vv

I cannot be l ieve I am near ing the end of my f i rst year as the Renée and R ichard Go ldman Dean of our School o f Educat ion at the Un ivers i ty o f P i ttsburgh . What an exc it ing year o f r ich conversat ions about teach ing , research , and engaged partnersh ips with in our School ’s departments , p rograms, inst i tutes , and centers . These conversat ions have a lso been occur r ing with regards to the loca l, reg iona l, nat iona l, and g loba l communit ies in which we work . In fact , dur ing my re lat ive ly short t ime here as Dean , I have taken vnote of the cr i t ica l , cutt ing-edge work we do as teachers , teacher educators , leaders , researchers , po l icymakers , and change agents . The work that is happening in our School o f Educat ion is important , and the in i t iat ives occur r ing in our Center fo r Urban Educat ion are no except ion .

I ’m p leased to have the opportun ity to pause and ref lect on some of the many important in i t iat ives that are be ing spearheaded by our Center fo r Urban Educat ion .

In 2002, CUE began i ts work by in i t ia l l y focus ing on deve lop ing more ef fect ive classrooms, emphasiz ing

Continued on page 2

C O N T E N T SDirector's Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

About the Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Research Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CUE Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

CUEtalks: The CUE Lecture Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Heinz Fellows Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Summer Educator Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Ready to Learn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Must-Read Titles in Urban Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

spring 2018 volume 5

university of pittsburghcenter for urban education

This edition of CUE’D In marks my fifth and final year as director of the Center for Urban Education here at Pitt. Prior to moving here, I was a faculty member with limited administrative experience. Former Pitt School of Education Dean Alan Lesgold, Provost Patty Beeson, and a group of colleagues took a chance and offered me the position of a lifetime; as CUE Director, I’ve had the opportunity to implement practices from my research and test initiatives I believed would improve urban education.

But in my time here, Pittsburgh has become so much more to me than just a place to work; it has become home. Pittsburgh has been a welcoming place for my family and me, and I care deeply about the people here. Still, I have never worked harder in my life than in my time here. I did not want to let down the folks who believed not only in CUE, but in the possibility that a university center could play a role in both the broader discourse and practices of urban education, as well as in real schools and communities. I hope my hard work and dedication are evident, and that educational opportunities are more innovative for those in urban schools because of CUE.

As a leader, I have learned two enduring lessons: first, in order to make an impact to improve the life experiences of others, the leader has to decrease. In other words, leaders have to relax her or his ego and place the wellbeing of others front-

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Continued on page 2

2016-17: Public Pedagogy, Activism, and Justice

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

EDITION

col laborat ive fo rms of learn ing , and increas ing the use of technology in teach ing . These areas remain important fo r us to attend to in ways that can pos it ive ly impact what we know about teach ing and learn ing , and how we engage with students and teachers ins ide classrooms.

As educat ion research cont inues to demonstrate, however, we cannot focus on creat ing ef fect ive classrooms and encourag ing co l laborat ive learn ing without a lso attend ing to the dynamics of race, ident i ty , and p lace. Today , CUE is do ing just that !

Under the d i rectorsh ip of Dr. R ich Mi lner, who a lso serves as the Helen S. Fa ison Endowed Professor in Urban Educat ion , our facu lty , staf f, and students are ut i l i z ing more expansive and cr i t ica l f rameworks to inter rogate the systemic ef fects of poverty and rac ism. They are work ing to better understand and address the interp lay between of what happens ins ide schools and communit ies , how teaching and learn ing look across a var iety o f contexts , and how theor ies of cu l tura l l y responsive and susta in ing pedagogies are pract iced . These e lements are ev ident in many of the i r in i t iat ives , includ ing the CUE Summer Educator Forum, a profess iona l learn ing in i t iat ive fo r p re- and in -serv ice educat ion profess iona ls the Center hosts each summer.

Our co l leagues in CUE are a lso close ly examin ing the s ign i f icance of k ids , youth , and adu lts hav ing st rong rac ia l , cu l tura l , and l ingu ist ic ident i t ies ; and the overarch ing ro le o f educat ion in a p lu ra l ist ic , mult icu l tura l , mult i rac ia l , mult iethn ic, and mult i l ingua l soc iety . They are lead ing the way in demonstrat ing how educat ion , as a f ie ld , must commit to combatt ing rac ism, sex ism, homophobia , and a l l other fo rms of hate.

The Heinz Fe l lows Program, a year long fe l lowship that supports peop le to advance soc ia l just ice and equ ity in educat ion , is a good example of th is . Our He inz Fe l lows are engaging in re levant work , and we have CUE to thank for i t . Indeed , CUE is lead ing important in i t iat ives that have far - reach ing impact fo r improv ing learn ing cond it ions in schools and l i v ing cond it ions in communit ies .

As Dr. Mi lner p repares to move f rom Pittsburgh to Nashv i l le later th is summer, let me say that h is v is ion fo r CUE to become “a space of learn ing and shar ing with communit ies to pos it ive ly t ransform educat iona l opportun it ies and exper iences” has indeed mater ia l ized . As a School o f Educat ion , we wi l l cont inue to support th is v is ion and commit to ensur ing that CUE wi l l remain a leader in u rban educat ion .

and-center, and in many instances, ahead of themselves. Second, the answers to problems and challenges are always found where the problems and challenges are located; this is an insight I read about years ago in “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” but saw in real-time during my work here. In other words, although the CUE and I can assist in the fight for social justice, it is not in our ability or our desire to “save” others. Communities that are under-resourced, undervalued, and placed on the margins have a history of disrupting inequity and changing the status quo. It has been my privilege to fight for justice and equity alongside and sometimes behind many who dare to be transformative. I thank you for fighting with me!

Our theme for this 2017-18 academic year is Public Pedagogy, Activism and Justice, which I feel is perfect for my final year as director. As I transition out of this role, this theme captures perfectly what I have attempted to offer the Center, the School of Education, the University of Pittsburgh, and the broader local community.

I remain hopeful that we have been able to provide the public with learning opportunities. I hope we have been real activists of justice in the face of inequitable educational systems that prevent too many of our students from reaching their full capacity. As you will read about in this issue, we have organized Lunch & Learn Series, bi-annual lectures, Reflection into Action conversations in the community, and Responding to Reality panels to address pressing issues related to education and society. Our pedagogy, activism and justice work also manifests in schools and classrooms with our Ready to Learn Program, a tutoring and mentoring initiative for elementary, middle and high school students designed to increase student success in English language arts, mathematics and social skills. Moreover, we continue providing support to educators in Pittsburgh through our re-launch of the Heinz Fellows Program, in which 15 professionals work across three local schools to support teachers and students. This summer will bring our third annual Summer Educator Forum, where we support nearly 300 teachers in building justice-centered practices through Culturally Responsive Education. These are some examples that I believe embody our theme.

I do not believe leaders should stay in the same roles forever. After about 5-7 years, new and fresh ideas are needed, and the fabric of the work can be sustainable and sustained when a center, school, university, or other institution is not tied to a person, but to a purpose. CUE has a clear purpose, and because of it, I am heartened by the reality that it will be a permanent feature of the fabric of the University of Pittsburgh and the community.

I leave you with our motto: Learn. Share. Transform. I remain hopeful that in the years to come, CUE continues to embrace these words in taking the work to the next level. Our students, families, communities, and educators deserve nothing short of our absolute best.

