Research Material...

Ellsasser Ward, Christopher. “Teaching Educational Philosophy: A Response to the
of First-Year Urban Teacher.” Education and Urban Society Volume 40
Number 4: May 2008 476-493.

The article discusses the problem that urban schools face with first year teachers. That is to say that many of the teachers are in the urban setting momentarily. What this means is… the teachers tend to go to the “better schools for better students.” This reinforces the idea that these students are not ideal students to teach. What most teachers do is transfer to other schools that are viewed as ideal and less problematic.

Godley, Amanda & Minnici, Angela. “Critical Language Pedagogy in an Urban High
School English Class.” Urban Education Volume 43 Number 3: May 2008
319-346.

The article explores the notion that the urban student has a different vernacular than other school settings. Both Amanda Godley and Angela Minnici have conducted a study that examines African American 10th grade English class through class discussion, interviews, and pre and post questionnaires. The study yielded a better understanding of what they call “code switching” through their urban vernacular and dominant ideologies with a deep metacognitive understanding.

Alberg, Marty; McDonald, Aaron; McSparrin-Gallagher, Brenda; Ross, Steven.
“Achievement and Climate Outcomes for the Knowledge is Power Program in an
Inner-City Middle School.” Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk.
Volume 12 Number 2: 2007 137-165

The writers of this article focused their efforts on the idea that Knowledge is Power and created a program around this belief. Based on this idea, they created a new curriculum that would raise academic achievement in an inner-city school. Some of the main changes were that they extended the school day and year, create more access to teachers and materials after school, and increase family and school connections. The surveys and examination are trying to prove that a better environment will yield better students.

Lal, Dhyan & Li, Xin. “An inner-city school mentor: a narrative inquiry of the life
Experiences of ‘Daddy’.” Mentoring & Tutoring. Volume 14 Number 3:
August 2006 317-335.

Dhyan and Xin conducted a two-year ethnographic observation of an inner-city high school in Los Angeles where their main focus was on the principal of the school. Most of the study and research was conducted through interviews. Their conclusion was that the principal played an important role in the lives of the at-risk students. The principal was so passionate about his students that he embodied a ‘Daddy’ figure in and out of the school. This of course helped the students’ achievement expectations.