Runner Head: URBAN EDUCATION

Urban Education Challenges

Urban Education Challenges

Confronting the issues of educating urban youth involves examination of the overarching challenges and re-emerging issues that urban administrators encounter when hiring effective teaching staff. Specifically, one surmises that effective staff must embody characteristics that unilaterally create a classroom environment conducive to student learning and acceptance of individual differences (Nelson 2004; Shanklin, Kozleski, Meagher, Sands, Joseph & Wyman, 2003). While research acknowledges that these types of teachers exist, such teachers are not abundantly present in urban schools (Arroyo, Rhoad, & Drew, 1999). Furthermore, some research suggests that urban schools are not privy to candidates who are willing to teach minority students for various reasons, based mostly on preconceived notions (Jorissen, 2003; McConney, Ayres, Hansen, & Cuthbertson). With the assertion that urban schools are unable to recruit and retain capable teachers, one must question the effectiveness and diversity of remaining teachers to provide a comprehensive classroom experience for students (Mullen & Patrick, 2000; Weiner, 2000). This paper examines the challenges of preparing teachers to overcome the obstacles present in urban schools, discusses efforts to attract qualified and effective teachers to these schools, and addresses the retention of teachers in this environment.

Interesting research emerges as one investigates the factors that contribute to the flight of teachers from urban schools, as well as their preparedness to teach students of different ethnicities. Schultz (as cited in Proctor, Rentz & Jackson, 2001) stated, "80% of prospective teachers believed that 'urban children' were lower in learning ability than other children or that their ability was limited by personal attributes or environment" ). Clearly, this percentage speaks largely about the opinions of some teachers toward minority students. Thompson (2004) documents equally disturbing research of some attitudes toward minority students that suggests some teachers "had very low expectations and offered a non-challenging curriculum" (¶ 1). Similarly, deMarrais & LeCompte (1999) report, "during 'sharing time' teachers of lower-class children tend to accept their students' presentation without correction or elaboration" (p. 14). In understanding these attitudes however, it is important to examine if such feelings factually represent teachers' attitudes or if other issues, such as lack or preparation to teach ethnically diverse students, account for a significant portion of research findings. In fact, from their study, Terrill and Mark (as cited in Proctor et al., 2001) suggest, "Most of the teacher education students had little or no experience in schools with non White populations" (¶ 2). This would offer a plausible explanation for schools struggling to retain non-prepared teachers, and reasons why ethnically different teachers opt to teach in environments where they are most comfortable.

In addition to attempts to bring more teachers to urban areas, there is a tremendous need to recruit a more teachers of color (Lucas & Robinson, 2003). Thirty five percent of all students are minorities yet "only 14 percent of the 3 million public school teachers...are people of color" (National Education Association [NEA], 2004a, p. 30). Steps to recruit more teachers of color, such as "financial aid ...