Re-imaging schooling with youth and community partners through internships

Last week, several of us submitted a chapter for an edited book from Harvard Press on productive pedagogies in and out of school for youth in urban settings. Here's a snippet:

...in today’s market-driven, high stakes assessment arena, where essential life experiences like the arts and physical activity are casualties to the reign of simplistically assessed skills, creating spaces for young people to be anything other than students is increasingly a figment of imagination. More specifically, newcomer immigrant youth are seen, through lens of educational policy, research and practice, solely as English language learners, ones in need of intensive English-only and remediated instruction to pass the high stakes assessments (Patel Stevens, 2009). The cumulative effect of this educational arena is a bleak one for young people, teachers and rarely considers the long-term effect for professional workplaces.

In this chapter, we report on our efforts to wedge a space in schooling where youth are seen as already skilled, where adults learn about youth other than their studenting skills (Patel, in press), and where young people critically engage with race, capital and status in society.  To conduct this work, we re-imaged a common practice of secondary and tertiary institutions: the internship.

The contributors to this chapter include a university-based researcher, two graduate students, a volunteer mentor, a high school program leader, a school district administrator, and a young immigrant.

Cannon Design

By Tony

I worked as an intern in the multinational architecture firm Cannon Design. Cannon Design Boston employs 84 people, representatives of a wide range of skills- architectural designers, urban planners, construction engineers, contract administrators, HR…..

The mission of Cannon Design is to plan and design buildings and their interiors that promote productivity, enhance the quality of life of users and visitors, and contribute value to the environment. They strive to create environments that are a thoughtful response to the program mission of their clients, physical setting and functional purpose.

Cannon Design has a borderless office. Employees can communicate with each other easily but under supervision of them either.  They have different ethnic backgrounds--Indian, Caucasian, Chinese from Mainland and Hong Kong, Japanese…… When you talk to them, you can notice the distinctions on accents. It causes misunderstandings sometimes, which is a difficulty the workers face when they talk to people from work sites in different countries. However, all people are helpful and easy to approach.

I talked to people from different positions, which gave me the chance to observe numerous aspects of an architecture/engineering firm.  Most of them have family backgrounds relating to their job. Schools gave them conceptual views of their profession. The senior coworkers teach newer staff techniques for professional practice. They keep learning new things so that they won’t fall behind others working in the same field.

I gained valuable insight at Cannon Design.  Leaders and staff were extremely welcoming and helpful, and offered me terrific information.  This internship has confirmed my interest in art and science, and definitely increased my interest in pursuing a career in business and marketing.

Jobs for the Future

By Cecilia

My internship this semester was at Jobs for the Future (JFF).  This amazing company has a big goal: It creates ways to support low-income families.  How is that possible?  They are trying to help students to finish high school and enter college, so in the future those students will have a better life.  On my last day I worked with the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO Bronya Demerle.

In this internship I learned a lot of new things.

One of the challenges that the organization has is trying to find school models that can help the company to encourage kids to finish high school and enter college.  They want to find examples to demonstrate that every kid can graduate from high school.

I worked with Sandra Jadotte in supporting staff.  Her role is to support and help the VP Joel Vargas.  She helps organize his daily schedule, takes notes in meetings, and provides administrative support.

I also worked with Joel Vargas, the vice president.  He told me that the company is trying to expand its programs.  One new program will help people to finish high school, even if that person is working. That part was very interesting because that means that if you didn’t have the opportunity to finish high school, they will give you the opportunity.

I also worked with the Human Resources Manager Marie-Josee Joubert. She has a very busy day. She told me how important it is to go to college.

In my personal opinion, Jobs for the Future is doing an amazing job and the people that are working there are the nicest people that I never met.  I am glad that they gave me the opportunity to work with them.

Interning in the Boston Public Schools

By Vanessa

My internship placement was the Office of Instructional & Information Technology (OIIT) in the Boston Public Schools (BPS).  Melissa Dodd, Chief Information Officer, and 66 other people work there.  It was a great experience for me to meet new people, asking questions and having a great conversation about the main purpose of their work.  

Dr. Carol Johnson & Vanessa

I met the Superintendent Carol Johnson.  I talked to her about some courses that I'm really interested in but I don't see in high school.  She was very polite to tell me what her role was in the system. She said she has to report to the mayor so she has to know everything that is going on and also present new projects that they have for the kids.

