Urban Education Reform

Pedro Noguera, a phenomenal urban sociologist and a professor at New York University confronts the problems which exist in our nation’s education system in his book, City Schools and the American Dream: Reclaiming the Promise of Public Education. Noguera describes what he views to be the main problems facing urban education and suggests strategies for improvement. From years of experience as a teacher and school board member, he reflects on what he believes to be the real problems. Noguera blames the school’s failures on students, parents, and teachers which leads to blame local government officials or policymakers. Noguera states in City Schools and the American Dream, “The central argument of this book is that until there is a genuine commitment to address the social context of schooling — to confront the urban condition — it will be impossible to bring about significant and sustainable improvements in urban public schools” (pg.6). Noguera believes that we must address the central problem to make any type of solutions for improvement.

I personally think many minds are going to waste in our urban environments, minds that could be reinventing the world, but are, for some reason, only keeping themselves out of a culture that needs them. Why are there so few college-bound kids graduating from our urban schools, and why are the ones who do go to college so ill-prepared when they arrive? We live in a nation where education is a prominent force of succeeding in life. Children learn critical and analytical skills for twelve years in school to prepare to graduate high school, and go on to receive a two- or four-year college education. Being educated is an integral part of society. School helps children learn social norms and teach them how to be successful adults in society. The communities that some youth live in molds their future education and how much they succeed. Are they truly getting the best education for them to be successful college students and have a career? Or it is their education determinant of failure and going into the system? Manyof my minority students are not getting the proper education that they need to succeed. Urban students experience the lack of structure throughout their daily routine and do not understand the deficits in their education system. Urban students face many challenges: many come from neighborhoods or communities where alcohol, drug, sex, continuous violence, and poverty are rampant. [include introductory sentence here: The issues in communities of color are exacerbated when those with the most resources leave the community.”] “The highest costs of the white flight areborn by the children left in segregated, almost entirely poor neighborhood schools. [The lack of resources in the community have a negative effect on the school.]

The type of school children attend affects the priming of college for low-income students. Many of low-income students attend public school due to the fact that most of the parents cannot afford to pay for private school like students in high-income families are. Privates school can be the best in the top of schools because of all the resources they are able to receive while in the public school where most of the low-income students attend can be ranked down because they do not get enough resources needed to help the kids better succeed. In the book, Embracing Risk in Urban Education: Curiosity, Creativity, and Courage in the Era of "No Excuses" and Relay Race Reform, by Alice Ginsberg, it provides the negative effect public schools have accommodated

Now days walking down the streets of Atlanta, we see the new neighborhoods consisting of condos, Starbucks, yoga classes and Chipotle. Gentrification is a growing problem in urban areas as the influx of the riches have caused the displacement of lower class families due to higher economic demands and local politics. According to Diane K. Levy, Jennifer Comey and Sandra Padilla (2005), “We define gentrification as the process whereby higher-income households move into low income neighborhoods, escalating the area’s property values to the point that displacement occurs. In addition to changes in economic class, gentrification often involves a change in a neighborhood’s racial and ethnic composition…” (p.1). Though gentrification has lasting affects on the economic status of cities, there are also repercussions that not only effect working individuals but also the students that attend school in these gentrified areas. When areas are gentrified, schools are rezoned thus leading to long lasting consequences that students must face. Some believe that gentrification is beneficial to a growing economy in a growing city, but the realities of the its lasting effects on education are often left under the radar. The issues that lie within the education system as it pertains to gentrification include day segregation and unequal opportunities between affluent and low-income areas.

The gap between the nation’s best and worst public schools continues to grow. Our country is based on freedom and equality for all, yet in practice and in the spectrum of education this is rarely the case. We do not even have to step further than our own city and its public school system, which many media outlets have labeled “dysfunctional” and “in shambles.” At the same time, Montgomery County, located just northwest of the District in suburban Maryland, stands as one of the top school systems in the country. Within each of these systems, there are schools that excel and there are schools that consistently measure below average. Money alone can not erase this gap. While

In 1630, John Winthrop dreamt that America was a “City on the Hill”, predestined for preeminence. In 1776, the American Colonies proclaimed independence with the affirmation that all men are equal, free, and blessed with the sacred rights to life, liberty, and happiness. These uniquely American ideals ideals characterized the young democracy in contrast to the oppressive monarchies of Europe. European citizens saw the correlation between America’s greatness and its democratic principles. The liberties that America furnished to all men, regardless of status, gave citizens pride in their nation and drew envy from constituents of tyrannical monarchies. The notions of equality and freedom, however, did not extend to all of America’s population;

