Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

West High School Community Inquiry Activity
Part I: The School Community
West High School is located near the Downtown and Marmalade neighborhoods of Salt Lake
City Proper. Established in 1890, it is celebrating 125 years of education this school year. It serves
students from Rose Park, Downtown Salt Lake City, and the Avenues. Students also commute in from
the greater Salt Lake Area for the International Baccalaureate and middle school Extended Learning
Program. The school currently has 2,559 students enrolled (West High School, 2015).
General Observations.
The Halls.
West High School is a large school, encompassing four stories of original school building, a twostory science and technology wing, and a field house. Because of this, students can have long distances to
travel between classes. Passing period is six minutes, just enough time for students to use the restroom
before hurrying on to their next classes (this is the idea). Many students, struggling to separate from their
friends during passing periods, walk each other to class at the expense of their own punctuality. Some
students will also be late to their third period classes because they are talking to their friends who have
first lunch, and dont have to get to class. This school year the faculty, staff, and administration are trying
to crack down on tardiness, truancies, and students wandering the halls during instructional time. As
such, students are required to obtain an admit ticket from the attendance office if they are late to class,
and many teachers lock their doors during class time.
Despite this rigorous attendance policy, there are many students in the halls after the bell rings. This
may be because it is early in the year and students are still orienting themselves, or it may be residual
school culture from previous years when punctuality was not strictly enforced. I am inclined to think it is
the former due to the time of the year. It seems like many students are struggling to master the double
numbering system within the main school. The tech wing and the main building have identical

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

numbering except for a letter T preceding the class numbers in the tech wing. It is understandably
confusing for new students.
Despite the size of the school, there is very little on the walls in most of the building. There are
several works of sculpture in the main building, and several displays of Panthers athletics paraphernalia,
as well as posters with school rules and mission statements. There is a display of all the U.S. presidents
lining the staircase in the main building, running from George Washington on the first floor, to Barak
Obama on the 4th floor. The American history dcor continues on the outer wall of the auditorium, with a
photographic representation of America the Beautiful, and various replications of U.S. founding
documents. Adjacent to the auditorium is a wall painted with inspirational quotes, a gift to the school
from the class of 2003.
In the Tech wing, the same trend of bare walls is essentially continued, with several exceptions.
There is a large science-themed mural on a side corridor of the wing, and two display cases curated with
items representing all of the science disciplines taught in the school. Many of the teachers also decorate
the glass part of their classroom doors, so that they dont have a window into their room. It also lends a
small amount of personality to each room. There is one wall displaying art of different genres and by
different artists. It looks like it could be student work, but there are no indications of who created them.
Lunch Time.
The students at West are divided into two groups for lunch, based on where their third period class is.
This year, first and second floor and the tech wing have second lunch at 12:25 pm, so that is the lunch
period I observed. Students have thirty minutes for lunch, and they are allowed to leave the campus if
they wish. However, many of the students participate in the free and reduced lunch program, so there is
not a mass exodus from the school at lunch times. Based on conversations with students in my classes,
those students with higher socioeconomic status are more likely to leave campus. However, many
students get their lunch from the cafeteria and then sit outside or across the street from school. There are
several shady spots that are a quick walk from the cafeteria.

