Teacher Efficacy, Empowering Community Voices, and Success for All Learners through University & Civic Engagement Partnerships
Focused Area
Improving School Climate for Youth-At-Risk
Relevance to Focused Area
In an effort to improve student outcomes for ALL learners, intentional efforts to empower the voice of the community, while at the same time ensuring that all students can be successful must be addressed. Through coordinated efforts with like-organizations and institutions of higher learning to ensure that teachers are better prepared for working with and learning with all of our students and families, community engagement is critical to improving school climate for all students.
Primary Strand
Family & Community
Relevance to Primary Strand
How best to address the needs of a changing and diverse demography? How best to address the disconnect between “town and gown,” in the preparation of our teachers for the “new” demography? Answers have included: more subject matter preparation; more intensive coursework in content, pedagogy and strategies for meeting the needs of diverse learners; and more systematic and connected clinical experiences, and support to hear the voices from a greater cross section of the community, especially those stakeholders who did not a positive school or learning experience, and do not consider the school a comfortable setting in addressing concerns. Still another approach is the use of Town Hall Forums.
Brief Program Description
Town Hall Forums have proven to be strategic ways in bringing together a cross-section of a specific community in addressing a specific issue. The presenters will share the results of 40 Town Hall Forums presented across the nation in addressing the issue of Teacher efficacy and student achievement.
Summary
Given the increasing demand for improved student performance and increased graduation rates, collaboration among community leaders and educators focused on the needs of the whole child is critical. To address the need to develop the potential among all students, leadership and action among a broad range of community members provides solutions to address complex issues. Through the collaboration of a major research and education foundation and 40 community partners throughout the nation, this presentation will share the results of specific data gathered in all 40 communities related to teacher efficacy and student achievement.
Evidence
nation’s school enrollment (U. S. Department of Education, 2014).
While it is true that no one segment of the community has all the answers, throughout the corridors of our nation, communities have come together for the sake of adopting, researching, and publishing and discussing innovative approaches where all will have a voice. These forums can serve as coordinated and collaborative efforts throughout the realm of society that will work to improve the outcomes for all of our children, including preschoolers and boys of color; intervening through mentoring and out of school complementary supports.
Forums were designed to increase the discussions and to develop specific plans for community action to enhance teacher support and efficacy to improve student learning and graduation rates within each of the communities.
Format
Individual Presentation
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Martha S. Lue Stewart is a Professor in the Department of Child, Family, and Community Sciences, with specializations in urban education, culturally responsive teaching pedagogy, and mentoring of teacher candidates.
Dr. Mary Little is a Professor and Program Coordinator in the Department of Child, Family, and Community Sciences, with specializations in evidence-based instructional practices and interventions, personal preparation and program evaluations. She has more than $20 million in external funding.
Dr. Johni Cruse Craig is Director of the Delta Teacher Efficacy Campaign, a national initiative on teacher effectiveness and student achievement. An award winning middle school teacher in urban environments, she brings rich diversity in the areas of science, math, and technology.
Start Date
10-23-2016 10:00 AM
End Date
10-23-2016 11:00 AM
Recommended Citation
Stewart, Martha S Lue Dr.; Craig, Johni Cruse Dr.; and Little, Mary Dr., "Teacher Efficacy, Empowering Community Voices, and Success for All Learners through University & Civic Engagement Partnerships" (2016). National Youth-At-Risk Conference, West (2015-2017). 15.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_vegas/2016/poster/15
Teacher Efficacy, Empowering Community Voices, and Success for All Learners through University & Civic Engagement Partnerships
Town Hall Forums have proven to be strategic ways in bringing together a cross-section of a specific community in addressing a specific issue. The presenters will share the results of 40 Town Hall Forums presented across the nation in addressing the issue of Teacher efficacy and student achievement.