Year in ReviewMessage from the Director

2

Dr. Rich Milner CUE Director, Helen Faison Professor of Urban Education Dr. Valerie Kinloch

Renee and Richard Goldman Dean University of Pittsburgh School of Education

3

ABOUT THE CENTERCUE's vision is to be a space of learning and sharing with communities

to positively transform educational opportunities and experiences.To better work toward this vision, we adhere to a list of six core beliefs. We believe in:Learning – Learning from and with others is essential for building knowledge and understanding

Relationships – Relationships are at the core of effective educational policies and practices

Assets – People and communities have a wide range of strengths and assets from which we should recognize, cultivate, and build

Sharing – Sharing what we know and possess to enrich communities and collective interests

Equity – Striving and advocating for equitable and justice-centered policies and practices

Action – Moving our knowledge, understanding, and skills into actions to improve education and society

Our New Space

In August 2017, the Center for Urban Education moved into a newly renovated space on the fourth floor of Pitt's Wesley W. Posvar Hall. The space includes faculty, staff and graduate student offices, a library, conference room, innovation space, and a customizable conference room we call the CUE Commons.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHTTeachers' Race Talk SurveyPrincipal Investigator: H. Richard Milner Co-Principal Investigators: Lori Delale-O'Connor, Adam Alvarez, Ira Murray, Derric Heck, Jawanza Rand

The recent series of deaths of unarmed Black people at the hands of police has spurred concern and conversation both inside and outside of school. While few researchers present ways for teachers to incorporate in-class learning opportunities that respond to racial injustices, we acknowledge that what teachers talk about and do in their classrooms are often influenced by their worldviews. Therefore, we were interested in (a) understanding if teachers believed discussions of race were appropriate for the classroom, (b) whether they felt prepared to engage in race conversations, and (c) what informed their beliefs about the importance of race talk with and among students. As part of this investigation, we found no established survey tools designed for capturing teachers’ beliefs and feelings about discussing race with students in the classroom. For this reason, we designed the Teachers’ Race Talk Survey.

The Teachers’ Race Talk Survey (TRTS) is an exploratory data collection instrument CUE designed for capturing how teachers report beliefs and feelings about discussing race with students in the classroom. A 33-item survey, the TRTS begins with nine demographic items, including teachers’ race, years teaching, and students’ racial demographic. Twelve closed-ended items, such as “I believe race is an important topic to discuss in the classroom,” aim to get a general sense of teachers’ beliefs or feelings by offering a forced response option of “yes,” “no,” or “not sure.” Each closed-ended item is followed by an open-ended response prompt that asks participants to elaborate on their closed-ended responses.

Our sample selection began locally with current and former teacher education program students and local educational networks throughout Pittsburgh, including teacher education programs with access to current and former students. Nationally, the TRTS team invited all 62 AAU public and private school deans of education and/or directors or coordinators of teacher education programs. The Literacy Research Association also posted the survey to its distribution list. The non-random sample of teachers in our initial TRTS sample is affiliated with AAU institutions, the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education, and the Literacy Research Association. Further, participants self-selected into the study by voluntarily completing the survey. Therefore, what we have learned from this study, thus far, applies only to pre- and in-service teachers in this sample, and not to broader teacher populations.

As CUE Director Rich Miler stated in an interview with The Atlantic, teachers (in this study) reported that they believe race is important to discuss with students in their classrooms, but those teachers do not feel prepared to have such conversations. While these teacher responses are telling, we have also learned how teachers rationalize their reported beliefs. For instance, in a co-authored manuscript, Dr. Adam Alvarez and Milner showcase how teachers’ race talk symbolizes aspects of color-blind racism by viewing police violence on unarmed Black bodies as either a natural occurrence of disobeying the law or by minimizing the role that race plays. Much of what we have learned from this facet of our research in the Center to the need for rethinking how we address race in education, especially in how teacher education programs prepare teachers to do their jobs.

Though Milner has offered strategies for teachers who are interested in incorporating discussions about race in their classrooms, it is imperative that we recognize the need to bolster the system for preparing future teachers. Additionally, we have found through our work with the TRTS that administrative and parent support are critical drivers of teachers’ decisions to discuss race in the classroom. Teachers may be more likely to engage in productive, justice-centered race talks when they (a) feel prepared, and (b) believe they have support of school administrators and parents. Based on our analyses, this means a greater emphasis should be placed on centering race in teacher education, educational leadership and community engagement. The findings from this wave of research will inform future phases of the Teachers’ Race Talk Survey. CUE plans to conduct TRTS interviews in cities across the country where incidents of police violence triggered investigations by the Department of Justice (e.g., in New York City with Eric Garner; in Cleveland with Tamir Rice; in Ferguson, Mo. with Michael Brown). Our goal is to gain a deeper understanding of what drives teachers to engage or not engage in race talk with their students.

While this work scarcely addresses the bigger issue of racial injustice, it begins to help us understand what role teachers can play. Consequently, questions continue to emerge: What do students have the opportunity to learn based on the decisions that teachers make? How can teacher education programs deepen future teachers’ understanding of the salience of race? And what do teacher educators need to know in order to adequately prepare future teachers to engage race head-on?

4

What Does Gentrification Mean for Urban Schools?F. Alvin Pearman

Many urban neighborhoods look new. Wealthier families, who once fled the city for the suburbs, are now returning to the city en masse. The results are unmistakable. Organic grocery stores and high-end retailers have sprouted along city streets. Boarded up housing and vacant lots have been repurposed and redeveloped. Bike lanes, yoga studios, art galleries, luxury condominiums, and overpriced lattes have become fixtures in major U.S. cities. Indeed, a glance around urban areas today reveals that all that money spent developing the lilywhite suburbs of yesteryear is hurtling back to the city.

An objection often raised about this brand of capital reinvestment and demographic change, commonly referred to as gentrification, is that the upside doesn’t benefit everyone the same. And although there is evidence that these

changes lead to increased resources available for neighborhood institutions in general, far less is known about how gentrification relates to urban schools in particular. Are schools better off if their surrounding communities gentrify? In what ways do schools change in response to gentrification? Is it possible that school policy can influence whether affluent households are willing to move to low-income neighborhoods?

These questions are at the heart of an emerging line of research at the Center for Urban Education, led by Assistant Professor Francis Alvin Pearman. Pearman, who joined CUE last Fall, has

several research projects examining how schools figure into the contemporary urban landscape. His research methods, while varied, are based on advanced quantitative methods using large-scale, nationally representative datasets — what many have come to know as “big data” science.

In a recent project, Pearman and a colleague at the University of Georgia examined the connection between school choice and gentrification. This analysis included data from every neighborhood and urban school in the United States. The results, recently published in the Sociology of Education journal, indicate that the expansion of school choice in recent years has drastically increased the chances that white households gentrify low-income communities of color.

These findings are important because they suggest that school policy is, in fact, housing policy. Determining who has access to which schools, notably through the expansion of school choice, determines where folks are willing to live, which has consequences for notions of displacement, how we think about urban schooling, and the structure of urban inequality.

Examining the connection between gentrification and urban schooling holds considerable promise for understanding the future of U.S. cities. As gentrification continues to transform urban neighborhoods, a critical next step in the field of urban education is to get ahead of these trends to help inform policy that ensures the benefits of gentrification flow to the children and institutions who need them most.

5

Families play an integral role in educating children. They are children’s first and lifelong teachers, as well as the ones with whom they spend the most time. Parents and other primary caregivers influence their children’s actions, beliefs and understandings of both the world and themselves. Indeed, when schools and families work together, they are ideal partners in a child’s education.

