Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/297225
P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S C O T T B U S C H M A N Learning Best practice hoping we might be recognized for affecting the civic consciousness of students." Delgado was fi rst approached to create the class by a male principal who was worried that female students at the school had low self-esteem, a high pregnancy rate and boyfriends who could be abusive. "He asked me if I could possibly address all these issues in one class," recalls Delgado, Merced Union High School District Teachers Association. "I was very excited about reaching out to the female students at our school." Much of the curriculum is "student-driven" and has evolved over the years, based on student feedback. She now has two classes, and she just submitted proposals for a global women's studies class, an AP women's literature class, and a class on Title IX, which was supposed to level the playing fi eld for women's sports. Introspection and refl ection During the first semester, students look inward. They discuss things like body image, bullying, self-esteem, drugs and alcohol. They may share painful experiences in their lives such as family dysfunction, cyberbully- ing and domestic violence. Classroom discussions sometimes resemble therapy sessions. "We need to discover w h o w e a r e b e f o r e w e u n d e r s t a n d w h a t h i s - t o r i c a l f e m a l e f i g u r e s accomplished," explains Delgado. D u r i n g t h e s e c o n d semester, students look o u t w a r d a n d f o c u s o n the accomplishments of U.S. women in history, from Plymouth Rock to the present. One of those fi gures is Steinem, author and advocate for women's equality in the workplace and society. Talking to present-day f e m a l e ro l e m o d e l s o n Skype is the icing on the cake. Students feel empowered and valued when successful women connect with them. Through answers to interview questions, students understand the importance of education in achieving goals and setting priorities. "I love this class," says student Yolanda Hernandez. "It's really been eye-opening." "I've learned that women are all really very much alike," says Jackie Bap- tista. "We all have a lot of personal things that we are dealing with and when we share that, we can relate to one another." D e l g a d o ' s s t u d e n t s s a y t h e y a r e l i k e a f a m i l y where members support one another without feeling judged. That includes some teenage parents, whom Delgado encourages. "In this class, they learn that having a child isn't the end of the world. They learn in here that they can go to college and be a positive role model for their child." Looking to the future After the Q-and-A with Campbell ends, the class turns to another topic: the Steubenville football players who raped a high school girl incapacitated by alcohol while peers stood by, videotaping and posting the act on social media. Students in small groups discuss why boys would assume an unconscious girl is giving consent to having sex; why students stood by when another student needed their help; why parents provided alcohol to minors; and how their own parents might feel about underage drinking. Sometimes parents send mixed messages about teen drinking, Delgado tells the class. Her students nod in agreement. A t t h e e n d o f c l a s s i s a " p o s t - a s s e s s m e n t " w h e re students discuss whether their views have changed on alcohol, what they have learned, and how it may affect their own parenting style in the future. One girl says she will take a "calmer approach" than her own parents and work to build a strong relationship with her children. Another says she will talk with her future husband so they present a united front and avoid sending mixed messages to their offspring. "I want them to take what they have learned from our discussion in class and open up the lines of communication with their parents," says Del- gado. "I want to open their eyes so they see women in a different light. I want them to know they can set long-term goals for themselves. I want them to know they can indeed break the cycle of poverty and achieve their dreams." Nathan Bungcayao and Lillie Blackburn discuss the topic at hand. 42 A P R I L 2 0 1 4 Educator 04 Apr 2014 v2.3 int.indd 42 4/15/14 12:05 AM