SEEQING STUDENTS’ VOICES: HIGH SCHOOLERS’ REFLECTIONS OF THEIR POST-MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCES

Abstract

SEEQS: the School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability is a Public Charter School that serves middle school (grades 6–8) students. This narrative case study aims to explore how SEEQS alumni experience their new educational environments, specifically public high schools on O‘ahu. Understanding graduates’ experiences post-SEEQS through the stories they describe can offer valuable insight to SEEQS’ efforts of growth and development. A review of literature relating to student voice endeavors provided reference for the conceptual framework and methodologies. Sixteen participants were recruited through criterion-based sampling, which defined participants as students who attended SEEQS for all three years of middle school and who were enrolled in a public high school on O‘ahu at the time of this study. The main sources of data collection were individual interviews and a focus group interview. The following four findings emerged: relationships with teachers were pivotal parts of school experiences, EQS (Essential Question of Sustainability) was an impactful part of the SEEQS experience, there was a disconnect between academic experiences at SEEQS and high school, and students felt prepared for the level of academic work in high school. Four takeaways summarize this study’s recommendations: invest in teachers to foster strong student-teacher relationships, invest in meaningful learning experiences, prepare students for culturally different learning communities, and continue including students in reflective practices. Although these findings and takeaways were constructed based on SEEQS-specific data, other learning communities that share commonalities with SEEQS may also find this study useful to guide their own reflective discussions.