Students Explore Baltimore Beyond 'The Wire'
A class at Bryn Mawr uses pop culture touchstones to examine Charm City's past, present and future.
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Julie Clark, was teaching an elective on modern Africa at Bryn Mawr Scool about five years ago, when a student told her how much the turmoil on that continent reminded her of Baltimore.
Clark said the student, who was a Baltimore resident, told her that the city, much like Africa, had always been troubled and would always be troubled.
"I thought, ‘oh my gosh’ It felt terrible to hear this girl say this. And to be 18 and have this picture of Baltimore," Clark said.
So Clark, who grew up in Ten Hills, developed the class "Down to The Wire," which is open to seniors at Bryn Mawr, Gilman School and Roland Park Country School, to give students the opportunity to delve deeper into the issues facing Baltimore using unorthodox materials, such as The Corner and The Wire.
"I was thinking about how can we frame this in a way that’s understandable to teenagers that these problems aren’t larger than us and aren’t insurmountable," she said.
But the class doesn’t limit students to learning about the city through fiction and nonfiction. Clark takes students on the University of Baltimore’s driving tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. riots, and requires students to go to various neighborhoods to perform surveys and talk to residents as part of the class.
Eliza Steiner, a 17-year-old Cockeysville resident, didn’t really know too much about Baltimore, but was curious. She had heard stories about life in the city from her grandmother, who grew up in Dickeyville, but she wanted to form her own perspective.
"I think it opened up my comfort level with the city, because living in the county, I’ve been afraid to go into the city in to certain areas," Steiner said. "But [Clark] taught us signs to look out for and for things that you might want to stay away from, she also told us that some of these areas really aren’t as bad as we thought they are."
Steiner, a senior at Bryn Mawr, said one of the most memorable experiences happened while she and a classmate were standing on North Avenue in the Walbrook community trying to gather interviews for a project.
While they were standing there a man on a bike—sensing the pair were slightly out of place—rode up to see if they were OK. The students and the man began talking and he started telling the students about his life and his plans for the future.
"He was telling us all about his life and how he was becoming a barber, and getting his barber’s license and trying to make a life for himself," she said.
Drew Ghysels, a Gilman senior who moved to Lake Roland a few years ago from Florida, said the class helped put his new hometown, and its problems, into perspective. He said learning about the class helped him put the city and its struggles—especially with drugs—into context.
"I really like the class. It was a lot of discussion, a lot of free talk, a lot of talking about whatever came to mind, talking about the issues we see. [Clark] did the class really well," Ghysels said.
Clark said that teaching the class has changed her life, and that it has provided a rare opportunity for an educator to see something they’ve taught impact a student’s life.
“To actually be involved in the way [students] view things feels great. And that they don’t just come away with 'this is a rotten city, and I want to get out of here,'” Clark said.
In This article
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Bryn Mawr School
109 W Melrose Ave, Baltimore, MD -
Gilman School
5407 Roland Ave, Baltimore, MD -
Roland Park Country School
5204 Roland Ave, Baltimore, MD
IamGayle
8:49 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Have they studied Baltimore politics in this project? And just closely THE WIRE is based on actual events?
Lisa
10:24 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wow they TALK about B'More after watching The Wire? Take that time and go down to VIVA House Catholic Worker on Wednesdays and serve the real poor with David Simon and two of Baltimores greatest citizens: Brendan and Willa Walsh who for 40+ years have been serving the poor and bringing reconciliation in West Baltimore. Viva House is around "The Corner". They have the answers but noone really wants to solve the poverty gap and drug crime because it is a great 'industry'.
Adam Bednar
10:09 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Lisa, thanks for reading. I would like to point out that these students did more than just read and discuss fiction/nonfiction. As I wrote in the story they went out into communities and spoke to residents as part of projects that involved coming up with creative solutions to Baltimore's problems. Also, because I couldn't find a way to wedge it into the story, many of these students are already doing volunteer work. For instance Drew told me he volunteered last summer at Our Daily Bread.
