YOST4315: Youthwork in Schools

Most young people (12-18 years) in the U.S. spend at least 6 hours per day for at least 6 years in a school building, doing “school work.” There, they are students, and participate in adult-designed classes, in co-curricular activities such as clubs and teams and in youth-formed worlds and social groups. Typically, educators learn some about adolescent development and psychology, about what is typical and common of young people in middle and high school. Professional staff learn to read and understand these youth primarily as students and less so as full, complex, individuals. This course intends to enrich the knowledge of school professionals in two ways: One contribution will be centered on young people and their life-worlds, in school, outside and between the two, e.g. family, work lives, play lives, spiritual lives, friendship lives, etc. The second is a focus on youthwork as a craft orientation and occupation. In this view, most professional educators can approach some of their work as youthworkers, and they can work with designated youthworkers from the school and community agencies to reimagine the relationship and power dynamics between young people and adults in schools. The goals are more effective partnership with young people through deeper understanding of them as human beings and not just students. Prior completion of into course in education or youth studies is highly recommended.

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