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In Their Own Words, Urban Students Make Suggestions for Improving the Appearance of Their Schools

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When people walk past our schools, they like to see if it’s nice. If the school [is] dirty they think that the students must be bad & aren’t learning a thing. When a school is clean, people think that people are learning. How a school looks shows how the students & teachers must be.

–Julio, high school student

Abstract

In their own words, 50 students in two Los Angeles area schools reveal their feelings about litter, graffiti, and the appearance of their schools. The analysis includes a discussion of the research in environmental psychology as it pertains to overcrowding, noise and pollution, design and appearance, and their effects on productivity. Excerpts of students’ writings are included in their own words. The article concludes with solutions proposed by the students to create a clean and attractive school: more trashcans, nicely painted walls, and maintain landscaping.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education, West Chester University, 210C Recitation Hall, West Chester, PA, 19383, USA

    Kim Doan

  2. Lynchburg City Schools, Lynchburg, VA, USA

    Brian Jablonski

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  1. Kim Doan
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  2. Brian Jablonski
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Correspondence to Kim Doan.

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Doan, K., Jablonski, B. In Their Own Words, Urban Students Make Suggestions for Improving the Appearance of Their Schools. Urban Rev 44, 649–663 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-012-0218-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-012-0218-1

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