It was very fun to learn how many people that are working hard to makes things better for us so we can have a better future.  They try to improve education in the schools.  It is a future plan to use more technology in school with the students. 

When I told Melissa that I’m very shy around people, this is the advice she gave me. “It’s ok to be a certain way in public. You can let them know how you feel around them and they will be very understanding of you.” It mean so much to me to have the courage to tell her how I feel when I'm around people and she understands and tell me to just let it out because I'm not the only one in that position.  She also offer me to come and volunteer in my free time after school.  She is giving the opportunity to work around people so I overcome the fear.

My Role in the Office of Oral Health

By Gustavo 

I worked as intern at MA Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health.  The role of this organization are following things:
• Evidence-based prevention programs such as community water fluoridation and school fluoride and sealant programs are utilized by Massachusetts communities and residents.
• That all residents have access to dental services. especially underserved populations.
• Publicly supported dental programs are efficiently managed and coordinated.
• Oral health information is available to residents and decision-makers to promote oral health.

Joyce juggles many things everyday

I feel proud to have been part of this amazing organization. My role there was to fix and put in order all the documents of people attending programs of dental services that were made ​​by DPH.  Also I checked the number of visits to its website.  I really enjoyed this part because I could see that many people in the United States has interest in Oral Health. The experience was really good because I could develop my skills and got the experience of teamwork.  I am really grateful for it.  I want to thank my internship supervisor Joyce Starr for making me welcome and showing me about their work each week.

As conclusion the Office of Oral Health works to make our oral heath better every day. 

Chinese Progressive Association

By Christina

The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) educates and organizes the low income and working class immigrant Chinese community, to build collective power with other oppressed communities, and to demand better living & working conditions and justice for all people.  People work there in order to fight for the community.  I am so glad that having an internship at the CPA organization.  

Application Form for Survival

Even though I worked there not for a long time, I enjoyed working with them and helping the people who need CPA.  I worked with Laurence every Wednesday. While there, I helped Chinese people apply for the survival certificate. Sometimes, I also helped Laurence do some translation.  The job which he gave to me, I finished that on time.  I think it was a good method to train me to be a responsible employee.  This experience was extremely welcoming and helpful, and offered me terrific career advice.  Now, I get more interested in translating.  I really enjoyed doing that.  Overall, I had a very good experience at CPA. 

source: CPA website

In conclusion, Chinese Progressive Association is a place that is for justice, democracy, and equality.

Boston Police Department

By Jian

My internship placement was at the district E-13 police station in Jamaica Plain. I had a great experience shadowing officer Antoinette and officer Rodriguez. 

The Boston Police's mission is to work in partnership with the community to fight crime, reduce fear, and improve quality of life in our neighborhoods. 

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It was a great to see what they do on daily bases. It help me to get a sense of what a police officer does. Police officers put their own life on the line of duty everyday, they face different situations everyday. 

One advice that officer Rodriguez gave me was 'If this job is what you really want to do, you have to go through with it, because it motivates you.' After hearing that, it really made think deeply, asking myself, is this what i want to do?  And if it is what do I need to start doing to get prepared. 

Map of District E-13

The thing that really struck me was how hard the community and the police officers work together to improve the community. 

Blogging students' professional experiences

Professional Learning
This week, students will begin to post regarding their experiences interning in professional organizations across the city.  While students' time was short (they get released from school once a week for a month), they gained a great deal from the experience--both individually and collectively.  Students were energized after job shadows each week in a non-profit, business, or government agency.  It spurred lots of dialogue among the group about their observations, questions, and interpretations of their work site.

Personally made me jealous not to have a placement in one of these organizations too:

Boston Police Department, District E-13 Precinct
Boston Public Schools, Office of Instructional & Information Technology
Cannon Design
Chinese Progressive Association
Jobs for the Future

MA Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health

Some of the students in fact have plans to volunteer at their site in the after-school..

Community-based Research

Beyond the job shadows, the group has continued meeting each week to work on a short-term research internship with several of us based at B.C.  Exploring questions around law enforcement & our diverse, intersecting communities.  

In the coming weeks, we'll write more about the research, telling stories through image & text.. photographs & maps.. 