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

In the cafeteria itself, there was a large amount of self-segregating by the students. Generally, I
observed that the boys and girls sat separately, and ethnic groups sat together. Girls and boys mixed more
as they got older, and there was some mixing based on race, but these were the broad trends I observed.
The Latino, black, and pacific islander populations were largely consuming school lunches, while
Caucasian and Asian students were more likely to have a lunch from home or to leave campus altogether.
Many students appear not to eat a real lunch, instead visiting the vending machines for chips, candy, or
soda. There are lots of students who mill around in the halls during lunch as well. There is not enough
room in either of the two cafeterias to accommodate all the students having lunch, so many find places to
sit in the halls, or they eat out on the lawn in front of the school. I would imagine that the halls become
more crowded during lunchtime in the winter, when the weather is not nice enough to be outside.
Dress.
Most of the male students at the school wear the same two pairs of pantseither denim or khakis
with elastic around the ankles. This trend is across all high school grades, ethnic groups, and social
groups. Another trend that bridges the gap between groups is footwear choice. An overwhelming
majority of the students wear high top converse. Many of the Latina girls in my classes and others have
been coming in with new, very short haircuts in the first few weeks. Many of them previously had very
long hair, but are opting to cut it short. They also wear heavy makeup. Another prevalent hair trend is to
dye it varying shades of blue, green, purple, or all three.
The type of book bag a student carries is indicative of relative affluence. Students from families with
higher income tend to have fancier, name brand backpacks or bags, and they have more school supplies to
carry around with them. Students in lower socioeconomic brackets carry older, smaller backpacks or
book bags, and they dont have very much in them. Another trend in student dress is school-related
clothing. Students who are involved in athletics wear their uniforms or school colors on competition
days. Students who are involved in student government or academic clubs will also often wear a school
letter sweater as well.
Language.

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

The use of profanity is prolific in the hallways during passing time. Much of the conversation that I
am able to observe revolves around two subjects: how many people there are in the halls, which class
students just came from, and where they are headed next. Many of the Latino and Latina students speak
Spanish in the hallways. They also teach their non-Latino buddies phrases, which you can overhear in the
hallways. Many of these phrases are crude or profane.
Interests.
Because of the wide age range of students at the school, there is also a wide range of interests that
I have observed through both time spent in the hallways and time spent in the classrooms. The middle
school students were very interested in the approach of Halloween, and all of the haunted houses and
candy that come with it. They were also reading the Martian in their language arts class, and were
anxiously awaiting the release of the movie. Many of them are active in sports, including soccer, dance,
and football. They were very willing to discuss their interests with me.
My high school students were less willing to share information with me, especially at the
beginning of the year. I spent more time listening in on their conversations in the hall early in the year.
Some of the things they talk about in the hallways include soccer, other school sports (especially
football), and the weird (to them) things that teachers do. Many of them constantly have their earbuds in
and are listening to music. More insidiously, they also talk about parties, weed and alcohol, and who they
know that is pregnant.
Groups.
The most noticeable groups seem to be the different tracks at the school. The ELP students are very
loyal to each other, and spend lots of time together during the school day. Another grouping I have
noticed is of the students who went to middle school together at Northwest. As the biggest of the middle
schools feeding West, many of the students come from there, and they know each other well. Generally,
this group is tracked into general classes, and many of them are in my general biology classes. The other
academic group is the students in the IB program, especially science. They take so many classes together
that the see each other all the time, and walk around the school together frequently.

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

Students also group themselves into athletic or extracurricular groups. This is especially apparent,
because athletic teams will often dress in uniform when they have a meet or game, and congregate
together on these days.
Territory.
While there is not quad or central gathering area other than the two cafeterias, one trend I noticed is
that students tend to congregate in groups, especially in the front entrance, near the panther statue. It can
be incredibly congested in this area between classes. The ELP students also stick together. Their cohort
has been in school together sometimes for many years, and most of them know each other well. The 7th
grade students quickly discovered a shortcut to get past the congestion of the panther area, and all show
up outside the door of their next class, even if it is lunch time.
Classroom.
At the school-wide level, West is a very diverse environment. However, individual classes are not
necessarily diverse. The school employs several levels of tracking, with general, honors, AP/IB, and
middle school ELP all in one school. The result of this is that students have classes with the same group
of peers, and that the tracks are stratified. The trend I have observed is that the general classes are
predominantly Latino, with fewer students from other racial backgrounds. The inverse is true in the
higher-level classes, where the demographic is predominantly Caucasian and Asian, with fewer students
from Latino, pacific island, or black demographics.
Student Shadow.
JesusMale, Latino, 9th Grade, reluctant honors track.
I chose to shadow Jesus because of a comment he made to me on the first day of school. He
walked into first period Biology, and asked me when school would be out for the summer. In the first
days of school, he had very little interest in participating, but has gotten to be slightly more gregarious as
the school year is progressing. There were a couple of trends I noticed from shadowing Jesus. He has
lots of friends and likes to chat. If he finishes his work early, he starts chatting with his buddies and
preventing them from completing their work. He always wants to have his ear buds in, and if he thinks he

