A continued trend throughout this year at RMHS is evolution, some being change of tradition, others being progression of academic philosophy. As the nation continues to develop more advanced technology and ways of thinking, RMHS refuses to be behind the times. The most widely debated changes made at the high school this year are those that threaten tradition, or pose a change to long-held and widely-loved aspects to student life. But, changes made to improve education have been embraced by students, as the ways in which students are taught are increasingly more relevant and accessible.
One of the most significant of these transformations is the English Department’s senior English electives. Traditionally, all four years of English have been defined by a uniform curriculum for each level. However, this year, AP English is the only class that follows a typical English curriculum. The rest of the English classes offered for seniors are strictly elective-based- students choose one elective per semester to take, picking from a variety of specific focuses including film and literary philosophy, amongst many others.
This new style of education has been embraced by the majority of students taking these classes. Many of the electives offer a variety of topics to choose from, but also relate to current events of today’s world. One of the greatest struggles of education is making lessons regarding aged, traditional literature relevant and refreshing. The time-honored complaint that so many students have throughout their educational career is, “how can this be used in real life; why should I care about this?” These new electives encourage student interest in the subject material that they are learning. Students take control of their educational experience, and see how books transfer to the world beyond the classroom.
One of the most buzzed-about electives this year is entitled “Missing Voices.” This course is centered around literature dedicated to those marginalized by society. So much of literature taught in public school settings are the classics, typically written by white males. Described by a teacher of the course Ms. Richardson, this course focuses on, “... topics that are present that students grapple with on a daily basis. I’m hoping that there would be a safe space to discuss these issues and relate them to our lives.” This course is designed to voice the opinions of those not typically heard from, including those who are transgender, racial minorities, and women.
Understanding of these charged topics is explored through intensive readings describing current events. Students read and debated Waking Up White, one woman’s personal understanding of white privilege, with the topic’s relevance laying in Reading’s 93% white demographic. Another buzzed about book, All American Boys, tackled police brutality, also very timely considering numerous recent tragedies with this issue at their core.
The goal of this course is to, “...bring literature more into students’ lives. Typically, I teach British Literature, which is great, but sometimes not as relatable,” explained Richardson. Mrs. Williams echoed this same notion, referencing student feedback she received, “[The student] likes [Missing Voices] because it’s more about modern concepts, and is not your typical English class.”
This impression is very much genuine; students are not simply telling teachers what they want to hear. Lunchtime conversation’s reviews of the course have been overwhelmingly positive. The teachers’ hopes in creating the class have hit home; Anna Barbo described the class as, “...not your typical English class. It’s more modern and interesting. It’s not the same old books everyone has been reading for generations. It’s real, relevant information.” Lauren Blasi agreed, even saying that Missing Voices is, “...the best class I’ve ever taken in my life. You have so much to say about each topic; you can really be personal and elaborate on your experiences because [the class] is so relevant to society today.”
Missing Voices has been able to do the seemingly impossible, even exciting those plagued by “senioritis” since the day they walked in the doors this year. This course has allowed students a say in their education, and has incited prominent student interest and desire to learn. A school’s mission is not strictly to educate, but to cultivate a lifelong love of learning. This course is committed to that philosophy, and hopefully will set a trajectory for the future of our constantly progressing community.