By talking with each other and with people in our communities about our lived experiences with police and other law enforcement officials, we hope to offer some things constructive, creative, thought provoking..

Posing problems that matter to each of us, to the police, to our communities.. Following questions where they lead.. seeking understanding through inquiry & art..


Look forward to what we can make

How Guns Affect Our Culture

In our our group meeting this week, there were so many interesting conversations about different experiences with law enforcement and about what everyone is learning from their interviews.

 

I found myself thinking a lot about how culture & history shape people's interactions with law enforcement.  In particular, I've been thinking about the impact that guns have in the United States.  We have a country where there are lots of guns. And it's relatively easy for someone to get a gun (both legally and illegally).  This has so many dramatic changes, like:

• how law enforcement "works" in different places,
• how the police might perceive people in the "community", 
• how police perceive "youth" in the community,
• how everyone perceives threats, 
• how regular citizens interact with each other
• how stereotypes develop

Below are some statistics on how gun violence affects everyone in this country:

"The U.S. experiences epidemic levels of gun violence, claiming over 30,000 lives annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For every person who dies from a gunshot wound, two others are wounded. Every year, more than 100,000 Americans are victims of gun violence.

Gun violence touches every segment of our society. It increases the probability of deaths in incidents of domestic violence, raises the likelihood of fatalities by those who intend to injure others and among those who attempt suicide, places children and young people at special risk, and disproportionately affects communities of color."

(Citation: Legal Community Against Violence)

I'm looking forward to continuing these important conversations and research...

A working vacation

This week marks school vacation week.  For 3 days, students in our program met as a group at the public library, in public school district offices, and at Boston College -- working together instead of hanging out at home or with friends.  They also started at new weekly internship placements this week within different organizations across the city. 

In conversations this week, students and teachers began discussing possible topics and questions to launch two small research projects this semester.  The first, which actually began last semester, will look into various professional practices, expectations, and experiences at their work sites.  Students designing interview questions and speak with adults at their internship sites and in their communities.

What does it take to be successful in different professions or fields? 

How does educational background relate to success and status in different professions? 

What support do people need to be successful in a field? 

 

In addition to this research, the group has launched a community research project to investigate questions related to interactions and relations between youth and law enforcement officials... paying close attention to ways that English language proficiency and ethnicity can influence these interactions between young people and police.  For the first time, 2 students are placed in job internships at the Police Department.  This provides a unique opportunity to explore these questions from the perspective of law enforcement.  By interviewing police and other law enforcement officials, as well as youth and adults outside in the community, the group hopes to gain insight into the factors that shape how youth and the police interface and perceive one another----and maybe offer ideas for how to improve interactions and understandings of one another.

A view from the bike shop

Last fall, Jon*, a junior in high school, was placed in an internship at Urban AdvenTours--a small private company in downtown Boston that provides guided bike tours, rentals, full bicycle shop & sales. 
(*pseudonym)

Andrew Prescott (owner/CEO) and Alex (bike mechanic & himself a college intern from Northeastern University), both said that Jon transitioned smoothly into the bike shop's daily activities, and that he always demonstrated himself as a conscientious and engaged young person.  Following the internship, Jon earned a standing invitation to drop by the shop anytime to lend a hand, or continue to learn about the business and mechanics of bikes.

 

Each week at the shop, Jon was asked to: 

• Assist with various ongoing projects like taking/stocking inventory, working on product displays, cleaning up, etc;
• Talk informally with staff about professional, educational, and personal interests & experiences; 
• Get  hands on 1 or more bikes each week.  For example, Alex would demonstrate an aspect of mechanics, such as how to remove/clean/replace the bicycle chain, how to fix a flat, how to true (align) a wheel, how to tune brakes and gears.  After showing the concept, as well as any tool needed, he’d guide John to work independently on a bike, a wheel, or some other part, tinkering and learning through trial & error. 

This hands-on quality of the experience was one highlight each week for Jon.  He recognized the opportunity to interact with professionals in their field, while at the same time beginning to learn some applicable skills associated with a fully sustainable form transportation that's also reasonably accessible to many if not most kids.

 
Along with any particular subject, however, such as mechanics (or management for that matter), there comes necessary background knowledge & unique terminology, which creates interesting and quite challenging learning curves for a student to navigate.

