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How to meet the needs of urban learners By Gaby Bunting
Objective: Following this presentation, the learner will state all 5 tools mentioned to
help meet the needs of urban learner
Urban learners are a very unique population. They are students who attend school in an urban
area and are sometimes living in poverty. These students are typically minorities such as
Mexican Americans, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans. Urban learners have unique
characteristics that lead to various needs that cause them to differ from other students.
For urban learners to be successful, it is vital for teachers to implore different
strategies to lead these students to success. This presentation provides five
examples of strategies teachers can use to encourage the success of their students.
This presentation is going to provide 5 tools on how to best meet the needs of urban
learners. They include 1. Prioritizing reading 2. Establishing relationships
Creating a positive learning environment 4. Focusing on strengths and
students want to learn about These 5 tools are key to producing an educated
If these tools are implemented, urban students are more likely to grow up and, not only be
educated citizens, but also productive members of society.
The first tool is to prioritize reading. Many urban learners share a common trait: they
struggle with reading. Many times, urban students did not have a large emphasis placed on
learning to read at an early age. Therefore, some students can be full grades behind but
have been passed along grade by grade. It is important as teachers for us to help
students develop their reading skills throughout their education rather than just
focusing on this skill at a young age. Giving students many opportunities to read during
class is crucial to developing all other skills. Examples of ways to implement this strategy
include: always having written directions available, reading aloud while students follow
along, and giving students the opportunity to read aloud.
Another tool to help urban students is to establish relationships with them. All
cultures value different things and therefore all students learn and are motivated
differently. One quality many urban learners hold dear is the value of relationships. Some
students value their relationships with others above all other aspects of their
lives. As teachers, if we can invest in what our students find important, it will make us
better educators. We must support them inside and out of the classroom. We can strive to
establish meaningful relationships with our students and communicate our desire for
them to succeed. That being said, words are not always enough, but actually being
present in their lives is crucial. If these relationships can be established, students
will be more likely put greater effort in the classroom. Some ways to implement this strategy
is offering extra help during off-period or lunch, support at school extracurricular events,
and follow up when a student is absent or is acting out of character. Using all of these
tools communicates to the student that you believe they are important and worth it.
All students, but especially urban learners, need a positive learning environment. This is
our third tool. Many urban students have are exposed to various factors outside of the
classroom that has an effect on their education. Some of these factors include working
parents, little parental encouragement, health concerns, and much more. Although, we
cannot control all external factors, we can control what happens within the classroom.
Teachers should strive to create an environment that encourages student learning
both physically and psychologically. This first image does not represent a
positive environment, while the second picture does. A positive physical environment situates
students In a way that they are set up for success. Some ways to achieve this positive
environment is displaying student work, arranging students so they avoid
conflict, and putting certain students toward the front. These strategies make students
feel confortable and in the best position to learn. A positive psychological classroom is one
in which the is one in which students feel safe and free to share their ideas and opinions
while they learn. This can be achieved by a no tolerance bullying policy and making
students know they are supported and encouraged. A student must feel safe and
capable if we expect them to perform. All students have the ability to be successful, it is
our jobs as teachers to give them all the tools we can to help them along the way.
This is a clip from the 2007 Film, Freedom Writers. It shows an example of a teacher who
encourages her students and exemplifies qualities that lead to a positive learning
environment. In the clip, in addition to promoting a positive