Discussion #5 Are you adequately equipped to teach in the urban classroom?

[betsy hagan]

Teaching in an urban classroom is undoubtedly a challenge. Teachers
are expected to meet academic standards of learning, determine student
learning styles, accommodate the various levels of proficiency and
differentiate according to all academic abilities and needs. In
addition, teachers are expected to be psychologists, counselors and
capable of ‘reading’ the emotional temperature of students and handle
any behavior challenges.

Since this is the expectation, is it a reasonable for schools to
provide better training, professional development and preparation for
teachers to meet the needs of students? Or should teachers have
outside credentialing and a proven ability to handle the workload
before they are qualified to teach in a classroom? As it stands, is a
general education teacher truly equipped to handle all special needs
students? I have encountered situations which I am totally unprepared
for—it is really fair to assume all teachers can handle the variety of
student learning challenges, misbehavior or emotional needs of all
their students without specific supports in place? Is on the job
training sufficient?

I get my CPR training yearly and I wonder, shouldn’t I also receive
training in de-escalation tactics, safe restraining methods and self-
defense? I think it might be fair to assume most teachers might not
have adequate training in some of these areas, especially when a
student has emotional challenges that might include a history of
violence or volatility. What criteria is available to assess a
classroom’s potential danger for teachers and students alike? I base
my questions on my third grade classroom this year which has been
somewhat unresponsive to my responsive classroom efforts...

[kande9un]

Betsy,

I think you bring up some really good questions about our preparedness
to teach in the urban setting, but I would go as far to ask if
teachers everywhere are being prepared properly to face the challenges
and work load of being a teacher today. As you stated in your post
and questions, no matter what type of students you teach, teachers
have a lot weighing on their shoulders and many times are held to
unrealistic expectations. As a teacher, we wear many hats and do
multiple jobs--for example, I am a teacher, but I also create my
entire curriculum, so I guess I am a curriculum writer too--which
means I am doing two full time jobs! We are also, as you stated
counselors, psychologists and many times moms! While I love every
aspect of teaching, including the curriculum writing and counseling,
it is just too much for one person on a daily basis. On top of the
demands, I do not think that we are being trained or prepared for what
we are faced with in the classroom and the expectations we are held
to. I think it is the schools job to provide training on how to best
differentiate, how to create engaging and inter-disciplinary lessons,
how to manage different behaviors in the classroom, etc. I have not
received this kind of training working for DCPS, which is very
frustrating. I have only been teaching for 5 years, but am seen as
one of the better teachers at my school. Because of this, I am left
alone. I never am observed informally and given feedback on how I can
improve my craft. I am never given substantial training on how I can
better differentiate for all of my learners. I am never given
training on how to best meet the needs of my special education
students. I do think it is the school and the districts
responsibility to provide this training and guidance. I think this
lack of training is detrimental to teachers and therefore to
students. Which in the end, forces teachers to leave the profession,
which leads us to such a great turnover in education. I was just
reading a section of Waiting for Superman (the book) and it had a
great line about how so many teachers are leaving before they have the
chance to become good or great! The author was eluding to the fact
that schools are not putting enough effort into training and guiding
their teachers, that eventually they get fed up and frustrated from
the lack of support and leave the profession. The district has to do
something to improve student performance and retain teachers, and I
think a great start would be to train, support and give more
guidance!

[colson]

You are not alone in your pain. I can feel it. There is a slight
difference in the terms “Urban Schools and Inner City Schools”. I
think you may be thinking Inner City School. It is the social ills of
the improvised sections of the city that cause us to question our
skills, beliefs, and strategies. America is not blind to what we are
trying to do in the Inner City classrooms. Meier said it best in her
book. “How badly do we want to teach these children?”
So much is asked of us. The cost of education is outrageous! There is
a constant need for additional training. The same questions we are
asking were asked in the movies Stand and Deliver and To Sir with
Love. Are we talking about forty years ago?
No, Mrs. Hagan, you are going crazy. You are not alone. We need to
start our own system!

On Apr 3, 8:37 pm, betsy hagan <hagan.missbe...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Betsy]

Thanks for clarifying the difference between urban and inner city--I
know you mentioned this idea elsewhere. I think my son attends an
urban charter school in DC but I definitely don't teach in a school
like his. There is a world of difference and I'd love to hear more
about it when you feel like being verbose...