Yet, caregivers and other family members—particular families of color, those living below the poverty line and English language learners — are often marginalized and excluded by the policies and practices that comprise formal education settings. Caregiver participation is

often expected to occur on the school’s terms, such as attendance at PTO meetings and other school functions, and doesn’t take into account the barriers to participation that some families face, including transportation and challenging past experiences at school. To foster genuine partnerships, educators and school leaders need to both better understand and work to adapt to the practices and logics of the families in which their students reside.

Fostering genuine collaboration is at the core of CUE assistant professor Lori Delale-O’Connor’s research, which focuses on a variety of projects with the common thread of engaging and supporting families and communities to play an integral role in children’s education. In her work, Delale-O’Connor, who previously served as the center’s

associate director of research and development, explores — at both a micro and a macro level — the processes by which families make sense of school and educational engagement. In recent projects she has explored these ideas within the arenas of school choice, caregiver’s in-school engagement, out-of-school time STEM participation, and both student and caregiver school connectedness.

This year, Dr. Delale-O’Connor’s work has forwarded what we know about engaging and supporting families in particular through school choice and STEM participation. On the topic of school choice, three recent publications in Teachers College Record, Equity and Excellence in

Education and Education and Urban Society that in particular examine the connections between information, understanding and the choice families make. Drawing from in-depth interviews, observations, material collection and content analysis, each article addresses barriers and shortcomings in school choice processes, as well as associated social processes families used for navigating these challenges.

In addition, Dr. Delale-O’Connor serves as a co-PI on a cross-disciplinary team at Pitt that was recently awarded an NSF INCLUDES grant focused on Diversifying Access to Urban Universities for Students in STEM Fields. In her work on this project, Dr. Delale-O’Connor draws from current literature, as well as conducting surveys and focus groups with caregivers,

students, and community members to create a community engagement framework designed to support marginalized students toward STEM career pathways.

As the U.S. student population continues to diversify racially, ethnically, and linguistically, family and community engagement in formal education settings needs to better reflect the needs of these diverse populations. Better understanding the barriers and facilitators that families and communities face in supporting their children’s education has clear potential to change school and district engagement policies and practices. Such work offers opportunities for educators and leaders to celebrate and support the work that families and communities are already doing to educate children.

6

RESEARCHThe Family's Role in Children's Education Lori Delale-O'Connor

Most people likely think of themselves as ethical beings, having high moral values with strong beliefs in fairness and a clear understanding of right and wrong. These are common standards to which we hold ourselves accountable, even if there are differing interpretations regarding acceptable ethical thresholds for individuals leadership positions. In spite of these differences, most people set the ethical bar pretty high when comes to the school leaders entrusted with educating children and youth.

But what happens when these school teachers and leaders are trained to teach content – English, math, and science – but are not trained to understand context? What happens to students of color when the teachers and school leaders are subject matter literate but racially illiterate?

These are urgent ethical dilemmas that CUE Associate Professor and Associate Director for Research and Development, Dana Thompson Dorsey believes must be addressed with “all deliberate speed” (a term borrowed from the 1955 Brown v. Board of Education II decision) for students of color to truly have equal educational opportunity and achieve academic excellence in public schools. Thompson Dorsey joined CUE last summer after seven years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on critically examining education laws, policies and practices, and how they shape educational equity, access and opportunities for students of color, particularly in racially segregated schools and communities.

In a recent article published in Teachers College Record, Thompson Dorsey and a colleague from Carlow University applied Joe Feagin’s (2010) sociological framework, known as the White Racial Frame, to numerous instances of three urban principals’ instructional leadership practices. Thompson Dorsey and her colleague found that the three principals, who were leaders in urban schools with primarily Black student populations, were limiting the learning opportunities of the students and struggling with the instructional improvement of their teachers because they would not confront the racism plaguing their schools.

The principals were expressing racial stereotypes and justifying the discriminatory actions of parents, teachers and community members, but still viewed themselves and their White teachers as virtuous people who answered the higher calling of teaching in urban schools.

The findings have led Thompson Dorsey to question whether school leaders are receiving adequate training in schools of education before becoming building- and district-level instructional leaders for teachers, staff, parents, and community members. She contends that racial literacy should be required content knowledge for all school leaders, but especially those who want to lead schools and school districts in urban areas.

Thompson Dorsey is continuing this line of inquiry and researching how racial literacy may be incorporated into ethical educational leadership, which is an existing area of leadership research training. She considers some broad definitions of ethical educational leadership, such as justice, care, critique, and the profession. Then, she explores the varying levels of racial literacy in several different school leadership cases and analyzes where the leaders are and perhaps should be on an ethical leadership spectrum.

Racial Literacy for Ethical Leadership Dana Thompson Dorsey

7

8

LUNCH & LEARN SERIESThe CUE Lunch & Learn Series is a montly gathering open to faculty, students, staff and community members. Its goal is to stimulate dialogue about pertinent issues in urban education, and for colleagues to develop possible collaborations with an urban education focus. This year, CUE invited some of the top scholars in urban education from across the country to lead the research-grounded sessions.

Activism, Advocacy, and the Pursuit of Educational Change September 28, 2017Facilitated by Dr. Clyde Wilson Pickett Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Inclusion, Community College of Allegheny County

More Than the Black/White Binary: How Asian American Male Math Teachers Redefine Mathematical Success to Resist Stereotypes of Themselves and Their Black and Latinx StudentsOctober 19, 2017Facilitated by Kari KokkaAssistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh

Border Crossing Ballers: Black Athletes Navigating Race, Place & Complex SpaceNovember 2, 2017Facilitated by Ty-Ron DouglasAssociate Professor, University of Missouri

I Am Urban: Exploring Black Female Teachers’ Preferences for Urban Public SchoolsDecember 7, 2017Facilitated by Abiola Farinde-WuAssistant Professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston

From the Inside Out: How Schools and Classrooms Structure Students' OutcomesDecember 14, 2017Facilitated by Sheneka WilliamsAssistant Professor, University of Georgia

Urban Preparation: A Critical Race Examination of Young Black Men’s Journeys to and Through CollegeJanuary 25, 2018Facilitated by Chezare WarrenAssistant Professor, Michigan State University

We Are Still Here: Declarations of Love and Sovereignty in Black Life Under SiegeFebruary 8, 2018Facilitated by Cynthia DillardMary Frances Early Professor of Teacher Education, University of Georgia

Sustaining and Remaining in the Field: How Minority-Serving Institutions Support Teachers of ColorMarch 29, 2018Facilitated by Lynnette Mawhinney, Associate Professor, The College of New Jersey and Emery Petchauer, Associate Professor, Michigan State University

How Culturally Responsive School Leadership Can Support Audacious Learning in Urban SchoolsApril 5, 2018Facilitated by Mark GoodenChristian A. Johnson Endeavor Professor, Columbia University Teachers College

Chezare Warren leads the January Lunch & Learn session

Athletes, Activism and Free Expression Moderated by Dr. John Singer, Texas A&M University, and CUE's Dr. Dana Thompson DorseyDecember 5, 2017

Do public figures have a right or responsibility to challenge institutional racism? Join the Center for Urban Education for a panel discussion featuring current and former athletes, media, administrators and policymakers on the societal and cultural implications of athletes using their platforms to advocate for social justice. Panelists included Sean Gentille of the Pittsburgh Post-

Gazette, Anna Hollis of Amachi Pittsburgh, former NFL player Mike Logan, LaTonya Salley-Sharif of Holy Family Academy, and former Pitt football player Ian Troost.

Responding to Reality is designed to engage and respond to current, real-world occurences with concrete strategies to make society more equiatable for those in urban education.

