Gryphon Gazette

The student news site of Animo Pat Brown Charter High School

The student news site of Animo Pat Brown Charter High School

Gryphon Gazette

The student news site of Animo Pat Brown Charter High School

Gryphon Gazette

    Goodbye Technology. Hello Ethnic Studies!

    Goodbye+Technology.+Hello+Ethnic+Studies%21

    By: Shirley Zavala, Jessica Moreno, Elmer Garcia and Lindsey Rodriguez

    Incoming freshmen students check their schedules and they see Ethnic Studies listed. No surprise for the freshmen but when their older siblings in APB see their schedule, they question where’s technology class though? Well we were all wondering the same thing.

    This school year some students were surprised when they noticed that the technology class was filled with flags of different countries and a new teacher standing outside the classroom. As it turns out, the technology room was replaced with a new class, Ethnic Studies.

    This class provides students the chance to study different races and cultures expressed by the state, civil society, and by single individuals. But does this class offer the same or even greater amount of positive effects for the new Class of 2022?

    Freshman students have reported that they never had a technology class in their middle school. This would make it difficult for students to type assignments at an average level.

    But freshman students like Eliu Patino have trouble. “It helps us with punctuation but let’s say you put caps lock on accident…without looking… you end up with all caps”.

    Another freshman student, Alexis Carranza said he also didn’t have a technology class in middle school and also finds it difficult to type assignments with few errors. Just like these two freshmen students others may have difficulties using technology for their assignments. Freshman said they would find it helpful if they could have a technology class in their upcoming school year. 

     

     

     

    “I think the other teachers will probably end up trying to figure out how to put the skills in their class.” said Mrs. Espiritu. Students will not have the same opportunities as students who took technology and will need to learn those skills in different classes. Mrs. Palioungas talked about how in the class the students were taught to write professional emails and it is important for students to learn how to communicate via online because nowadays many jobs require basic technology skills.

    We talked to Mr. Reed about the decisions that led up to this change. What lead up to the decision of them replacing technology with Ethnic Studies? ”We were hiring a 9th grade electives teacher so we published and add… we looked to see who were the most qualified people who were applying… and made a decision on who was the most qualified teacher and Ethnic Studies was the chosen one” Mr. Reed said.

    So we know what led up to the decision of getting rid of technology class but how will the students technology skills be affected? ”

    …Ethnic studies classes help impact students in all of their classes it helps them form a better sense of their identity, gain greater pride in their identity its really good for them socially and emotionally and is an important topic worth learning about” Mr.Reed said. The question of the lack of technology is still at hand, where were the students going to learn these skills? Well that was thought of as well. Students will need to take time out of their schedule to learn vital skills that technology offered, the whole team of staff members carefully thought about the where they can incorporate the skills needed in the classroom. For example practicing typing drills and how to set up Google Docs in English class. They are also trying to fit in 3D printing in the 9th grade Guidance class.

    The school was able to incorporate both Technology and this new great class that can teach students a lot about the world around them and about themselves so they can be prepared in life and in school. Which is great since APB’s goal is to prepare students for, ”College, Life, and Leadership”.

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