Required Courses
EDU 6362. Race, Power and Politics: The History of Urban Education
This course exposes students to historical and contemporary urban education data and legislation. Specifically, this course investigates: (a) the interplay of race, power, and politics in urban schools; (b) underscores the concomitant impact these factors impose on urban children, their families, and the community at large; and (c) highlights the resilience of these communities. As such, this course integrates 51°µÍø students in the urban community to cultivate a justice-oriented, culturally responsive mindset.
EDU 6369. Culturally Responsive Teaching
This course acquaints students with research, theory, and practical skills for aligning curriculum and instructional practices with varied social contexts. This course deconstructs the underlying tenets and approaches to culturally responsive teaching such as how to: (a) establish purposeful relationships with students, family, and the community at large; (b) develop and execute responsive classroom management; (c) capitalize on students’ colloquial wisdom to increase academic achievement; and (d) maximize student intellectual capacity by holding and conveying high expectations. Moreover, this course guides students in developing culturally responsive pedagogy in various content areas (Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies).
EDU 6395. Community Partnerships in Urban Education
This course exposes pre-service, in-service, and other educators to culturally rich urban community-based experiences to enhance cultural competence, ethnocentric teaching practices, and thereby effectiveness. Primarily, this course serves as an urban residency, or service learning course, in which educators concomitantly immerse themselves in community and cultural experiences, reflective practice, and civic responsibility. Educators will develop strategies for positively interacting with, relating to, and understanding the context of urban communities, their identified strengths and challenges, and citizens.
Elective Courses
Select one from the course list below.
EDU 6360. Behavioral Interventions in the Classroom
This elective course provides participants the principles of classroom management, both proactive and reactive, within the context of urban education.
EDU 6390. Classroom Instruction and Assessment for Language Learners
This elective course focuses on classroom applications of ESL teaching and learning. Students will examine factors that influence English language and literacy development and will develop instructional approaches and pedagogical materials that meet the needs of English language learners.
EDU 6396. Empowering Student Voice: Unlocking Students’ Potential For Learning
This elective course uses a framework of diversity and inclusiveness to examine the benefits of “student voice” for engaging urban school students in critical conversations about their conceptions of classroom instruction.