Advocating for Healthy Children in Urban Communities and SchoolsModerated by Dr. A. Dexter Samuels, Meharry Medical College, and Dr. John Jakicic, University of Pittsburgh Department of Health and Physical ActivityFebruary 22, 2018

CUE and the Department of Health & Physical Activity teamed up for a panel discussion and reflection examining health issues and disparities, and how they influence educational outcomes. The panel featured Maria Searcy of the Northside Parent Action Council; Dr. Sharon Elizabeth Ross of the Pitt School of Education's Department of the Health and Physical Activity, and Dr. Evelyn Talbott of the Pitt Graduate School of Public Health's Epidemiology Department.

RESPONDING TO REALITY

9

Former NFL player Mike Logan

Why Race, Culture & Trauma Matter: Addressing Real Equity for Marginalized PopulationsDr. Tyrone Howard Professor of Education, UCLAOctober 5, 2017

In this talk, Dr. Howard addressed the increasing complexities in today’s schools contexts, and how issues of race, culture, and trauma remain salient. Focusing specifically on how schools often miss the mark with regard to engaging students in teaching and learning, Howard offered a complex and nuanced account of how today’s student populations require a more humanistic, race-conscious, and culturally caring approach to education.

Once each semester, the #CUEtalks Lecture Series provides an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and community members to learn from a prominent, established researcher about an issue salient to urban education.

CUEtalks: THE CUE LECTURE SERIES

10

The Stories We Tell: Transforming Narratives About Other People's ChildrenDr. Lisa Delpit Professor of Education, UCLAMarch 20, 2018

Dr. Lisa Delpit addressed how the stories our country has told us about certain people distort our perceptions and create self-fulfilling stereotypes of low performance. If we change our

stories, we can both change the ways we think about children and the ways they think about themselves. Dr. Delpit's daytime book study included a talk by Minnijean Brown of the Little Rock Nine.

11

Reflection into Action sessions occur at community locations outside the University, and are designed to create collective strategies for advancing the ideas presented during our lecture series into actionable plans for improving our schools and communities. Reflection into Action discussion bridges the gaps between theory and practice by connecting CUE with local schools, districts, student groups, parents, and communities.

During the 2017-18 academic year, CUE hosted talks from Drs. Tyrone C. Howard and Lisa Delpit on addressing trauma among marginalized student populations, and dealing with cultural conflicts in educational spaces, respectively. Both speakers outlined how to improve educational opportunities for all students by changing the ways we think of the systems that make it difficult for so many to find success, and challenged listeners to reflect on ways that teacher education programs should tap urban communities and families as resources for supporting schools and teacher learning.

To move reflection into action, we hosted two successful community forums to advance recommendations

brought up in the lectures. Educators in attendance shared their classroom practices, and collaborated with students, parents, and community members to devise new strategies.

Fall Reflection into Action: Addressing Race, Culture, & Trauma

Holy Familiy Academy October 10, 2018

The Fall Reflection into Action took place at Holy

Family Academy. Panelists included Dr. Raymond Logan (psychologist), Chester Stoney (teacher at Propel Andrew Street), Kaylen Moore (Pitt doctoral candidate), and Anthony Brown (junior at UPrep School at Milliones).

They shared reflections on the difference between schooling and education, the importance of rejecting hopelessness, and ways to build solidarity between challenged communities and schools.

Spring Reflection into Action: Addressing Cultural Conflict in

Educational SpacesUrban Academy Charter School March 27, 2018

The Spring Reflection into Action took place at the Urban Academy Charter School . Panelists included Kiva A. Fisher-Green, MSW (social worker at Primary Care Health Services) Janine Frazier Macklin (external engagement & grants manager for Urban Pathways K-5 College Charter School), and Charles Morris (school counselor at Westinghouse High School).

They shared reflections on the benefits and challenges on community centered teaching approaches, building better mechanisms for family involvement in schools, and the peril and promises for building optimal communication and partnerships between schools and community organizations.

REFLECTION INTO ACTION

12

The Urban Education journal is an important resource in the field of educational research. Recently, the journal published a special issue, "Urban Youth, Schooling, and Education in the Era of Black Lives Matter" guest edited by Camika Royal, Assistant Professor of Urban Education at Loyola University Maryland, and Marc Lamont-Hill, Professor of Media Studies and Urban Education at Temple University. Additionally, Professor Mark Warren of the University of Massachusetts, Boston, guest edited a special issue, "Research confronts equity and social justice: Building the emerging field of collaborative, community engaged education research" that was featured during the 2018 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in New York City.

This year, the journal recognized two outstanding reviewers, Dr. Gina Garcia of the University of Pittsburgh, and Dr. Steve Nelson of the University of Memphis, with the Kofi Lomotey Outstanding Reviewer Award. Dr. Emery Petchauer of Michigan State University, Dr. Sean Kelly of the University of Pittsburgh received outstanding service awards for their work on the editorial board. Dr. Sheneka Williams of the University of Georgia, Dr. Ana Christina da Silva of Vanderbilt University, Dr. Mark Gooden of Columbia University, and University of Pittsburgh doctoral students Adam Alvarez, DaVonna Graham, and Ira Murray were also recognized for outstanding service to the journal. Follow the journal on Twitter @UrbanEdJournal.

Urban Education Journal

Designed to complement the School of Education’s Master of Arts in Teaching and Professional Year programs, CUE’s Urban Scholars program provides our graduate students with additional time, resources, experiences, and supports to develop the knowledge, skills, mindsets, beliefs and dispositions needed to be effective equity-minded, culturally responsive educators with all students in diverse urban schools.

Program benefits include: • Participants well positioned for hiring in urban districts, which have the most job opportunities • A full school year observing and teaching in an urban school • An Urban Scholars Seminar in fall and spring semesters, supporting and responsive to students’ needs • Participation in relationship-building activities with students and school community • Access to urban education experts and other valuable resources through CUE • Pipeline into early consideration for positions in partner districts • Personalized support for each student

Urban Scholars Program

Roderick L. Carey, PhD, served as a postdoctoral research fellow from 2015-2017. He is now a in tenure-track assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Delaware.

Joshua Childs, PhD, earned his doctorate from the School of Education in 2015. He is now an assistant professor of Educational Policy and Planning in the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Texas at Austin

Heather Cunningham, PhD, earned her doctorate from the School of Education in 2015, then spent two years as a Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor at CUE before moving on to a tenure-track faculty Assistant Professorship at Chatham University.

Abiola Farinde-Wu, PhD, was with CUE from 2014-2017, first as a postdoctoral research fellow, then a visiting assistant professor. She is now a tenure-track assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Maxine McKinney de Royston, PhD, spent the 2015-16 academic year at CUE as a Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellow. She is now a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of Winconsin-Madison.

Ashley Woodson, PhD was one of CUE's Faculty Fellows before joining the team for the 2016-17 academic year. She is now the Stauffer Endowed Assistant Professor of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum at the University of Missouri.

CUE Team Member Update

13

EDUCATOR DEVELOPMENT

Inaugural Undergraduate Research FellowFOSTERING NEW RESEARCHMikaela Brown is a Pittsburgh native and third-year undergraduate at Spelman College in Atlanta, where she studies philosophy. As a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, she also dedicates her time to researching ways the English language makes abuse of women permissable in Western Culture.

Graduate Student Research Grant AwardsEach of the last two years, CUE has awarded $2,000 grants in the name of forwarding research by students whose work aligns with our mission to improve urban education.

2017 AwardeeMax Schuster, PhD Visiting Assistant Professor, Administrative and Policy StudiesCompartmentalized Cultures, Integrated Transitions

Schuster's work explored the ways in which first-year students experienced, perceived, and made sense of institutional culture in higher education during the transition from high school to college. Understanding these processes provides the opportunity for us to unravel the complexities of campus cultures that impinge upon student success.