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

can get away with it, he will try. In all of his other classes I observed him in, he finished his work early
and then spend much of the rest of the time distracted and distracting others. One last thing I learned
while observing Jesus was that he had a nickname he preferred. I hadnt thought to ask, and he didnt
bother to tell me.
One change I have already made is to start calling Jesus by his preferred name. After shadowing
him, I confirmed with him that he wanted to be addressed by his nickname, and he did. Another insight
from shadowing Jesus is that he is more academically talented that I assumed, based upon his comments
and behavior in the first days of class. He has consistently been turning in high quality work on time, and
he works diligently as long as he stays on task. Any downtime in lessons leads to chatting, so I have tried
to make transitions as smooth and quick as possible. This seems to be helping him and other students
stay on task better through the 90-minute class period. Observing Jesus provided me an opportunity to
check my personal biases and to get a better idea of what kind of student he is.
I am curious about what Jesus experience in school has been like to date. He told me he wanted
to go to college after high school when I asked him about his interests outside of school, but I wasnt sure
if he was being sincere or not. I would be curious to know if he has liked school in the past, and specific
things have been positive or negative for him. I still think that his comment at the start of the school year
is telling about his personal experience in school, and I want to know more about that.
FrankFemale, Caucasian, 9th Grade, ADHD, showing up and completing work.
Frank stood out to me from the beginning of the year as someone I could learn a lot about by
shadowing her.

She was not excited to be studying Biology, but she told me that her middle school

counselor had forced her to take it because she was very smart. The then proceeded to diligently not
participate in class and not turn in any work. I thought that maybe there might be some other issue
bothering her, which is why I chose to shadow her. Throughout the first part of the year, Frank struggled
to come to class consistently, hand work in, and stay alert and engaged during instructional time. She did
the most work when we did hands-on activities, so I incorporated as many of those as possible. They are
also engaging for my other students.

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

Franks behavior in her other classes was similar to my class. I shadowed her in her 9th grade
geography class, language arts class, and steel drum ensemble class. As far as interactions with her other
teachers, she was never disruptive or unruly, but she also didnt volunteer information readily. Like in
my class, she was not engaged in any of her other classes. In her geography class, she and several other
students around her were passing a note back and forth, making fun of another girl in their class. They
seemed oblivious to the fact that I was directly behind them, and that I could read everything the note
said. The teacher never noticed. In her language arts class, instead of self-starting her grammar starter,
she was drawing fish scales (very beautifully) on her hand and arm, to the point that ink was everywhere
each time she went to write. The teacher in this class repeatedly and gently prompted her back to her
work.
I observed a different set of behaviors in her steel drum ensemble class. I expected this class to
be different, as an elective, but I was surprised by her behavior. After greeting her friend, who was in this
class too, Frank wandered around the room for several minutes before the bell rang. Right after the bell
rang, she intercepted the director, asked him if she could leave for one reason or another. I waited for
about 10 minutes while the director got class started, hoping that she would return. She never did, so I
left. On my way back to my classroom, I passed her sitting in the hallway around the corner.
I took some time to sit down and talk with Frank after several weeks of school had gone by and
she was still totally checked out of class. We spoke privately, and she was surprisingly open with me. I
asked her if there was anything going on that she wanted to share with me, and she told me that she was
currently undergoing testing for ADHD, and that she had been struggling with migraines. When I asked
her how her other classes were going, she said that they were similar, and that just going was hard. I also
asked her if there was anything I could do to make class better for her, but she didnt really have an
answer. I was very happy that she was willing to speak freely with me, but it was not the most productive
of conversations in terms of helping her be more successful in my class. I think the best thing that came
out of our conversation was some common ground, and a better relationship to work from.

