Seeing School Through Students’ Eyes

In many ways, the students make the school. Therefore, what the kids have to say about the school greatly reflects the school itself.

So, what do Santa Fe High students say about our school, their workload, teacher relationships, and the transition between grades?

Of all the people I talked to, there seemed to be a recurring theme: Teachers need to understand that giving a lot of homework is not always the best choice.

Noah Sarkissian, a freshman, wanted to let his teachers know that “Kids have other things outside of their classes and they aren’t always the number one priority.” Noah runs track, cross country, and is in student government.

Some kids don’t have three hours to do their math homework every night. “I wish teachers would understand that our lives don’t revolve around school,” said Aliyah Lucero, a senior. “We have jobs and friends and extra activities that we enjoy, but those things tend to get outdone by the amount of homework we get.”

According The Washington Post, one-third of U.S. high school dropouts left school to work.

“They should understand their class is not the only class we have; it’s one of many,” explains Melissa Montoya.

But junior Emma Montoya said, “Generally most teachers understand that giving out a lot of homework for one class is insane because we all have stuff to do.”

Other students, such as Megan Varnum, think that school could be improved if the teachers understood what it was like to be a student. She elaborates, “I wish they understood the stress of class as well as just plain high school experiences.”

As far as other concerns about teachers, senior Carley Cook had something to say about how students are treated: “I wish that they would understand that as high school students, we are stuck between treated as middle-schoolers and adults. If we could be treated as adults all the time, we’d respond better to their assignments and expectations.”

The treatment of students was another recurring subject.

Camila Seluja laments, “Some teachers are biased against more slacker students.”

Noah disagrees: “Some teachers really care about the students. It depends on whether the student is willing to take action. I think every student should be treated with equal respect.”

Sophomore Joseph Gonzales wishes teachers would understand that “sometimes the students don’t understand what the teacher is trying to say and they are not interested in what they are trying to get us to do.”

For example, for some people, a worksheet is not the same as being taught. “Busy work wastes time,” says Philip Castaneda. “The best teachers aren’t the ones who teach out of a book.” Philip thinks that in order to make a lesson more interesting, the teacher must learn to “put their own spin on it.”

It is not uncommon to hear that school is a place of growth and change. A lot of parents say that high school is a time for figuring out who we are. In high school, our views begin to form and we become aware of much more of the world.

When reflecting on her time at Santa Fe High, Aliyah says, “I see a lot more of what the teachers have to do and why they get so frustrated dealing with the administration. I see now that a lot of people get spoiled, meaning that instead of earning things, if they know people, they get whatever they want.”

The transition from grade to grade is often a difficult time. Classes get harder, expectations grow, and adulthood creeps closer.

Theo Goujon, a sophomore, says, “This year I feel there is much more pressure to do well because of the simple fact that I am a sophomore and feel the need to set a positive example of someone who can play sports, play an instrument, and still care and maintain good grades.”

Whether it is stress, teachers, or growing up, we all have something to say about school. But the real question is, what can we do to change school for the better?