2018 AwardeeAaron AnthonyDoctoral candidate, Administrative and Policy StudiesAssessing the accuracy of net price calculators

Anthony's dissertation is about college net prices, which are the out-of-pocket costs after factoring in grants and scholarships. The U.S. Department of Education requires postsecondary institutions to provide a net price calculator tool on their websites to make it easier to compare net pricing across colleges. However, we don't really know how meaningful the information net price calculators provide is for the students and parents they are intended to help. Anthony interviewed 15 pairs of college-intending high school juniors and seniors and their parents or guardians about using net price calculators and the role of college pricing in their postsecondary enrollment decisions.

During my winter break, I had the pleasure of interning at the Center of Urban Education Department at the University of Pittsburgh. Their commitment to education reform within Pittsburgh’s urban community inspired me to investigate literature surrounding women advocates in education. These texts consisted of the biographies of pioneers as well as theories, written by women and rooted in changing educational systems across the nation.

After reviewing the existing literature, I used the information to frame questions for the interviews I conducted with women advocates within the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Both of my interviewees were faculty members at Fulton Academy, a K-5 elementary school located on Highland Ave. Both offered me insight into the nuanced experiences of working with children in urban communities, as well as the challenges they faced while trying to advocate for their students. Overall, their dedication to the wellbeing of their students fueled their willingness to endure the struggles created by administration, parents, and curriculum. The knowledge I gained coupled with the information embedded in each interview will, hopefully, bring awareness to not only those advocates, but also to the detrimental state of our educational systems, specifically within urban areas across the United States.

14

HEINZ FELLOWS PROGRAM

The Heinz Fellows Program is a joint collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh Center for Urban Education and The Heinz Endowments. The program, which kicked off on June 19, 2017, forwards CUE’s commitment to improving the landscape of urban education, increasing the teacher-of-color pipeline, and improving the quality of instruction of educators in the Pittsburgh region. Under the direction of Associate Director of Strategic Programming and Initiatives Kenny Donaldson, the first cohort of Heinz Fellows was comprised of 15 nationally recruited educators who have been trained with a equity-minded, social justice framework. Nine of the fellows are either undergraduate or graduate alumni of the University of Pittsburgh.

Throughout an eight-week summer orientation, the fellows participated in training sessions, professional development, community visits, and reflective practices focused on developing competencies in six areas:

1. Understanding the Urban Context 2. Teaching/Tutoring/Pedagogy 3. Mentoring and Social Support 4. Participatory Action Research 5. Arts and Technology 6. Community, Volunteerism and Non-Profit Organizations

Their training began with the theme of “Identity,” which they connected to the Center for Urban Education’s Summer Educator Forum (CUESEF) — a two-day educator professional development focused on Culturally Responsive Education featuring nationally known scholars. Fellows engaged in various activities, from lectures by distinguished faculty, visits from respected community members such as Sala Udin, Tamanika Howze, Carl Redwood, and Rep. Jake Wheatley, and a tour of the Hill District led by Terri Baltimore. Through these experiences, fellows ended the summer prepared to apply what they learned in Pittsburgh area schools.

During the school year, the Fellows provided tutoring, mentoring, and support for Pittsburgh Public Schools students, teachers, and staff in in neighborhood schools in Pittsburgh's Hill District. They also participated in weekly community visits to locations that work with youth, and took part in weekly professional development sessions at CUE.

The second cohort of Heinz Fellows will begin its year-long program on July 25, 2018.

15

HEINZ FELLOWS PROGRAM

What did you expect going into the program?

Dan Lampmann: When I joined the program, I expected to learn through action. I expected to struggle, but to try again because of our commitment to be changemakers and to keep each other working. This hasn’t changed from the beginning. I have witnessed and discussed the pressures school leaders feel and how this translates into communication issues. Therefore, I saw my expectations shifting as our program’s roles in the school shift.

Imani LaGrone: I wanted to enter with an open mind. I was excited to have a new experience and get into a classroom, as I hadn’t been in one since my early childhood education days. I expected the state of public education to be more evolved than I found it. I’ve noticed so many dimensions of working in an elementary school that were common practices from when I was a kid. It’s interesting to think about how effective these are practices have been and if we should continue to use them. At the very least, we could stand to re-evaluate if these practices are reaffirming systems that suppress students of color.

Jordan Henderson: I had experience working with children, but never in an actual school setting. My main concern was fitting into the school’s culture. Whenever you’re transplanting into a community with a history as rich as the Hill District’s, you have to be aware of how you bring yourself into the space. That said, this experience has been more than anything I could have anticipated. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent working with my students and building relationships with the educators in the building.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned during your time in the program?

DL: The most valuable thing I have learned during my time is how It’s important to think analytically and see notice how our actions

are byproducts of inequitable systems.

JH: I think the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that tackling major issues in urban education isn’t a one-person job;,to solve these problems, we need teamwork and time. That said, in order to keep up my morale and my dedication, I had to learn how to celebrate the little victories – whether they were a student getting an A on an assignment, or getting a scholar to respond to you for the first time. Big or small, each victory is worth celebrating.

IL: With so much passion, love, and time spent with these young scholars, it’s challenging to not identify changes we feel would positively change students’ trajectories. It’s important to stay persistent in this work because learning that lesson for myself is very important, but imparting that to the students I worked with every day was even more important.

What has been the most rewarding moment of your time in the school?

DL: I witnessed students speaking their minds about issues important to them at their school during a school board meeting. Seeing them advocate for themselves and feeling their passion was incredible.

IL: During this year, I fell ill and had to be hospitalized. I’m not a native Pittsburgher and I don’t have family here, so that was a very challenging time. While I was out, the students I work with designed cards for me. Through their work, I was immediately reminded of how caring and authentic their spirits are. I think about that every time I see them in conflict with a teacher or peer, and when they are anxious and confused. I reflect on the truest pieces of their identities and if you’re there for them, they love you with every fiber of their being.

JH: Each morning, I worked one-on-one in an individualized education program with a scholar who had a learning disability. Typically, it took me awhile to get him settled

and focused to begin the day’s work. But last week, when I went to get him started, I only had to prompt him once. He came over to me with his work, sat down, and together we started going through his assignments. When we started out, this could be a pretty lengthy process, but this time it took less than ten minutes. It was a small thing, but I was so incredibly proud of him.

If you could fix one issue with the education system, what would it be and why?

DL: The most important issue is the structure and function of the system itself. It wasn’t built for the current student population, nor was it built to foster the success of each student. I wish the system would be reorganized and directed to answer one fundamental question that we haven’t been able to answer since the beginning of the fellowship, which is “what is the purpose of public education?”

IL: I would say the issue of students’ humanity. As adults, we sometimes forget that children are also humans. We want to control them and force them to listen. News

2017-18 Heinz Fellows Daniel Lampmann, Imani LaGrone, and Jordan Henderson spent their year-long immersion experiences at three schools in Pittsburgh's Hill District: Weil PreK-5, Miller PreK-5, and University Prep Milliones 6-12, respectively. We spoke them about the challenges, rewards, and lessons learned from working a year in Pittsburgh's urban schools.

As adults, we sometimes forget

that children are also humans. We could

learn so much if we took the time to listen

to the things that students have to say

about their learning, their interests, and

their passions. Students want to contribute to

their educations.