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

Part II: The Surrounding Community
General observations.
The following observations are based upon my time spent in and around West High School. My
general observations of the community around West High School are that it is much closer to downtown
than I initially realized, and that it has unrivaled access to public transportation going all over the Wasatch
front. There are two nearby areas that are going through urban revivals: the Marmalade District, and the
North Temple Gateway area. Marmalade is currently the focus of some high impact new constructiona
new branch of the City Library. I perceive the area immediately around the school to be a relatively safe
area. However, as a white female, the Gateway area and UTA train tracks are also right nearby, which
makes it seem slightly less safe to be walking around alone.
Natural beauty.
The campus of West is obviously old, and it has the trees to show for it. Well-established trees
and lawn space surround the building. There are also fantastic cityscapes and views of the Wasatch
Mountains directly southeast of the school. However, there are also nice views of the oil refineries and
gravel pits to the north of the school, which somewhat detract from the natural beauty of the area. For
access to open space, City Creek Canyon and the Jordan River Parkway are very close to the school
neighborhood.
Indicators of change.
Salt Lake City is in a period of growth and change. There are several indicators of this change in
the community around West High School. The first indicator is the extension of the airport Trax line,
which demonstrates the emerging commitment to sustainability in Salt Lake City. The second indicator is
a new business about to open just north of the school. Mountain West Hard Cider has recently set up a
brewing and retail establishment, which is indicative of a change in the general culture in Salt Lake City.
Long thought of as very conservative, Salt Lake City is changing, as demonstrated by the proliferation of
craft beverage companies including this one near the school.
Indicators of growth.

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

There is lots of construction happening in the area around West. Directly across the street from
the tech wing of the school, there is construction underway on a new apartment complex. There is also a
new branch of the city library currently being built in the Marmalade District, just north of the school.
Recently completed, the airport Trax line also provides additional public transportation access to more
areas of the valley.
Kid-friendly resources.
While West High School is close to downtown, there are still several notable kid-friendly
attractions. Three of these resources are located at the Gateway Mall. It is home to the Clark
Planetarium, a heavily used splash pad, and the Discovery Childrens Museum. There are many county
parks in the Rose Park neighborhood, and also open green space at the Utah State Capital, and in Memory
Grove below City Creek. When it opens, the Marmalade branch of the City Library will also be a
fantastic resource for children.
Local Businesses.
There are many local businesses in the area around West High School, but for brevity I will focus on
those that are the closest. Directly across the street from the high school is Cali Burger, which is heavily
frequented by students. It is most likely there for that specific reason. The Soup Kitchen is also close by.
Saturday Cycles, a local bike shop, has called this area of Salt Lake home for many years. Also in the
area are the Marmalade branch of the Landis Salon, Red Rocks Brewing Warehouse, and the new
Mountain West Hard Cider Company.
Is the community proud of the school?
The surrounding community seems to embrace the school, and the alumni of the school are
particularly loyal. Athletics, especially football, seem to be a large source of community pride, despite
the fact that the team is self-admittedly bad. There are always full stands at home games, and students
and community-members alike travel to games to support their teams. Since this is the 125th anniversary
of the school, there are also banners up around the school celebrating this milestone.
How diverse is the community?

