Fiona On Fulbright 2014: Bloomington High School North and Hoosier Hills Career Center

Bloomington High School North is my home base school and I go there once a week. I am linked to a teacher named Angie Cannon who is positive, provides lots of choice and really has a heart for the students she teaches. She grew up in the area and has a real understanding of what some of her students have lived through. There are many things I like about Angie's class and the way she teaches, and one thing is that her students aren't in rows that face a whiteboard at the front. Yes there are rows, but they are perpendicular to the front and the students face each other.

One class she takes is called Young Adult Literature. Students have the option of about ten novels, based loosely around a theme, and they select their own novel to read. There is a variety of ability levels in the mix. Before they select a novel, students use the internet, or the school library system, and search for reviews on all of the books. Having read each review and made a statement as to why, or why not, this book would appeal to them, students then make a book selection. As part of the reading process there is work on character development, theme, setting etc, but students work together in small book groups, based on the book they have chosen.

The other interesting thing about this high school is that it has Hoosier Hills Career Center attached to it. This is a vocational school that is physically linked to the school by means of being on the site and under the same roof, however it provides a range of different classes. Students can take these classes and gain credits towards their High School Diploma. Some of the classes are Fire Science, Auto Body Repair, Engine Shop, Child Care Training, Weight Lifting class, Culinary Arts (which has a proper commercial kitchen), Drama (with its own theatre), Carpentry/Building Shop (where they do projects in the community under the supervision of their teacher), Nutrition and Wellness (much like Home Ec.), Ceramics, Lead Lighting etc. Below are some pictures of the facilities in the school.