We’re Doing Good Work Here

In conversation with Nate Christen who’s taught English at PYC Arts & Tech for 13 years: 

“It’s so rewarding to see students be successful here when they’ve struggled elsewhere. You really see that what you’re offering to them is working – not all the time, but often. We’re doing good work here. 

Our students, for different reasons, have been unsuccessful in the big schools. They bring a lot of different school experiences to PYC – many bring negative school experiences – and they’re looking for something different here. They’re often behind in credits, but they want to graduate!  So we look at what they’ve done, fill in the gaps and get them there. 

Many of our students are traumatized by educational, community, or family experiences. I’d also describe them as curious, hopeful, and resilient. There are some who come in really wanting to be the first member of their family to finish high school and to go on to college or some type of training after school. 

As a teacher, I like the smaller class sizes, the stronger support for the students, and the flexibility I have in working with the kids. I’m able to give them more voice and choice in the topics they study and the books they read.

Sometimes this job requires grace. Patience. Flexibility. Resilience. It’s hard to deal with student conflict, and to compete with the demands that keep kids from attending school every day. But these students are really no different from students at the big high schools, except that they have more issues with which they’re dealing. They have aspirations. They want the same things. Sometimes they just want to be kids. 

My wish for our students is that they are successful here at PYC. And I hope that we’ve prepared them well, so they can be successful in life after high school, too.”