I try to get them to see what that really means. It's taken me a long time, but I have finally realized that I get students to learn by building relationships with them. They really want someone to care about them. I'm always amazed at how important that is to every one of the students I have. Boger, a member of UTLA, is opposed to vouchers.
Kids have the opportunity to get a good education at public high schools.
This program proves that they have the opportunity to do that. It doesn't make sense to take money away from my school and my students, and siphon it off to private schools. At lunchtime, students gather in Boger's class to eat lunch and talk about themselves and their school. Unlike many high school students, they are extremely articulate, confident and thoughtful. To be successful, I have to focus on academics and make myself appealing to colleges, which means extracurricular activities.