Urban Teacher Prep

By Ayanna Cooper, Ed.D.

Urban teacher residency programs offer an intensive clinical experience and licensure for future teachers. For those of you who want to become highly qualified practitioners, teach in high-needs areas, earn a master’s degree and positively impact the lives of children in urban school districts, may find this to be the route to starting their teaching careers.

Deciding to become a teacher for some was an easy decision that came early in their lives. For others, that decision is not so easy. After lengthy careers outside of the field of education, living and working abroad, or upon completion of   college degrees, some people answer their internal call to become teachers by applying to become part of an urban teacher residency. An urban school district is defined as a school located in an urban area apposed to rural or suburban area, has a high rate of students from improvised backgrounds, a high number of students of color, and a high number of students who are not English proficient.

Because of an extensive number of graduate teacher preparation programs available, urban teacher preparation programs have began to receive national attention in the efforts of school administrators to improve teacher preparation nationwide. Candidates who are tenacious, able to work well independently as well as part of a group, are self-reflective, organized and task orientated may find an urban teacher residency model to  a good fit.

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Aspen Institute, and The Center for Teaching Quality (CTQ) investigated urban teacher residency programs for their recruitment, preparation and placement of residents. Although nationwide urban teacher residencies models may differ slightly, the principles are consistent in that relevant course work is blended with well-supervised clinical practice, establishing learning community cohorts, support beyond the first year of teaching independently and partnership with a school district by prioritizing the importance of long-term retention of graduates.

Major cities such as Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and Denver are just a few places one might find an urban teacher preparation program. Location is key. Since a teaching commitment is required upon completion of the program, it is important to know where you want to teach. The application and selection process is quite lengthy. High needs content areas such as math, science, special education and English as a new language are just a few areas one may choose to specialize in.

Once admitted to the program, residents spend an equal amount of time taking graduate level courses ranging from the Foundations of Teaching to Language, Power and Democracy and work with experienced mentor teachers in diverse classrooms with a high number of students who are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, may receive special education services or who are not native English speakers. Balancing course work assignments, working cooperatively with your mentor and managing teaching responsibilities are key to a successful experience. For example, residents part of Boston Teacher Residency are required to plan and implement a unit of instruction over a course of several weeks. With the assistance of their course instructors, mentor teacher and site director, theory and practice are partnered and demonstrated early by residents. Adult learning opportunities are extended beyond the classrooms to include professional seminars at the residents’ school sites. Camaraderie is built by the residents within their cohort since some assignments are completed individually while other are completed collectively. Residents are trained to use effect research based teaching practices; they are also trained on using data to drive instruction and by setting student achievement goals.

If becoming an urban educator is a goal you have, ask yourself these questions and think about what skills and talents you could contribute or develop as a teacher.

• Do you have a favorite teacher and if so, what was it about that person that you admired?
• What are your thoughts about struggling learners and what could you do to help them become successful?
• What are your long-term career goals in relation to the field of education?
• Are you interested in counseling, special education, school psychology or speech pathology?
• Are you resourceful and creative? What hobbies, talents or experiences do you have that contribute to your desire teach in an urban environment?
• What do you think about contributing to a multicultural community and how can you support others to contribute?

Teaching an in urban district undoubtedly has its challenges but the benefits clearly outweigh them. The need for teachers of color, males, people who are literate in a language besides English and those with an authentic desire to work with students in urban environments is increasing. There is a classroom waiting for you!