Week of April 25

The Scott article about literacy in urban areas was an interesting read. It focused on one main question: What counts as “effective” literacy teaching practices in urban classrooms.” Emotional support, exposure, and changes in attitudes toward education were some of the most common responses found by urban teachers as the three most significant needs of urban children. The idea of professional development for urban teachers also came up in this article. It said that urban teachers must be well trained literacy educators because of the literary challenges that come about in urban teaching environments. I don’t think that professional development is the only way to handle urban environments, although I think that it would be greatly beneficial for teachers to get together in PD meetings to discuss specific topics. I think that knowing your students is the first step towards leading them to success. Without knowing who your students are or how they learn you cant really help them succeed.