Imagine a student standing at the door to a college classroom on the first day of school. For a moment she considers turning around and leaving, but she manages to find the courage to open the door. 

The first thing she notices is that this space is like nothing she has seen in her 13 years of schooling. There are couches and workstations and old doors that have been painted and turned into tables. The walls are covered with pictures, art, post-its, photos of students. 

There is a map of the neighborhoods that surround the college, and it is covered in pins and writing. Next to the map is a bulletin board with notes pinned there:

• We need to install the garden drip system!

• Does anyone have a truck to pick up a frig?

• I need 5 of you to help with handing out Bus Pass surveys.

• Meeting with city water people this Friday!

As the student moves further into the room, she realizes there  doesn’t seem to be any “front” of the room where a  teacher might stand. As a matter of fact there doesn’t seem to be a teacher. There are 2 or 3 people who could be teachers, but they are sitting in small groups, taking notes, looking a bit like students themselves. 

One of these people comes over and introduces himself as a History teacher. Our student says she thought this was English. The History teacher tells her it IS English.

Then a woman comes over and introduces herself as a Math teacher. Now our student really wonders what is going on here. The Math teacher goes to the board and puts up what looks like a math equation:

GE Buffet + Dedicated Space + Student-Driven Community Learning = Enhanced Student Success! 

The teacher continues with her equation: 

Multiply Enhanced Student Success by Student Voice = Student Networks that run on Passion and Purpose! 

Our student stares at the equation for a while--it makes no sense to her.  Then  she notices a group of students in the corner talking about starting a community garden. She walks over to the group and stands, listening to their plans….