In her new book, Valerie Kinloch, award-winning author of "Harlem on Our Minds", sheds light on the ways urban youth engage in "meaning-making" experiences as a way to assert critical, creative, and highly sophisticated perspectives on teaching, learning, and survival. Kinloch rejects deficit models that have traditionally…

This special issue is the final issue of "Cityschools," a magazine that reports on research regarding the transformation of urban schools and makes this research more accessible to practitioners in urban classrooms. The research is described through the stories of real educators who are finding solutions to educational problems. The…

A grant from The New World Foundation made possible a series of lectures during the academic year 1969-1970 on the theme "Urban Education in the 1970's." A number of the specialists who had participated in the first work conference were invited to deliver another lecture. Each was asked to take another look at urban education from the vantage of…

This book attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of the major leadership issues facing urban schools. It also provides practical recommendations for improvement to address the challenges of urban school reform. The chapters are: (1) "Circular Hopelessness, Poverty, and Urban Schools"; (2) "Academic Achievement and Parental Involvement in…

A college instructor describes her experiences teaching two remedial composition courses as part of the Urban Education Program at Westfield State College in Massachusetts. Focus is on teaching methods that emphasized grammar, writing, and reading, and on student progress throughout the courses. Examples of student work are included. (JMD)

The difficulties facing teachers in the largest urban school districts in the United States are different from those in smaller districts. It is especially important to identify the success stories of teachers and students in demanding urban classrooms. Star teachers are those who are outstandingly successful in terms of student achievement and…

More and more frequently, poor families are described in pathological terms. The emphasis is on the deficits that interfere with the education of poor children, rather than the strengths that they can bring to schooling. A focus on the devastating effects of poverty may lead to the belief that poor children are so disadvantaged that nothing can be…

School-initiated activities to change the home educational environment can strongly influence student learning, even in schools serving low-income and minority families. This sourcebook shows various ways that schools can take the initiative in reaching out and working with families as equal partners; and explores how family life, school programs,…

The Philadelphia Urban Education Network Project is a staff development project that deals with the problems of the urban teacher and the needs of the urban students. Project activities include workshops, conferences, open houses, and teacher exchanges, all of which involve project participants. Staff development workshops are held to aid teachers…

This book examines the maligned students who populate urban schools and finds a talented group of resilient young people who deserve the support of the larger society. The editors and authors explore the ways such students are undermined, in the process developing new ways of teaching based on an understanding and appreciation of them.…