Overall, our hosts at Urban Adventours say it's great to have a young person in the shop: (1) for the energy and inquisitiveness that he/she can bring in the morning, (2) for the hands-on assistance he/she can offer to different tasks, and (3) simply because the presence of a novice learner pushes one to keep things fresh.    

Of note, Andrew and Alex have expressed a sense of feeling impressed at the ways that many young people (including Jon) carry themselves, often faced with a range of sometimes competing responsibilities between one's families, school, work, and community.

Last thing, a funny story.. Andrew (who’s been a close friend for years, and in whose business and community-activities I've volunteered in the past) said that when he first got my call about the internship, he asked himself,"S*/! Do I really need this right now?" ...And he didn't call me right back, knowing I might just go away, or didn't really need him in this instance.  In the end, of course, we did connect on the project.  And as partners, we are all better for it. 

Thanks for the support from all our past and present partners.

Feedback from a community partner

Following the fall internships, as usual, we talked with the partners about their experiences hosting student interns.  

Sophia Kim, Program Director at Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) explained, "[The student] was a great fit for our organization."  Since he was already a participant in our programs, the internship allowed him to get a bit of "behind the scenes" understanding of how things work at BCNC.

The student's main tasks while at BCNC were: 

• Doing background reading on the organization, on the history of Asian immigrant communities in the US and in Boston, and related materials in the office library. 
  
• Interviewing staff members about their experiences, interests, and professional practices. 

The student didn’t need too much support. Sophia, who served as the host supervisor, checked in with him weekly, helping the student tailor his interview questions and talking about what he was learning.

Foremost, Sophia said she wished there was more time each day and that it were longer-term to continue with the intern. It was a pleasure having him come to work once a week and getting to know him as a young person. Further, she noted that taking on an intern gives an opportunity to be reminded of how amazingly resilient young immigrants and youth in general are.

What we gained from this experience

The following is an article written collectively by students following the fall 2011 internships:

What we gained from this internship?

We learned a lot about the different workplaces where we went. When you work in a place, you will discover that you cannot solve the problems you encountered like the way that school teach you. Learning theories in school its different because in a job you can actually see the issue and learn about it because books can only give a little information but not exactly what you need to learn about. When you work in a place, you get to know some unintended conditions and how to deal with that. You have to deal with day to day challenges, and we enjoyed that. We also realized the jobs that we are suitable to do in the future, either it's a nonprofit organization or a commercial company. 

Would we recommend this experience to other students?

 The internship provided us with real life first-hand working experience. We would definitely recommend this program to other students because students can learn things from this internship experience that cannot be taught with a text book. They can have the opportunity to learn about a profession from a real expert’s perspective. For example, my internship taught me hands on experience of the professional field that I worked for four weeks. While school only teaches something from the test book, my internship taught me how knowledge can be applied in the real work place. Students also can learn how to be a professional employee. For example, I learned to be on time, respect other people at work place, and how to communicate with new people. In addition, if you would like to work in the similar field from your internship, it’s a great chance to have the real world experiences and see how the field works. Therefore, we would strongly recommend this internship program to other students. 

What advice do we have for future students in this program?

Our advice to the program staff is to send the students to different work places every week.  They can learn about what more professions looks like.  For example, you can send students to different community centers, can compare what is similar and different at the work sites. Or one week you can work with a lawyer, the next week work with a doctor.  Meeting more people in more work places, students can learn about different careers.  Our advice to future students is, first, to be on time.  Arrive early at your work site, 10 minutes before start.  Second, listen to your boss. Pay attention to what they want you to do.  If you are not sure what you are supposed to do, ask again.  Make sure you understand what you should be doing so you can do a good job.  Third, be patient. If your supervisor sends you to do something hard, do it.  Fourth, be ready to learn something new.  Meeting professional people, you can find out how they made different choices in life like with college or work.  Getting more ideas can help you make your own decisions about life.  Last, ask a lot of questions. Write them down. At first, you can be scared to ask questions, but it gets easier.  Some questions: Do you like what you do? Are you happy with work experiences?  What motivated you to choose your career? What makes you want to help kids? What makes you want to do what you do?  Do you have other interests that you want to follow?