What Matters Most in Piloting Urban Education Instruction
NHA Communications TeamNHA Communications Team
Articles by NHA Communications Team
-
Back to School Shopping on a Budget: Mom’s Tips to Stretch Your Dollar
Published: Aug 10, 2023
-
Employee Spotlight: Staying Calm – One Willow Dean’s Philosophy on Safety
Published: Oct 15, 2021
-
Employee Spotlight: One Mountain View Educator's Passion for Student Empowerment
Published: Oct 08, 2021
-
Employee Spotlight: Hurricane Ida and the Advantage Educator who Helped
Published: Oct 01, 2021
Alvin Ward, Hamtramck Academy principal, shared, “It is imperative for the teaching and leadership style to incorporate strategies aimed at creating a school environment that is supportive, engaging, structured, and a place where students can be free from all negative environmental constraints.”
NHA leaders tackle the most immediate needs when delivering instruction in an urban setting.
- Relationships matter.
- Set expectations.
Kleiman advises teachers and leaders to not compromise expectations. “As my current mentor and DSQ, Aquan Grant says, ‘Don’t lower the bar. Provide supports so all students can meet or exceed it.’”
One NHA leader shared that urban leaders must be the owner of high expectations, the guardian of culture, and refuse to tolerate excuses, contrary behaviors, and low expectations. “As the leader, your expectations set the bar or the limit for your kids, team, and school. Educators and leaders in the urban space must understand where their students are coming from and what challenges they might be facing.”
- Influence and inspire.
While at home, kids don’t necessarily hear how important it is for them to seek opportunities outside of the walls of secondary education. Deonna Washington, NHA director of school quality, shares that it’s important to give kids experiences so they understand there's a world outside of their environment.
- Understand obstacles.
One NHA leader explained, “An effective school leader must be smarter and stronger than the obstacles students face. Knowing your kids and families, their passions, goals, challenges, and stories, is critical to serving as an educational leader in the community. The greatest levers within a school leader’s locus of control are expectations, hiring, coaching, instruction, and use of time. Time is a luxury many of our kids don’t have.”
- Celebrate!
In an urban setting, celebration is important as it inspires students to develop a sense of self-efficacy that they want to do well. “They want to do well for themselves, so celebrating them is crucial,” said Washington. “We have to celebrate wins across the board. Look at the progress, not just the outcome.”