When Devoid of Direction, Observe

I have been observing elementary school teachers for the past few weeks, a part of the curriculum for my Education 401 class - Elementary/Adolescent Psychology in Education. I had a bit of an experience when I first departed my home not far from Loyola's campus. I was headed for Kentwood Elementary, a school I had passed many times before en route to a friend's house, along a drunken stroll, - point being I had an image of what the school looked like in my head. Kentwood Koalas was painted on the schoolyard wall - how could I forget the image of a koala?

I was walking along West 77th, headed toward the Vons at Kentwood and 80th, and ran into what I thought was Kentwood - but turned out to be Cowan Elementary. They were the Tigers; I began feeling foolish. I kept walking and came across another elementary school. As I was shielded by the elderly crossing guard I caught a glance of a girl's sweatshirt - Orville Wright it read. At this point I was walking along Emerson wishing I had taken my bicycle or had enough back pocket to own a car. I began thinking about how many families must live in Westchester. There are at least four Elementary schools in the Kentwood/Westchester area - counting Loyola Village, plus nearby Paseo Del dey Rey and Grand View Boulevard Elementary. It's no wonder LAUSD scores so low on the charts; there are too many kids!

-- Ryan Cavalier
(image: kentwood logo via facebook)