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The Urban Teacher Academy
How TCNJ’S Urban Teacher Academy Recruits Tomorrow’s Teachers
The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) sponsored it first Urban Teacher Academy from July 10-21, 2006. Thirty-one juniors from thirteen New Jersey high schools were recruited for this program based on their academic preparation and interest in pursuing careers as urban teachers.
A national shortage of teachers is predicted during the next decade due to student enrollment increases, teacher retirements, turnover, and career changes. Teacher shortages will be particularly acute in urban schools, especially in math, science, special education, bilingual and early childhood. TCNJ’S Urban Teacher Academy aims to capture the interests of high school students as an effective strategy toward resolving this shortfall.
During the past few years, Urban Teacher Academies have been cropping up in several states and school districts. Most of these “grow your own” recruitment initiatives have been integrated as part of their yearly high school curriculum. TCNJ’S Urban Teacher Academy differs by being offered as an intensive two week summer program where juniors are recruited from urban, suburban, and rural high schools to learn about teaching.
District administrators, principals, teachers, and counselors played key roles in helping to recruit for TCNJ’S first Urban Teacher Academy. They actively sought students who work with children in either school sponsored or community programs or who have expressed strong interests in becoming urban teachers.
Acceptance to TCNJ’S Urban Teacher Academy requires an applicant to have a GPA of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Each student was expected to submit two teacher recommendations, an autobiographical sketch, a list of co-curricular activities, and an essay explaining why he/she aspires to become an urban teacher.
Students accepted to the Urban Teacher Academy were not charged tuition. Each student received a $250 incentive for his/her successful completion of the program. Expenses for books, materials, food, and field trips were covered from a Teacher Quality Enhancement-Recruitment Grant awarded to TCNJ by the U.S. Department of Education in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Education.
When the Urban Teacher Academy got underway on July 10th, students were welcomed by Dr. R. Barbara Gitenstein, president of TCNJ along with other college officials. Keynote speaker, Dr. Thelma Baxter, retired principal of Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx provided an inspirational talk on “Why Become and Urban Teacher?”
Academy students then had opportunities to experience college life. They toured the TCNJ campus, participated in teambuilding activities, and had lectures from college professors on child development, understanding urban poverty, and the requirements needed to become teachers.
During the program, Academy students had several interactions with area urban teachers, special education teachers, early intervention teachers, Child Study Teams, guidance counselors, an ESL teacher, and administrators. Speakers were invited to make presentations about parent-school relations, No Child Left Behind, multiculturalism, and understanding the Trenton community. Students viewed tapes and discussed classroom management, bullying, multiple intelligences, and effective teaching in math and science classrooms.
Academy field trips included a meeting with Mayor Douglas Palmer at Trenton City Hall. Students served lunch at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, participated in classes at Mercer County Special Services Elementary School, met with Principal Edna Margolin of Hedgepath-Williams Middle School in Trenton, and attended a program at Children’s Home Society. Students also spent a morning playing with children at the Trenton Boys and Girls Club.
As a program highlight, Academy students tried their hands at teaching by planning their own mini-school. Under the direction of subject specialists, students planned math, science, and physical education lessons. They also discussed strategies to promote a positive rapport with twenty-eight fourth graders from Ewing Township’s summer camp who attended the Urban Teacher Academy’s one day mini-school program.
Academy students and their fourth graders thoroughly enjoyed their time learning from one another. The day concluded with an ice cream party and graduation ceremony. Jennifer Salguero, a junior at Trenton High School West commented, “Working with these fourth graders truly inspired me to become a teacher even after seeing all of the work and dedication it takes to teach quality lessons. I loved working with these children and being a positive role model for them.”
On the Urban Teacher Academy’s final day, students presented heartfelt speeches about their most meaningful experiences during their two week program. John Yokomizo, a junior at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South said, “The Urban Teacher Academy not only taught me about teaching, but also about myself. I now have a different, more knowledgeable, well-rounded perspective on life.”
Follow-up sessions for Academy students have been planned during the current school year. Students are undertaking school and community service projects focused on teaching, and continue to learn about issues pertinent to urban education. Students will also make presentations about this program and be actively involved with the recruitment of next summer’s Academy students.
TCNJ’S 2007 Urban Teacher Academy is being held from July 9th-20th.
Laurence R. Fieber serves as coordinator of the Urban Teacher Academy. Mr. Fieber is a former nationally and state recognized public school principal.
