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The Urban Program

Kalamazoo Public Schools In Partnership with the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies

The Urban Program is focused on preparing students to teach urban learners in a climate of support and cultural responsiveness, where the knowledge, experiences, needs and gifts of each child are valued and viewed as the foundation upon which effective teaching choices rest. The program, a school/university partnership established with Washington Writers' Academy in 1999, is designed to assist a small number of undergraduate students in developing deep knowledge of and facility with teaching in urban schools by committing to a one- or two-semester sequence of experiences at the school. The program also includes Edison Environmental Science Academy and Northeastern Elementary School.

The experience has also been designed as an effort to develop an effective partnership model that is adapted to the particular needs of schools like Washington, where 92 percent of the children live in poverty and 60 percent of the children come from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

The Urban Program Elementary School Sites

• Edison Environmental Science Academy - Edison joined The Urban Program as our second elementary school site in 2003. Edison includes grades preK-5 and is located on the south side of Kalamazoo just two blocks east of Portage Road. The Edison school campus is also home to the Kalamazoo Boys and Girls Club.
• Lincoln International School
• Northeastern Elementary School - Northeastern joined The Urban Program as our third elementary school site in 2005. Northeastern includes grades preK-6 and is located on the east side of Kalamazoo just one block north of East Main.
• Washington Writers' Academy - Washington is the school where The Urban Program was born in 1999. Washington includes grades preK-5 and is located on the south side of Kalamazoo on Portage Road.

Pre-intern and Intern Urban Program participants talk about their experiences

Urban Program Brochure

Urban Education Readings

• Martin Haberman, "The Pedagogy of Poverty versus Good Teaching." Phi Delta Kappan, v. 73, n. 4, pp. 290-94, Dec 1991.

Evaluation and observation forms

• Pre-internship observation form, midterm and final evaluations
• Internship observation form, midterm and final self-reflective evaluations

Questions? Please contact (269) 760-3669.