I would like to advocate for the education reform and the CCSS because I do not believe that these tests can prepare children for the outside world. Moreover, educations approach towards student should change. I would like to help families understand the test do not define the ability of their children and their student, so they do not need to be disappointed with them. I want to advocate on this issue because I believe in each child and understand teach a child is unique and different, and their potential differs from many others. Schools must become a place for children to feel safe and wanted and although, High school students are at risk many students in elementary years are at risk as well. If this education system does not change fewer

Over the years, I met so many Shavons—Black teenage girls, most of whom were experiencing multiple traumas in their personal lives. They all had their voices silenced, their actions demonized and ultimately punished for speaking up. My master’s studies helped answer a lot of my initial puzzlements and what I learned made me a better educator but, most importantly, I believe that it has led me to a greater opportunity to contribute to our society. I am deciding to pursue my doctorate in (degree/program) because there is still much more that needs to be unlocked about the reality African-American girls currently face in urban education settings. If we as a nation want to truly transform our public education system, we have to invest our girls.

Urban Public Education is a concept and movement within public schools all over the nation. With these urban public schools there are many trials and hardships which those institutions have to work through. Ranging from poverty, funding and the never ending cycle of bullying. Bullying is a form of making another feel lesser for their race, background or sometimes just personality. Throughout time bullying has been seen as a rite of passage for children in these schools. The myth I would like to bust for you today is the one where we end these motion because it is in no way a rite or beneficial to any student in any academic situation. My second goal is to try and make you as the educator or mentor aware of detrimental things one might say when it comes to issues such as bullies.

In part II we learn more of the urbanizing process. Tyack places emphasis on the importance of urbanizing schools. Of these, was lack of space to accommodate students because of the growing population. Reformers

Another key point is commuting. People who live in the urban community have better access to public transportation. Citizens can easily get around by walking, taking a bus, and riding the train at a lower cost. In contrast, owning a home in suburb can be costly for many people. Not only do people have to keep up with their mortgages, but they sometimes have to pay a yard maintenance fee and their Home Owners Association (HOA) dues for the up-keeping of the neighborhood which can be very costly. Besides the home cost, people who live in suburban neighborhoods do have the convenience of traveling in the comfort of their own vehicle, and they do not deal with the concerns of public transportation. However, they still have to deal with the cost for long commuting and the wear and tear of the vehicle.

As the city 's center becomes older and less desirable, the value goes down. This then attracts people who want to be centrally located, and now in the 21st century people tend to believe that the suburbs have less “character” and that most cities are considered to be “edgy” and “urban”, which is another reason as to why young, wealthy, white workers want to be located in the inner-city. Our pop culture is heavily influenced by black culture, so young people want to live where it’s hip, as well as reasonable.

Suburbanization can be connected to various diverse push and draw variables. Push elements incorporate the blockage and populace thickness of the urban areas, contamination brought on by industry and large amounts of activity and a general impression of a lower personal satisfaction in internal city zones. Pull variables incorporate more open spaces and an impression of being nearer to "nature", lower rural house costs and property charges in contrast with the city, and the expanding number of openings for work in the rural regions. Upgrades in transportation base support suburbanization, as individuals turn out to be progressively ready to live in a suburb and drive into the adjacent town or city to work. Advancements in railroads, transport

Despite the negative factors of living in urban environment, there are a great number of positive sides that affect the life quality of people who live in urban cities. Perhaps, the

Education reform is a topic that every student, parent and teacher should be interested in because it effects everyone in the community. Many different approaches to education reform have been tried, and even though they seem to work for the time being, there are always more improvements that need to be made. One of the best ideas that has been discussed in the most recent years is getting the parents and students more involved in the actual reform process. Many school administrators see a problem with involving students, even though they are the ones most affected by the changes within schools. Student’s opinions should be taken into consideration because they are the ones who see what happens inside the school and within the classroom, and are the most affected by it. Involving parents and students in the reform of their schools will improve the quality of education, improve parent and teacher relationships and reduce parent and student complaints.