African American Students in Urban Schools

is a collection of relevant and dynamic works by scholars and practitioners of Critical Pedagogy, Critical Constructivism, and Educational Psychology. Reflecting a multitude of social, political, and intellectual developments prompted by the mentor Paulo Freire, the series enlivens the educator's process with theory and practice that promote personal agency, social justice, and academic achievement, championing educators on the forefront of social change and those who seek social justice.

James L. Moore III (MAEd and PhD in counselor education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) is an associate provost in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at The Ohio State University, where he also serves as the inaugural director of the Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male. Additionally, Dr. Moore is a professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology. He has published extensively and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, such as the National Alliance of Black School Educators’ W. E. B. Du Bois Higher Education Award. Chance W. Lewis (PhD in educational leadership/teacher education from Colorado State University) is the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair of Urban Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he also serves as Executive Director of the Urban Education Collaborative. Dr. Lewis is the author or editor of six books, most recently (2011). For his work, he has received numerous awards and honors.

«It is extremely imperative that current and future urban educators immerse themselves in this book. By being grounded in its content, educators would be better outfitted to ensure urban youths acquire a universal academic curiosity, a global perspective, technological skills, sociability skills, and the awareness necessary to succeed – not only in college or the workplace, but…[in our] fast-paced diverse world, dynamic global economy, fluid geopolitical system, multiple-language world – and [to become] engaged citizens and contributors to the world community.» (Julian Stafford, EdD, Vice President for Marketing, Modern Parents Magazine) «This is an optimistic book. The issues, challenges, and pressures that impact the educational experiences and outcomes of African American youth in urban schools are recounted here but are only part of the story. The book also offers credible and hopeful guidance that strengthens our capacity and our commitment to improve urban schools for the benefit of the learners they serve. This volume is a tremendous resource for all of us who care about the educational futures of our children.» (Mary Lynne Calhoun, PhD, Dean, College of Education, University of North Carolina at Charlotte)

«It is extremely imperative that current and future urban educators immerse themselves in this book. By being grounded in its content, educators would be better outfitted to ensure urban youths acquire a universal academic curiosity, a global perspective, technological skills, sociability skills, and the awareness necessary to succeed – not only in college or the workplace, but…[in our] fast-paced diverse world, dynamic global economy, fluid geopolitical system, multiple-language world – and [to become] engaged citizens and contributors to the world community.» (Julian Stafford, EdD, Vice President for Marketing, ‘Modern Parents Magazine’) «This is an optimistic book. The issues, challenges, and pressures that impact the educational experiences and outcomes of African American youth in urban schools are recounted here but are only part of the story. The book also offers credible and hopeful guidance that strengthens our capacity and our commitment to improve urban schools for the benefit of the learners they serve. This volume is a tremendous resource for all of us who care about the educational futures of our children.» (Mary Lynne Calhoun, PhD, Dean, College of Education, University of North Carolina at Charlotte)

Contents: Donna Y. Ford: Foreword: A Long-Needed and Refreshing Book – James L. Moore III/Chance W. Lewis: Confronting the Dilemmas of Urban Education: The Scope of the Book – Chance W. Lewis/Terah Venzant Chambers/Bettie Ray Butler: Urban Education in the 21st Century: An Overview of Selected Issues That Impact African American Student Outcomes – Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy/Beverly Booker: Meeting the Academic and Social Needs of Urban African American Students: Implications for School Counselors – Alfred W. Tatum: Nurturing Resiliency Among African American Adolescent Males: A Focus on Writing – Gwendolyn Cartledge/Lenwood Gibson Jr/Starr E. Keyes: Special Education and Disciplinary Disproportionality of African American Students – Edward C. Fletcher Jr: Trends and Patterns of Career and Technical Education for Urban African American Students – Desireé Vega/James L. Moore III/Caroline A. Baker/Nikol V. Bowen/Erik M. Hines/Barbara O’Neal: Salient Factors Affecting Urban African American Students’ Achievement: Recommendations for Teachers, School Counselors, and School Psychologists – H. Richard Milner IV: Developing Culturally Relevant Classrooms for Urban African American Students – Robert Q. Berry III/Temple A. Walkowiak: Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Social Justice to Understand Mathematics Instructional Quality in an Urban Context – Bryan A. Brown/Matthew Kloser/J. Bryan Henderson: Bridging the Culture of Urban Students to the Culture of Science: The Roles of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Discursive Identity, and Conceptual Continuities in the Promotion of Scientific Literacy – Christopher Dunbar Jr/Laura McNeal: Urban School Administrators: A Grassroots Approach to No Child Left Behind Mandates – Floyd D. Beachum/Carlos R. McCray: The Fast and the Serious: Exploring the Notion of Culturally Relevant Leadership – Mavis G. Sanders/Gilda Martinez-Alda/Michelle D. White: Reaching Out: Partnering With the Families and Communities of African American Urban Youth – Fred A. Bonner II/John W. Murry Jr: Inside Information on High-Achieving African American Male College Students – LaTrelle D. Jackson/W. Max Parker/Lamont A. Flowers: In the Pursuit of Excellence: Examining the Effects of Racial Identity on African American College Students’ Academic Orientations.