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ASB 2012-2013 - Who’s REALLY Waiting for Superman?: Exploring the Teacher Experiences in Charter Schools

Basic Information
Application Process: 
ASB 2012-2013
Trip Name: 
Who’s Really Waiting for Superman?: Exploring the Teacher Experiences in Charter Schools
Trip Location: 
Los Angeles, CA
Air Travel Trip: 
No
Number of Participants: 
12
Trip Description: 

“The things I think about the most are things I never know though. Like why don’t school[s] teach more mathematics, less about trigonometry and more about taxes.” – Sean Michael Anderson

“My teacher won’t teach me…and it hurts me soul.” – Wasalu Muhammad Jaco

While the authors of these two quotes are not considered preeminent education scholars, each one raises relevant points in the education discourse in U.S. public middle and high schools. A 2012 Harvard report found that in overall academics, students in Chile and Brazil are making gains in overall academics three times faster than those in the U.S. Furthermore, while some believe that teachers are not the primary reason for the decline in public school education, others assert that the lack of quality teachers has and does not bode well for the future.

Despite these criticisms, charter schools have been touted as a means to prepare students to handle the rigors of higher-level academia. Their small classroom sizes have offered more opportunities for one-on-one interaction, allowing students to develop intimate relationships with teachers. However, the relationship between teachers, administrators, and founders in charter schools is a complex one.

This trip will explore the manner in which charter schools attempt to prepare their students for success as they move up the educational ladder. Participants will spend intimate time with teachers during the week. Through interviews, informal discussions, and pure classroom observation, participants will receive a firsthand look at how teachers in charter schools connect with their students. After an extensive observation and learning process, the participants will “takeover” a classroom for a morning, translating the knowledge acquired into a lesson of their choosing. The goal is for participants, through observation and teaching, to understand what is required to prepare future generations for success in school and beyond.

Trip Leaders
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D'Shai Hendricks

D’Shai (pronounced “shy” with a D) Hendricks is a junior at Stanford majoring in Management Science & Engineering and minoring in Education. He was born and raised in the great state of New Jersey and is heavily invested in ensuring a #BrighterFuture for youth and students across the nation. He has a special interest in black male achievement and education in order to achieve the aforementioned goal. His roles on campus combine both of his passions, business and education, which he sees as the two paths driving his future career in some way. He is the Executive Director and Co-Chair of the Development Committee for The Phoenix Scholars Program, a non-profit dedicated to providing free college admissions counseling for first-generation, low-income, and/or minority high school students in California. He is also in the Stanford Chapter of NAACP to impact the field of education through awareness, advocacy, and action. As a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., he wishes to continue to utilize his resources, network, and heart to drive change in the community. He is also involved in YP4 (Young People For) and Stanford’s Black Men’s Forum. He is an individual with a mouth that is not afraid to speak, a heart that is not afraid to feel, a mind that is not afraid to think, and a body that is not afraid to move.

Farris Blount III

Farris Blount III hails from the ever-exciting, ever-enjoyable city of Houston, Texas. He is a junior double majoring in International Relations and Communication. His love of traveling, learning about different cultures, and communicating with others about their passions has been a tremendous influence in his major decision. Outside of the classroom, Farris is a mentor and serves on the Development team of The Phoenix Scholars, a non-profit that provides pro-bono college counseling to first generation, low-income, minority students. He also has a passion for mentoring and working with kids; last summer, Farris was a RA for the LEAD Summer Business Institute and considers this experience instrumental in developing his desire to work with kids throughout his life. He is also involved in Stanford’s Black Men Forum and Stanford Gospel Choir.For Farris, this ASB was born out of a talk given by Mayor Cory Booker last year during Reunion Homecoming. His emphasis on education and its future provided the initial spark for him and his co-leader D'Shai, a student whose passion for mentorship is contagious, to delve deeper into an issue that has a tremendous bearing on the future.