- friends
- a caring adult
- food
- socialization
- something to do
- structure
- purpose to action
- to explore
- to feel needed
- to talk and be listened to
- to listen
- a refuge
- awe and wonder
- to value others
- to value others’ work
- to be valued
- to experience
- to test the limits
- to challenge
- to question
- to create a product
- to be accepted
- validation
- attention
- comfort (basic needs: heat, water, plumbing, etc.)
- can be a kid (not care for younger siblings, etc.)
- to understand
- to receive a compliment
- to be seen, recognized
- to construct identity
In addition to teaching for Chicago Public Schools, I teach Curriculum and Instruction in the Middle School through UIC to mainly Chicago Public School teachers. We came up with the above list of things that have inherent value at school: what they love. It shows that what’s important at school is a lot broader than the “content”.