The school I am working in is a relatively wealthy district with high achieving students and a manageable size. All of these characteristics put it at an advantage over other schools, although it doesn't automatically mean the school and its students will be successful. Everything started with the administration, primarily the Principal that we met as we walked in the school. He expressed to us the laid-back nature of the school and how surprised he himself was when he first came to the school. One could say that the students deal with freedom and responsibility well and meet the expectations laid out for them.
My cooperating teacher began each class period with a time for students to discuss their "wins." These were simply positive things that happened over the weekend or the previous night. In this specific scenario, the school had been closed for an entire week due to weather so the students were eager to see each other again and share what they had done the previous ten days.
This created a free environment where it felt acceptable to discuss all topics and felt like a community. Additionally, students are allowed to have their phones out during free time, they can take notes on laptops or tablets, and can eat snacks or drinks during the class period. All three of these were foreign to me as they were outlawed in my high school. The administration, the teacher, and the intervention specialist all reiterated the same idea: they will have freedom in college or the real world so they must learn how to manage things now.
I thought this was a fantastic mindset and I am truly excited to see how the rest of my placement goes!