Transforming Perceptions of Urban Education: Lessons From Rowan University's Urban Teacher Academy

Abstract

To be an effective urban educator requires teachers to understand the contextual factors of students, the school, and the community, and their cumulative effects on learning. Urban teacher academies support a better understanding of urban classrooms and challenge stereotypes of the urban context. The focus of this study was to compare participants' perceptions of urban settings before and after 2 weeks spent at an urban teacher academy for high school students.

Keywords:

• cross-cultural education/multicultural education
• diversity
• perceptions
• poverty
• teacher education/certification
• urban education
• urban teacher academies