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Center for Urban Education
Making A Difference
Every Child - Every School
The goal of the Center for Urban Education (CUE) is to improve the quality of education in Tarrant County’s urban schools through
- recruiting and preparing teachers and administrators to work in urban schools
- building collaborative partnerships among stakeholders in urban education
- supporting both new and experienced urban educators in improving teaching and learning in urban settings
- conducting and disseminating research regarding best practices in urban schools
Disproportionate numbers of students in urban schools are low achieving, experience discipline problems, and have high absentee and school completion. Many are recent immigrants with limited English proficiency. Physical neglect or abuse, substance abuse, gang activities and other poverty-related problems often exacerbate the difficulties that they face. In short, most of our society’s unsolved problems manifest themselves in urban school classrooms. Because even veteran teachers are not necessarily equipped to deal with the multiple challenges inherent in the education of urban students, it is not surprising to learn that frustration and burnout among school personnel are high. Urban schools have the most critical shortages and therefore the most openings for teachers graduating from college.
Throughout Tarrant County the Center works with Fort Worth ISD, Everman ISD, Castleberry ISD, Crowley ISD, White Settlement ISD, Burleson ISD, and Birdville ISD. While the CUE specifically works with teachers, assistant principals, principals, student teachers, and aspiring teachers, the programs within the Center are designed to improve the quality of education in urban schools. Programs in the CUE include:
Aspiring Educators. The program is aimed at identifying and supporting high school students who are considering careers in education. The program focuses on recruiting individuals who are under-represented in the teaching profession.
English Language Learners (ELL) Professional Development. In its effort to support local school districts in their challenge to prepare teachers to serve the growing number of non-English speaking students, the CUE provides professional development opportunities to in-service teachers. The CUE provides a two-week Summer Institute as well as regularly scheduled workshops throughout the academic year.
Assistant Principal’s Academy The program’s goal is to support assistant principals working in local urban schools. While school principals generally receive support from their districts, such opportunities are generally not offered to assistant principals who are being trained on the job and have aspirations of becoming principals themselves. Mentoring program provides assistant principals with instruction, coaching and support in developing the skills to become effective principals in urban schools.
Principal Mentoring Program.
The program is aimed at collaborating with local school districts in mentoring principals. Goal of the program is to administrators in urban schools.
Teaching Fellows Program. The Teaching Fellows Program offers professional development opportunities for cooperating teachers with whom TCU students are placed for field experiences. The program’s goal is to provide exemplary urban teachers with the mentoring and supervision skills needed to support the student teachers.
Fourth Grade Writing Camps. In an effort to prepare fourth grade students for the TAKS Writing Test, the CUE is supporting area schools by providing an all-day writing camp which includes facilitites, materials and lunch. At the end of the day- camp students are given a tour of the TCU campus community.
Professional Development. The CUE provides opportunities for future teachers to participate in professional conferences, i.e.
National/Texas Alliance of Black School Educators, Early Childhood Educators and the Hispanic Educators Conference
These conferences support the attendees in meeting other professionals who are successful in urban settings.
Speakers Bureau The CUE invites speakers focusing on urban education topics to present to TCU education students and professionals in the community.
Graduate and undergraduate scholarships. Scholarships serve to recruit and prepare students committed to teaching in Metroplex urban schools. Program provides scholarships and opportunities for students to earn a salary for part-time work as classroom assistants with local ISDs while obtaining their undergraduate or graduate degrees, and teaching credentials in elementary or secondary education.
Contact
Dr. Jennifer Brooks
817-257-6938
j.brooks@tcu.edu
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