16

flash: adults do not have all the answers. We could learn so much if we took the time to listen to the things that students have to say about their learning, their interests, and their passions. Students want to contribute to their educations. Don’t adults give their supervisors feedback? Don’t adults respond well when their supervisors act on their feedback? We should do the same with students.

What has been your most memorable experience in the program?

DL: The African American History Extravaganza during the Black History Month celebration at UPrep was incredible because it gave all our students a platform to speak their minds and show how truly brilliant they are, and what valuable assets they are to the community and district as a whole.

IL: All of them! You can’t make me choose. The relationships, the milestones, the successes and also the failures. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

JH: There have been a lot, but what sticks out right now is our daily morning meetings at the beginning of the year. It started off with an empowering song they learned with motions in the Freedom School. Hearing them sing with pride about having inner strength was always amazing.

How do you see using what you’ve

learned as a Fellow in your future work?

DL: First, strong relationships built on trust require commitment and consistency. Only these relationships can move the needle and help transform a system. Second, we must all move together or we won’t move at all. The Heinz Fellowship has made me look more at why I communicate the way I do and how to be better at it. By doing so, I feel I’m better equipped to meet students, teachers, and administrators where they are and support them to get where they want to go.

JH: I plan to work in education in some capacity and preferably, I will have direct, in-class contact with students. I have learned so much about relationship building. We often forget that kids are just humans in smaller packages. They have thoughts, feelings and opinions, and until they feel like you really care, they aren’t going to pay you any mind. That need to be validated is something we can all relate to, and I would like to continue working that way with every student I encounter.

What’s the most memorable thing you learned from a scholar that visited CUE?

DL: One visiting scholar I felt especially connected to was Tyrone Howard from UCLA. His presence and passion for urban education were incredible. What I learned from him and from reading his book was how a school

can effectively value and talk about race because, as he says, “race matters.” While we discussed this at length with a number of visiting scholars, I felt most connected his expression of the importance of race and the discussion of race in schools. This was information was valuable because it gave me more tools in effectively discussing race and racial identity with my students and with the teachers in my school.

IL: I am abundantly grateful to the Center for Urban Education for the many, brilliant scholars it brought in this year. They reminded me that how far you go depends on how hard you are willing to work for the students. The work cannot cease until students have a voice in education, all platforms are equitable, and students are able to make changes in their lives. Students of color are depending on us to speak our truth on their behalf. They are depending on us to be the change they need to conquer the world.

JH: I think the most memorable visiting scholar for me was Minniejean Brown of the Little Rock Nine. For me, she was a symbol of both how far we’ve come as a country, but also how far we still have to go. The courage she and her classmates displayed is unmatched and it inspires me to fight for equitable education for all of my students, especially those who are African American. I appreciated her sharing her story and reminding us that we need to look past the hate and continue forward in order to affect positive change.

Daniel Lampmann, Jordan Henderson and Imani LaGrone

17

The Center for Urban Education Summer Educator Forum (CUESEF) is a professional learning experience for education professionals (pre- and practicing educators) in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region that focuses on supporting Culturally Responsive Education.

During this intensive, two-day forum, participants from PreK-12 from all subject areas will deepen their knowledge and understanding of Culturally Responsive Education (CRE). CUESEF 2018 participants will experience keynotes speakers, a series of four core workshops, and one specialized workshop.

Each participant will experience a core workshop, including:

• Community and Family Engagement• Curriculum and Pedagogy• “Classroom Management” and Restorative Justice Practices• Improving the School Environment and Culture

Attendees will also have the opportunity to attend one special session:• Motivation, Identity and Student Learning• Immigrant Students and Multilingual Learners• Pathway Issues and Higher Education• Leadership• Policy

Participants will engage with visiting scholars and one another through workshops, lectures, panels, and conversations that will enable them to form deep and lasting links between the concept of culturally responsive education and their daily practices.

The registration fee includes admission, books, materials and parking. Registration also includes breakfast and lunch on both days of the forum. Participants who complete the forum, as well as the required pre-conference readings, are eligible to earn 15 Act 48 credits.

June 26-27, 2018 / David Lawrence Hall / University of Pittsburgh

18

THE CUE SUMMER EDUCATOR FORUM

19

Valerie Kinloch Renée and Richard Goldman Dean, University of Pittsburgh

James Banks Kerry and Linda Killinger Endowed Professor in Diversity Studies

Director, Center for Multicultural Education, University of Washington

Bettina Love Associate Professor, University of Georgia

2018 CUESEF VISITING SCHOLARS

Bettie Ray Butler Associate Professor, UNC Charlotte

Roderick L. Carey Assistant Professor, University of Delaware

Bradley Carpenter Associate Professor, University of Houston

Joshua Childs Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin

Heather Cunningham Assistant Professor, Chatham University

Ana Christina da Silva Director of Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies Professor of the Practice of Education, Vanderbilt

University

James Earl Davis Bernard C. Watson Professor in Urban Education,

Temple University

Maxine McKinney de Royston Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-

Madison

Dr. April Peters-Hawkins Associate Professor, University of Houston

Rema Reynolds Assistant Professor, Eastern Michigan University

Ashley Woodson Assistant Professor, University of Missouri

Core and Special Facilitators

Keynotes

20

READY TO LEARNThe Ready to Learn Program is a tutoring-and-mentoring initiative and research study that connects Pitt undergraduate students with Pittsburgh Public School students.

The RTL Program's goal is to provide grade school students with experiences to support their academic improvement in mathematics, English language arts, and social skill development.

Since the program’s inception in 2014, RTL has served 60 elementary, middle, and high school students, and supported 30 Pitt mentors. Both Pitt undergraduate mentors and RTL PPS scholars engage in learning opportunities and social events in and around the University of Pittsburgh and

the Pittsburgh area. Pitt undergraduate mentors are prepared to cultivate student’s learning and development. To effectively mentor and tutor PPS students, Pitt mentors completed seminar training sessions that built on five competencies: 1) understanding urban context, 2) culturally responsive pedagogy, 3) mentoring and tutoring (mathematics, English, financial literacy, life skills, and study skills), 4) participatory action research, and 5) arts and technology. Since the program began, scholars have engaged in critical work and forged positive, culturally responsive, mentor-mentee relationships.

Data show strong academic improvement among all students who actively participated in RTL. Further, the RTL leadership team has systematically studied the program’s development to improve the program’s effectiveness and better meet the needs of our students, and presented its findings at the 2016 and 2017 annual meetings of the American Educational Research Association, and at the annual meeting of the National Association for Multicultural Education.

Last year, we had a particular focus on our seniors at Pittsburgh Milliones University Preparatory School 6-12 to ensure that they were prepared for and supported in the next steps in their lives as they pursue their goals and dreams. Students who have been part of the RTL program for the duration were gifted new laptop computers to assist them in their success.

Where are you from?

I am from Union, a suburban town in New Jersey. I am very proud of the tight-knit and diverse immigrant community that raised me there.

What do you study here at Pitt?

I am finishing up my senior year with majors in English Writing and Communication. I have completed a Children's Literature certificate as well. All three interests will prepare me for a career in English education.

What drew you to RTL?

Ready To Learn fit all of my career interests. I was drawn to the involvement with the Pittsburgh community, the research exposure with the great people at CUE, and most of all for experience working with students. That I was able to lend a hand in closing the opportunity gap for students of color — students who look like me — was also a major appeal. RTL and I were a perfect match!

How long have you been in the program?

This was my third year! With so much time at University Prep and working with the CUE team,

I have built unforgettable relationships and seen my contributions grow into something larger than myself. More importantly, I have

been able to see our high school mentees grow from freshman to very confident and intelligent seniors. As my undergraduate career comes to a close, I am most proud of the time I spent working with our not-so-little RTL babies.

