision repair, culinary arts, nursing, cosmetology, and medical fields. Many of the students would graduate high school with certificates allowing them to begin their careers right away. I learned that many of them enjoyed the practicality of their Career Center classes – they could see a purpose in them – and they enjoyed the hands-on nature of the classes.