Urban students' lives are colored by daily experiences of poverty, disintegrating homes, child abuse, lack of hope, unstable relationships and violent neighborhoods.  Many students are forced to grow up far too young and experience things daily that break them down emotionally, physically and mentally.

How to Relate to Urban Students and Successfully Achieve:

1. Start by getting to know your students and their backgrounds.  Encourage them to talk to you and make them realize you are paying attention to their lives.
2. Get your students to trust you. Many urban children are wary of adults because of inconsistencies and lack of reliability on adults at home.
3. Problems of poverty, unemployment, lack of intellect, crime, abuse and racism are ever present in urban families and neighborhoods.  Do NOT ignore these.  Address them in class.
4. Do not excuse children and accept inferior work or behavior out of sympathy for them. Make them understand how education can free them from their current difficult circumstances.  Expect quality work.
5. Experience the four stages of diverse students with white teachers: rejection, acceptance, decision, and cooperative existence.  The quicker the last stage is reached, the more students and teachers can accomplish in the classroom.

For more information please click the following:

CENTER FOR URBAN EDUCATION
www.usc.edu/dept/education/CUE/news.html
     The focus of this site is to find ways to close the achievement gap for underrepresented students. It strives to achieve equity for all students.
This research-based site includes the following projects:
      ~Equity for all
      ~Diversity scorecard project
      ~Equity scorecard

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
(Learning from Urban Schools)
     "No Choice but Success" by Dick Corbett, Bruce Wilson and Belinda Williams. Great urban teachers share a common belief: It is their job to ensure that all students achieve. Two very successful urban teachers share best practices for achieving great success with their inner-city students.