What are your favorite things about the program?

Honestly, any time working with our students is my favorite. I particularly love when I can help our high school scholars apply what we work on after school to their real-life goals, like getting a job, applying for college, and getting a scholarship. Also, as an aspiring educator, the opportunity to work in the classroom weekly and note what works and what does not has been an invaluable experience — frankly these three years have given me more confidence to jump in front of my own chalkboard in the future!

How does what you study at Pitt connect with what you have learned in the program?

In my classes at Pitt, I am constantly learning about working effectively with others and the art of written communication. RTL has put that learning to the test. I have spent three years growing

as a better communicator with students, educators, and parents. More specifically, my background

in English has helped me work through many an essay or reading assignment with our students.

What is a memorable story you have about interacting with a student?

I have so many stories I cherish, but I love the days when we can take the students out to our little 'university world' (e.g. a basketball game, greek life event) and celebrate all of their hard work.

My favorite game to play with the students is 'Remember when…’ supplemented with photos I've kept from years past. We have done so much together it is great to look back and enjoy at it all.

" I part icu lar ly love when I can

he lp our h igh school scho lars apply what we work on after

school to the i r rea l - l i fe goa ls"

21

Michelle is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh and an undergraduate student mentor in the Ready to Learn program. She has contributed to RTL by conceptualizing and facilitating engaging learning activities, and her work has been crucial to the success of the program over the last year. We are delighted to highlight and honor her voice.

Black female teachers: Diversifying the United States’ teacher workforceAbiola Farinde-Wu, Ayana Allen-Handy, Chance W. Lewis

An important, timely, and provocative book, grounded in rich data and robust experience, this work looks at the real issues that must be considered when discussing issues of recruitment and retention of Black female teachers.

Un-Standardizing Curriculum: Multicultural Teaching in the Standards-Based ClassroomChristine E. Sleeter and Judith Flores Carmona

Designed to help educators deeply understand and design rigorous learning opportunities for all students, this text shepherds teachers into building and sharpening their professional judgment. This should be required reading in all teacher education programs.

Critical Language Pedagogy: Interrogating Language, Dialects, and Power in Teacher EducationAmanda Godley and Jeffrey Reaser

A gem for teachers committed to disrupting injustice and building on the many linguistic assets of students, the authors insist we redesign our curriculum practices, rethink our pedagogical moves, and reimagine our discursive interactions in order to honor and cultivate diverse identity spaces.

The (Im)possible multicultural teacher: A critical approach to understanding white teachers’ workC.N. Pimentel

Pimentel reminds readers that teachers have the potential to reinforce social justice and challenge social the status quo with an underlying message that teachers’ justice work tends not to fall in some neatly packaged binary like “for” equity or “against” it, rather, it is much more nuanced in practice.

As the field of urban education grows, new works are consistently instrumental in conceptualizing the field’s challenges and solutions. This section is dedicated to highlighting books that help shape our knowledge about urban education, and suggest ways to improve policies, practices, and programs that have a real bearings on students, teachers, administrators, and community success. CUE hopes that readers will add these books to their libraries to update and enhance their knowlege on improving urban education, schools, and communities.

The struggle for the soul of teacher educationKenneth Zeichner

Grounded in historical and contemporary perspectives on how, where, and at what cost teachers are prepared, Zeichner skillfully outlines a community-centered approach to transforming teacher education that will change how we think about the work of teaching and and what we do to ensure students experience the opportunities they deserve.

Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say About and To Students Every DayMica Pollock

A critical guide that urges educators to reflect on and refine the ways they communicate with and about their students, in order for their words to more accurately match their values. Pollock masterfully utilizes common scenarios, useful exercises, concrete actions and valuable resources to help educators foster equity in schools.

After the ''At-Risk'' Label: Reorienting Educational Policy and PracticeKeffrelyn Brown

Brown compels educational researchers, theorists, policymakers, and practitioners to rethink empirical and epistemological beliefs about risk, and challenges readers to disrupt the ways discursive interactions can shape our policymaking and practices.

22

15 MUST -READ TITLES

The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black BoysEddie Moore, Ali Michael, Marguerite W. Penick-Parks

As a resource for a majority White female teacher population, this text offers empirically-based strategies, including the development of learning environments, shifting school cultures, and confronting potential biases that may limit authentic relationships.

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated AmericaRichard Rothstein

Using the history of the modern American metropolis, Rothstein exposes the roles of federal, state and local governments in systematically promoting racial segregation through zoning, public housing, and other structural mechanisms.

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing WorldDjango Paris and H. Samy Alim

This text argues that schools should be places for sustaining the cultural practices of communities of color by engaging in pedagogical practices that nurture linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism.

Growing Critically Conscious Teachers: A Social Justice Curriculum for Educators of Latino/a YouthAngela Valenzuela

This work introduces a critical framework for preparing teachers to be culturally responsive by offering several areas in which higher education institutions may develop curriculum for teaching Latinx students, students of color, and children whose first language is not English.

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America Ibram X. Kendi

This engaging text chronicles the history, proliferation and power of anti-Black racist ideas in the U.S. Kendi, a historian, guides readers through the content by invoking the life stories of five American intellectuals who grappled deeply and publicly with racism and racial ideology.

Deconstructing Race: Multicultural Education Beyond the Color-BindJabari Mahiri

Moving beyond race as a social construct, Mahiri explores historical and current research on race, culture, and an increasingly technological ethos and provides a framework for understanding micro-cultural identities and practices.

Citizenship Education and Global Migration: Implications for Theory, Research, and TeachingJames A. Banks

Examining the ways in which citizenship is constructed, allocated and problematized by responses to migrant and immigrant communities, and how these issues relate to aspects of educational practice in countries around the world, Banks presents theories and cases which advance and exemplify the capacity of civic education to foster

structural inclusion.

Reclaiming the Multicultural Roots of U.S. Curriculum: Communities of Color and Official Knowledge in EducationWayne Au, Anthony L. Brown, Delores Calderon

This text counters the gaps in the history of U.S. curriculum discourse that silence marginalized people from the field’s canon. which promotes a master narrative situated in whiteness, patriarchy and power.

23

IN URBAN EDUCATION

24

CUE FELLOWSTo foster a community of interdisciplinary scholars engaged in urban education research, theory, policy, and practice, the Center for Urban Education offers faculty and graduate students in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh the opportunity to apply to become CUE Fellows. Those outside the School of Education are invited to apply. CUE affiliation provides fellows with the opportunity to build collaborative research projects, share and discuss issues and solutions in urban education, and showcase research and development projects. CUE is proud to recognize its Faculty and Graduate Student Fellows. To learn more about becoming a CUE fellow, contact cue@pitt.edu.

