I recently had the chance to participate in SLOCA’s “17 Again” event. This is a unique opportunity for SLOCA parents and grandparents to sit in on one or more SLOCA HS classes.
If I’m being totally honest—I felt a little uncomfortable with the idea of heading into these classrooms filled with actual 17-year-olds. Part of me felt it was invasive to their time of learning, and the other part just felt a little unsure about the attention that would be given to the “new kid.” Oh dear – am I already starting to feel 17 again!?
Getting a small taste of SLOCA HS was a delightful experience. The history class happened to be a debate day: for or in defense of Christopher Columbus. Ooo…pretty juicy topic. What I witnessed was a class of eager, engaged and well-spoken students. Dr. Rocha sat quietly on the sidelines taking notes, while this group of self-assured young adults ran the entire debate. And while Mrs. Aguas’ chemistry class definitely included some concepts that went right over my head, her style of teaching and the way she peppered in several live experiments to showcase concepts kept me (and the students) very engaged. Once again I saw a group of young scholars that were involved and focused on their learning.
Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t robot teens throwing their hands up to answer every question with scary enthusiasm. These are normal teenagers, with normal teenage tendencies, discussing the latest volleyball or football game in between classes, shouting something awkward, and not always coming up with the correct answer in class.
What stood out to me is that these high school students are placed in an environment that gives them an opportunity to be present. I attribute this to a couple of observations made during my visit. First, no cell-phones allowed! WOOHOO! I don’t feel the need to elaborate on the glories of that policy in a high school. Secondly, it is apparent that every teacher at SLOCA HS is so invested in their students, their calling, and their subject matter. Combined with the small class sizes, every student is truly known—creating the perfect storm for a high schooler to thrive.
Check out some of the comments from others who have had the opportunity to be “17 Again!”
“I was blown away! Mrs. Aguas did an excellent job engaging and challenging her students while keeping them interested and focused. She used multiple instructional materials including a Bunsen burner, video, handouts, white board and the periodic table poster to keep their attention and make difficult concepts a little easier. My boys have a while before high school but I’m excited by what I saw and look forward to the experience they will eventually have there. Thanks for the opportunity, I enjoyed it!”
Mike, SLOCA Parent
“It was incredible to see how this class essentially ran like a small liberal arts college course – the students were engaged, there was lively discussion and everyone was prepared and was drawing on past knowledge and references that were relevant to the discussion. It was true joy to watch and experience!”
Charlotte, SLOCA Parent
“I loved it. It was so enjoyable to see how the students interacted with the material and their teacher. The students were incredibly engaged and it was even more dynamic than I pictured. Thank you for inviting us in and thanks to the teachers for their openness and excellence!”
Amy, SLOCA HS Parent
“Intimate, intellectual, fun, entertaining, stimulating and enjoyable. Amazing and impressive!”
Chris, SLOCA Parent
Did you have the chance to visit SLOCA HS? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!
