2008 Woodie Awards
Urban education program connects students, community
Jumoke Balogun
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: News
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More than half of all new urban teachers will leave their careers within five years.
According to a recent article in The Washington Times, many new educators leave their profession due to "teacher-burnout." Worn out by a system of school administrators, large classes, and indifferent parents, many new teachers change profession after a few years of teaching.
However, an innovative program is trying to change that by creating a partnership between UMKC and area urban schools. The Institute of Urban Education (IUE) is a program that helps keep urban education students in urban schools.
According to Edward Underwood, executive director of IUE, future teachers need to learn the foundation of teaching and the cultures of their future students.
"The majority of new teachers teaching in urban school districts are white females," he said. "Most of the children in urban schools are of color."
The IUE program provides many opportunities for future teachers.
Students get four years of their education paid for by pledging to return to teach - for at least four years - in one of the three partner school districts, explained Michelle Hopkins, assistant director for University Communications.
Partner school districts include Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., and Hickman Mills. This is the inaugural year for the IUE program.
The IUE has many unique innovations. First, they operate on a cohort group model.
"The students have become families," Hopkins said. "They keep each other in line and socialize together."
Jeannie Cerda, current IUE student, agrees.
"I've become very close to these people" she said. "I'm always around them."
According to Cerda, the students have most of the same courses and live in the Oak Street Residence Hall.
Second, IUE students have to complete more than 1,000 hours of clinical experience in urban schools. Students in traditional educations programs begin internships in their senior year. However, IUE students start interning in schools their freshmen year.
According to a recent article in The Washington Times, many new educators leave their profession due to "teacher-burnout." Worn out by a system of school administrators, large classes, and indifferent parents, many new teachers change profession after a few years of teaching.
However, an innovative program is trying to change that by creating a partnership between UMKC and area urban schools. The Institute of Urban Education (IUE) is a program that helps keep urban education students in urban schools.
According to Edward Underwood, executive director of IUE, future teachers need to learn the foundation of teaching and the cultures of their future students.
"The majority of new teachers teaching in urban school districts are white females," he said. "Most of the children in urban schools are of color."
The IUE program provides many opportunities for future teachers.
Students get four years of their education paid for by pledging to return to teach - for at least four years - in one of the three partner school districts, explained Michelle Hopkins, assistant director for University Communications.
Partner school districts include Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., and Hickman Mills. This is the inaugural year for the IUE program.
The IUE has many unique innovations. First, they operate on a cohort group model.
"The students have become families," Hopkins said. "They keep each other in line and socialize together."
Jeannie Cerda, current IUE student, agrees.
"I've become very close to these people" she said. "I'm always around them."
According to Cerda, the students have most of the same courses and live in the Oak Street Residence Hall.
Second, IUE students have to complete more than 1,000 hours of clinical experience in urban schools. Students in traditional educations programs begin internships in their senior year. However, IUE students start interning in schools their freshmen year.