Tom Akiva, Anna Arlotta-Guerrero, Heather Bachman, Mario Browne, Tanja Burkhard, Trish Crawford, Linda DeAngelo, Ellice Forman, Gina Garcia, Amanda Godley, Michael Gunzenhauser, Jennifer Iriti, Katrina Bartow Jacobs, Sean Kelly, Mary Margaret Kerr, Kari Kokka, Linda Kucan, Lindsay Clare Matsumura, Jason Mendez, Barbara Kimes Myers, J. Meagan O'Brien, Maureen Porter, Emily Rainey, Michele Reid, Rachel Robertson, Katherine Sukenik Pohl, Laura Roop, Sharon Ross, Veronica Sardegna, Michelle Sobolak, Beth Sondel, John Wallace Jr., Tanner Wallace, Shannon Wanless, Carol Wooten

Emma Abruzzo, Sarah Amanfu, Christina Ashwin, Lorraine R. Blatt, Kate Bowers, Kaitlyn Brennan, Jennifer Briggs, Sarah Capello, Meghan Dale, James Doyle, Audrey Guzek, Rabiah Harris, Marijke Hecht, Thomas Hill, Zuliakha Jones, Sherri Korpella, Qiana Lachaud, Di Liang, Danielle Lowry, Samantha Migliozzi, Monica Navarro, Chi Elyse Okwu, Janard Pendleton, Rachel Phillips, Antonio Quarterman, Jenesis Ramirez, Ruthie Rea, Paulette Vincent Ruz, Ashley Shafer, Calli Shekell, Laura Stelitano, Wei Tang, Vincent Villella, Eric Washington, Bianca West, Eben Witherspoon

CUE Faculty Fellows

CUE Graduate Student Fellows

THE ALAN LESGOLD AWARDS

2017-2018 Honorees

CUE presents the Lesgold Award for Excellence in Urban Education in recognition of an individual, organization, or initiative emphasizing, advancing, or supporting the work of urban education. CUE applauds trailblazers — locally, regionally, and nationally — who are committed to improving educational experiences and opportunities for those in urban schools, districts, and communities. The award is named for Alan Lesgold, former dean of the School of Education and founder of CUE.

A+ Schools Advocacy Organization

Dr. Shirley BiggsEducation Researcher

Rev. Lee Walls Community Activist

Dr. Patricia Beeson Provost, University of Pittsburgh

The PRIDE Program Research and Advocacy Initiative

1Nation Mentoring Community Organization

Dr. Rich Milner CUE Director, 2013-2018

25

Previous Honorees

Dr. Larry Davis Former Dean, School of Social Work

Saleem Ghubril Executive Director, The Pittsburgh Promise

Lynne Hayes-Freeland Local television personality, activist

Dr. Linda Lane Former Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent

Michelle King Teacher, activist

Jason RiversTeacher, founder of AR3

Dr. Jerome Taylor Former Dean, Department of Africana Studies

Malcom Thomas Teacher, activist

Dr. Alan Lesgold Former School of Education Dean, CUE Founder

26

CUE is grateful to its donors for their generous support of our mission, vision and work.

Drs. Jack and Jerlean Daniel Douglas Erikson

Robert and Bobbie Gaunt Nick Kazemi

Robert and Judith Law Alan and Sharon Lesgold

Carol and Gene McGrevinRich and Shelley Milner

P&W Foreign Cars

CUE is also grateful to the organizations that fund its work. Since 2013, CUE has accrued more than $2.5 million in grants that have helped fund its research, service projects, and events. none of which would have been possible without the generous support from these institutions:

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

The Grable Foundation The Heinz Endowments

University of Pittsburgh AthleticsUniversity of Pittsburgh Provost's Office

University of Pittsburgh Office of Diversity and InclusionNational Science Foundation

Neighborhood Allies Pittsburgh Public Schools

Three Rivers Workforce Investment BoardThe Year of the Humanities in the University

The Year of Diversity in the University

27

FACULTY, STUDENTS & STAFFCUE Director Rich Milner, PhD CUE Director Rich Milner, PhD has a forthcoming book, “These Kids are Out of Control” (Corwin Press, 2018), this fall. For the sixth consecutive year, he was named to Education Week’s Top 200 Scholars who influence the public on education. This fall, he will deliver the prestigious American Educational Research Association’s Brown Lecture in Washington DC. He will end his tenure at the University of Pittsburgh and return to Vanderbilt University this fall as the Cornelius Vanderbilt Endowed Professor and Chair of Education.

Dana Thompson Dorsey, JD, PhD, is CUE’s Associate Director of Research and Development, having returned to her native Pittsburgh last year after several years at the University of North Carolina. Her research and teaching focuses on issues related to education law and policy, the historical, social, and political context of education, and critical race theory.

Erika Gold Kestenberg, PhD is CUE’s Associate Director of Educator Development and Practice. She coordinates the Urban Scholars Program in the Department of Instruction and Learning, and serves as a visiting assistant professor of Urban Education and co-leader of the Transformative Intergroup Dialogue Collaborative. She was part of the inaugural group to complete Pitt’s new Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program.

Kenny Donaldson joined CUE this year as its new Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives, where his primary role is overseeing the development, direction, and management of the Heinz Fellows Program. He is also in the third year of the EdD program in Higher Education Management in Pitt’s School of Education.

Lori Delale-O’Connor, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Education. Her teaching, research, and policy interests focus on urban education, sociology of education, positive child and youth development, and parent education. This year, she published articles in Teachers College Record and Education and Urban Society; in addition, she and doctoral student DaVonna Graham published a book review in Teachers College Record.

A. Francis Pearman, PhD joined CUE in the 2017-18 school year after completing his doctoral program at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education. His research examines connections to and consequences of gentrification with respect to modern schooling through a "big data" perspective.

Amy Witherspoon has been the center administrator at CUE since November, 2015. Prior to working at Pitt, Amy worked at a charter school and a nonprofit organization in Detroit. She holds a BA from Colby College and is currently a student at Pitt’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.

Matt Wein has served as CUE’s media arts and communications manager since 2015. He has more than 12 years’ experience as a writer, reporter, photographer, editor, and media consultant. He holds a bachelor’s in History from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Library Science from Clarion University.

Adam Alvarez, a K. Leroy Irvis Fellow in the Social and Comparative Analysis in Education program, successfully defended his dissertation in April, 2018. His research interests include race and trauma in the social context of education, and the sociological factors that influence inequity. In the fall of 2018, he will begin a tenure-track faculty position at Rowan University.

Ira Murray, a K. Leroy Irvis Fellow in the Social and Comparative Analysis in Education program, successfully defended his dissertation in May. His research interests include sociopolitical youth development both inside and outside of school, as well as relationships between schools and communities in urban contexts. He has been named the next president of the United Way Capital Area in Jackson, Mississippi, and will begin later this summer.

DaVonna Graham is a third-year doctoral student in Language, Literacy and Culture and a K. Leroy Irvis Fellow. As a graduate research and teaching associate at CUE, DaVonna serves on the Community Engagement and Educator Development & Practice affinity groups, as well as an Editorial Assistant for the journal Urban Education.

Derric I. Heck is a K. Leroy Irvis Fellow and third-year doctoral student in the Social & Comparative Analysis in Education program. His research interests include identity development, race talk, and the role physical space can play as a facilitator of dialogue and learning.

Jawanza Kalonji Rand is a third-year doctoral student and Dean’s Scholar in the Urban Education and Social & Comparative Analysis of Education programs in the School of Education. A research and teaching associate with CUE, Jawanza is involved in the Student Academic & Social Development affinity group.

Shelby Eden Dawkins-Law is is a doctoral student and Equity and Justice Fellow in the Social and Comparative Analysis in Education program, and a Graduate Research and Teaching Associate at CUE. Their research interests focus on the centering students' counterstories to master narratives in the study of campus-based social movement communities.

CONNECT WITH CUE!

Want to learn more about the Center for Urban Education? Interested in upcoming opportunities, events, projects, and news?

Sign up to receive e-mail updates from CUE!

School of EducationCenter for Urban Education4303 Wesley W. Posvar Hall230 South Bouquet StreetPittsburgh, PA 15260412-648-2633education.pitt.edu

[ v i s i t ]cue.pitt.edu

[contact]cue@pitt.edu

[follow]Twitter: @PittCUE

Instagram: @pitturbaned

[like]facebook.com/cueatpitt