Enrichment: What is it?

Taking a look at the past, East High School has had several forms of after school tutoring for students. Each time it has been a different time and name, but they all have served the same purpose. In 2022, there were study tables from around 3:20 to 5. Last year there was a tutorial once a week from 3:30 to 4, and “office hours” everyday after school. Now we have “Enrichment”.

Enrichment was first devised because East’s current bell schedule does not meet the Colorado Board of Educations required instructional minutes. Including Enrichment, and saying students are obligated to be there makes it so the time that enrichment runs can be attributed to that required amount of time. Students have been told to think about it as a part of the school day. A big concern about Enrichment is the spontaneity of it since it does not follow any schedule. Cameron Brown, athletic director at East High School explains, “Teachers can say that they need you to come to enrichment and you are expected to be there because it is part of the school day now. The difference from before is that I couldn't tell you to come in after school to do this thing because you might have other plans but here I could say, ‘yeah come to this’.” According to this, at any point in time we could have to go to enrichment because of its new label and purpose.

This is concerning because enrichment will affect each student differently. Teachers have a lot of authority with this new form. By report of Mr. Brown, teachers are allowed to have students come in for various reasons, some being taking the BESS surveys and others being to make up for time when students are tardy to class. Last year, tutorial was used as purely tutoring; students could come in freely whenever they felt they needed help. This year, it is less at our disposal, and is more open to be enforced by teachers.

On the contrary, Mr. Brown describes the positive ways that teachers can use Enrichment, “Teachers are able to use this to do intervention. Across the spectrum we need to target kids where they are and get them to grow and that happens through more targeted intervention. If we have students that are all in the same place we can push students to do this thing that they can't do in class to get students to grow.” This poses a good point. Enrichment can also be used to help students get the things that they are not getting in class. Students at all different academic levels should have the opportunity and resources to continue to grow in their education. Enrichment is a place outside of the busy classroom where this type of growth can be fostered.

Unfortunately, most students have authority issues, naturally adolescents want to disobey older people or the people in charge of them. And lots of teachers have control issues. Psychology Today says, “Freedom of choice is the breath of adolescent life because it allows for more independent functioning and individual expression to develop.” In adolescence, freedom is important and valued because of how teens are building their identity, so this freedom craving leads them to often push authority figures. The two of these make for often hostile teacher-student relationships. Students feel like the teachers have it out for them, teachers feel overwhelmed by constant defiance. Either way this new power teachers have, opens up discipline in a new way that can possibly be targeted.

Enrichment causes a butterfly effect that administration may not have seen. The idea of this is that a small event could have a huge impact in the bigger picture. This concept is based on the theory that a butterfly flapping its wings could potentially cause a tornado or typhoon. Enrichment will most likely not be causing any tornados, but it could have a large impact on students after school schedules. Academically driven students stay up until the AMs, grinding ridiculously strenuous classwork and studies. A small requirement like Enrichment is a blip in our go-go-go lives that can cause unnecessary stress.

The unpredictability of enrichment takes away a student's sense of control and independence. It is crucial that students feel comfortable going to this extra school time, if not it defeats the purpose. Ms. Skarpol, AP Pre-Calc teacher, says, “On Wednesdays I've probably had 3-4 people. On Monday, Tuesday and Friday I have 1-2. I think there are some students not taking advantage of it that should. But since I haven't given a lot of assessments so far it hasn't pushed them to come to me yet.” This is proof that Enrichment is not being fully utilized yet but because it is still early in the year, it is too soon to tell.