Christian
9:33 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
I think that it would be a wonderful idea if all of the students who attend all of the schools in Baltimore to spend one week's time to find out what it is like by working in a shelter. I believe they would walk away from the experienced with a view that they could carry throughout their lives and not take for granted the life they lead. VIVA House and Heart's Place Shelter in Charles Village are wonderful resources that these students could learn from. There is so much need in this city that could be addressed by their youth and strength that it would be an opportunity to grow.
Mike T
10:05 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
im sure this will serve these little bang-swoopers well when they tell all their floormates in charlottesville or fredricksburg about how they are "from baltimore."
IamGayle
11:01 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
This should certainly be an ongoing class for these kids. Compare the story lines of The Wire to the headlines. Take them to the Board of Estimates Meetings too! Follow the money kids and see where it leads you....
Julie Clark
12:54 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Actually, I will be teaching this course again this fall, for the fourth time. It will continue as long as the interest is there - which it definitely is! I have guest speakers come in to talk with the class throughout the semester also. We've had Mary Pat Clarke, Keiffer Mitchell, Paul Murphy - a veteran of the Baltimore Police, Rafael Alvarez - writer for the The Wire, Judge Braverman, Pat Jessamy, plus a panel of locals that experienced the Baltimore Riots of 68 first hand, a social worker working with drug addicts, etc. I keep the class as "real" as it can possibly be in a classroom. These kids do perform many hours of community service to meet graduation requirements but also beyond what is required. I've met students who've performed service at all the organizations you've all mentioned. There are lost of great kids all over our city - I have hope and I think many of them do also.
IamGayle
2:39 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Very cool!! And very controversial as well with having Mary Pat as a guest speaker! Again, do these kids "get into" the politics of all of this?
Julie Clark
3:58 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Oh yeah!! They read extensively including Baltimore Unbound, Here Lies Jim Crow, etc. The required work is extensive but without all of the background knowledge of why and how things really happen in Baltimore , they couldn't understand the issues. Many start the course thinking all it takes is kids staying in school and people not doing drugs to turn this city around. Midway through, they undertsand an dcan converse about how difficult it is to break these cycles in our city. Most heartening though is that by the end of the course, they come up with workable solutions which don't cost millions of dollars to put in place. This has definitely been one of the most rewarding experiences I've had in teaching.
IamGayle
5:03 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Yes. With Mary Pat's husband being a real estate developer and how this, (real estate/development deals) in the city tie in with how and why these horrible issues still pague our cuity, is quite interesting. I was catching up recently (again) with The Wire-on Demand and was floored when in the last episode of the first season, (39 minuties into the show) it comes right out.... How Baltimore's West Side Project is a fiasco and WHY. I kept replaying the scene. Extremely bold moves by the writers of The Wire to put it out there. The politicians. real estate developers and drug dealers work hand in hand. For insight into how Baltimore's West Side "Superblock" colossal failure and degredation started, please check out "Baltimore's West Side Story" (on youtube) This February was the 10 year anniversary of the New York Times Article that first spoke about this horrendous crime.
Ryan
4:54 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Hello, regarding Mr. Mike T's comment, I am not a bang swooper. I find that term offensive. Indeed I am from North Baltimore and live in a family home with nice values and I understand my privileges. If anything this class has taught me how fortunate I really am. This was my favorite class by far this senior year, and enjoyed getting perspective on how our city really works and the problems it faces day in and day out. So i may be a bang swooper, but when you assume we are all going to UVA, you are making an ASS out of U and ME. Get it, assume. I am just letting you know it sounds bitter. And yes Lisa, myself and Drew volunteered at Our Daily Bread in addition to work camps throughout our summers, so we are excited to help out Baltimore.
Julie Clark
8:44 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Thanks Ryan!
EMI
9:11 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
One can only "assume" a "bang swooper" has a negative connotation. It's a shame that it is attached to an article that promotes our youth to take an interest and inspire creative ideas to help solve problems; rather than to turn a blind eye to them. It is the youth of today that will keep our city safe, prosperous and thriving as well as resurrect the rich history.