Context
Through middle and high school, students develop interpersonal and relationship skills that are crucial for their future success. We aim to ensure students are equipped to navigate key skills with their peers. We identified 5 key stakeholders to identify the needs for our project: students, teachers, parents, graduate support programs, and our team.
Our Stakeholders
NYC middle and high school students (11-18 years old) in educational institutions seek knowledge and guidance for their personal, professional and emotional development. Each student has unique abilities, interests, and backgrounds that informs who contributions they can make to their community. We believe that students who struggle to effectively communicate with their peers may create an academic environment that is disadvantageous for other students. The goal of our instructional solution is to increase students' ability to have healthy interactions with their peers and adhere to academic integrity standards.
Teachers are educational professionals responsible for facilitating learning, fostering intellectual growth, and nurturing the development of students. Teachers design and deliver effective instruction based on their expertise in specific subject matter.Much like parents, teachers serve as authoritative figures in students' lives, ultimately guiding them towards personal fulfillment. Teachers not only serve as mentors, who offer guidance, and support to students, but they also help students navigate their emotional development through classroom development and discussions. We believe that teachers play an integral role in shaping and molding the minds of their students, which nurtures the development of students’.
Middle school graduate support programs may offer assistance to students applying to high school while maintaining ongoing connections with graduates during their high school and college experiences. The dedicated graduate support team collaborates closely with students, providing a distinct and safe environment where individuals feel comfortable expressing questions or concerns. By offering weekly study space and organizing workshops on social dynamics and relationship building, the support team creates opportunities for students to experience growth in informal settings during their formative years. This holistic approach aims to foster a sense of community and support the overall development of graduates beyond the academic realms.
Parents have a significant impact on their children's emotional and academic growth. A student's emotional and cognitive development depend greatly on their parental relationships as well as the emotional climate in their household. We believe that parents who are involved in the academic endeavors of their child will not only foster a positive attitude towards education but also contribute to the child’s ability to develop healthy interpersonal relationships with their peers.
The Department of Education (DOE) plays a pivotal role as a stakeholder client in the Heart to Heart project because they are deeply invested in the well-being and academic success of students. Currently, the DOE contributes to shaping academic environments in order to foster learning environments where students can develop emotionally and academically. As a client the DOE requires that the Heart to Heart organization requires that our instructional solution not only focus on effective communication and abuse awareness but also aligns with their educational standards and priorities. Since the DOE encompasses many academic facets the organization requires that the instructional solution be inclusive, sustainable and just as useful for faculty as it is for students.
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