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

One of the unique things about this school is how it is positioned to bring together ethnically and
socioeconomically diverse populations in one school. Some of the demographics that I see represented in
the surrounding community include the indigent population, the Latino community, black African
refugees, and others that dont fall into these parameters. There is also a wide range of socioeconomic
levels in this community, which is directly reflected inside West High School. The affluence of the
Capitol Hill and avenues neighborhoods contrasts to the accessibility of housing in Rose Park for a wide
range of socioeconomic statuses.
Where do people work?
West High School is very close to downtown Salt Lake City, so there are many employment
opportunities available in this community. These opportunities include the LDS church offices and
Business College, Energy Solutions arena and the Utah Jazz, and the myriad businesses and
establishments of the downtown area. Because of the proximity to both I-15 and public transportation,
movement to other areas of the valley for work is relatively simple. The University of Utah is also
relatively close to this community, and offers quite a number of employment options.
How do people spend their leisure time?
Because the school is not right in the middle of a neighborhood, it was somewhat hard to know
what people were up to. It is so close to downtown, that I observed lots of commuter activities, but fewer
leisure activities. However, the residents of the nearby neighborhoods go out and walk their dogs and
take care of their yards. The area around the school is also a draw for people from other neighborhoods to
spend their leisure time. It is walking distance to the gateway, the LDS church compound, City Creek
Center, and the downtown farmers market. These areas attract people from all over when they are not
working.
What is something that surprised you about the area?
The school felt very isolated from surrounding neighborhoods, like it was an island perched on
the edge of many neighborhoods, but not truly a part of any one neighborhood. I also expected to see
more students walking to school, rather taking school buses or public transport. The natural beauty of the

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

area also surprised me. I expected to only see the refineries and the highway, but there are lots of trees
and nice views to be had.
What is a question you might ask residents?
I am curious whether or not the residents of the neighborhoods around west feel like they are part
of a community, or if they identify as residents of Salt Lake City more generally. I would also want to
know how they feel the area has changed, and whether they thought the changes were positive or
negative.
Part III: Next Steps for Teaching
Based on my observations of West High School, the surrounding community, and my student
shadows, I have been able to develop some ideas for incorporating student context into my curriculum. In
my first weeks at West, I observed that there was a strong students versus teachers mentality, and so one
of my goals for my classes is to focus on creating a strong classroom community. This includes learning
and using students names, helping students get to know one another, and incorporating democracy into
the classroom.
Another area of focus for my student teaching experience will be recognizing students from
diverse backgrounds, and showing examples of science that they can relate to. From the first days in my
classroom, many of my general biology students have no intrinsic motivation to study science. They are
there because their counselor told them this was the science they should take. To engage and motivate
these students, I plan to show them examples of Biology they can relate to, so that they learn to think
about science as more than just memorizing facts and vocabulary.
Next steps specific to Jesus (Chuy) come down to high expectations and good classroom
management. Much of the behaviors I observed when I was shadowing Chuy seemed to revolve around
expectations. He was always finishing his work quickly but not thoroughly, and then he was up and
chatting with his buddies, distracting them from their own work. In my classroom, I plan to work with
Chuy on developing more consciousness of craft, so that he starts taking more care with his work. I also

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

think that a full and engaging lesson plan that keeps him and rest of my students working for the full 90
minute block will be very beneficial for him.
When I spoke privately with Frank, I got the impression that what she needed was someone who
would give her a chance when she was started doing some work. Its hard to keep bias out your
impression of a student when they are so unengaged, but that will be my challenge with Frank. When she
is ready to work, to be there to support her.
Being able to take the time to shadow different students and learn about school culture was a
hugely productive exercise for me. I learned a lot about the two students I shadowed, and looking closely
at school and community culture helped me tailor my lessons to the needs of my students. It was also a
luxury, as many of my colleagues remarked to me when I went to their classroom for my shadows. This
is something I will have to actively make time for as I move forward in my teaching career.

Teacher Work Sample Part I: Research on Context/ Community Inquiry Activity

Sarah M. Spector

References:
West High School. (2015, October 12). Retrieved from Salt Lake City School District website:
http://www.slcschools.org/schools/high-schools/West-High-School.php#.Vl58juODGkq