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In our first class we discussed the definition of urban areas. They are densely developed residential, commercial, and other nonresidential areas. Urban areas now account for over 80 percent of the U.S. population.

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I grew up in Greenwood, Delaware. Greenwood is not considered urban, I would say Greenwood is rural. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2019, the population of Greenwood was 1,225 people. Greenwood does not have many buildings and has a lot of farmland. I have visited some urban areas for different reasons. I have visited New York City multiple times just to explore and sight see. I have visited Louisville, Kentucky, Springfield, Massachusetts, and Indianapolis, Indiana on different occasions for different conventions and competitions.

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/greenwood-de

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How  do  my  cultural  frames  of  reference  influence  my  perspectives  on  urban education?

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How  do  my  cultural  frames  of  reference  influence  my  perspectives  on  urban education?

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My cultural frames of reference do not have much to do with urban education. I did not attend school in an urban area, but my school had some similar characteristics. I do not feel like I have any bias for or against urban education since my cultural frames of reference do not have a big influence. My perspectives are formed based on the statistics, facts, readings, and class material.

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How has race and class impacted my educational experiences? 

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How has race and class impacted my educational experiences? 

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Growing up, I was exposed to different races and classes. I went to school and learned from and alongside people of different races and classes. I feel like this exposure impacted my education and experiences in a healthy way. In my education, I had/have teachers/professors who wanted the class to engage in conversations regarding race, racism, and class. Because of my exposure to different races and classes I feel like I was able to hear the conversation from different lenses, but I am also able to learn more through all the conversations. From an educational perspective, I feel like discussing race and class  and noticing the differences in everything amongst race and class, I have been able to learn so much that will in the end help me as a future teacher with students of different races from different classes.

https://www.adl.org/education/resources/tools-and-strategies/race-talk-engaging-young-people-in-conversations-about

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How can racial literacy and equity frameworks help me make sense of race and class dynamics of education and urban areas? 

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How can racial literacy and equity frameworks help me make sense of race and class dynamics of education and urban areas? 

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Through these frameworks, I am able to continue to learn by engaging in tough conversations to unpack different topics and notice issues there are today regarding race. These conversations help make sense of both race and class in different aspects including education. Since I do not live in urban areas, I have to really engage in class and do my own research to understand what is happening in urban areas. One of the assigned readings discusses what White children need to know about race. In the reading, there are listed skills that I think are useful in these conversations for learning. Some of the listed skills are self-awareness, analyzing media, learning how to intervene.

https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/summer-2014/what-white-children-need-to-know-about-race/

https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/what-critical-race-theory-is-and-what-it-means-for-teachers

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How do historical, economic and sociopolitical conditions structure urban life?

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How do historical, economic and sociopolitical conditions structure urban life?

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I feel urban life is the result of historical, economic, and sociopolitical conditions. One major example is housing in urban areas. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program was first started by the government to allow citizens to become homeowners by underwriting mortgages. But after WW2, the government was a big cause in the decay of urban neighborhoods by withholding mortgage capital. This made it nearly impossible for families who were able to purchase their own homes to live in these areas. The FHA excluded certain urban areas. This made it difficult to build or maintain buildings in inner cities.

https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Wilson.pdf

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How does the distribution of educational opportunity impact urban schools?

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How does the distribution of educational opportunity impact urban schools?

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Urban schools often get the low end of the deal due to many things, one being nearby private schools. Families who moved to these neighborhoods in recent years are more likely to school choice rather than attend the assigned school compared to families who have lived there longer. When more public schools became an option, families residing in gentrifying neighborhoods were more likely to transfer out of the neighborhood schools compared to those residing in nongentrifying neighborhoods. When these families choose to school choice away, they tend to enroll their children in schools with more White students and less Black students compared to their assigned school. The difference in school demographics between the assigned school and the school families enrolled in was greatest urban neighborhoods. When families opt out of their home school, they are allowing more resources to be taken away from the home school, which in the grand scheme increases the opportunity gap.

https://housingmatters.urban.org/research-summary/how-does-neighborhood-gentrification-influence-school-composition#:~:text=Families%20who%20moved%20in%20the,moved%20compared%20with%20existing%20residents.

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How are students’ experiences shaped by race and class?

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How are students’ experiences shaped by race and class?

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Racial stereotypes often influence where families want to live and where they want to send their children to school. They analyze crime, property values, school quality, and local amenities. Usually higher class White families sway away from urban areas, so their kids do not experience many different classes and races of people. Class usually reflects where a student lives which is dependent upon what their experiences will be like.

https://scholars.org/contribution/how-gentrification-american-cities-maintains

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According to Paul C. Gorski, "equity Literacy is the cultivation of the skills and consciousness that enable us to recognize, respond to,and redress conditions that deny some students access to educational and other opportunities enjoyed
by their peers." Equity literacy focuses on recognizing, responding, redressing, cultivating and sustaining.

https://www.learningforjustice.org/sites/default/files/QPayne_3.pdf

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An anti-racist education focuses on teaching confrontational prejudice through the discussion of racism, the stereotypes and discrimination in society. The economic, structural and historical roots of inequality is also discussed.

https://www.aclrc.com/antiracism

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How can teachers apply equity literacy and anti-racist practices in their classrooms and schools? 

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How can teachers apply equity literacy and anti-racist practices in their classrooms and schools? 

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I think teachers can apply these practices in their classrooms and schools by taking it one step at a time. A school can not become fully anti-racist in a short amount of time, it takes time and work. So teachers can take active steps and measures to apply these practices.

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How are schools organized within urban districts? 

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How are schools organized within urban districts? 

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Urban schools are usually organized with a couple early childhood centers, many elementary and middle schools, then significantly less high schools within a district.

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There are public, magnet, charter, and private schools with vouchers and tuition tax credits available.

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1. How do we reach parents who may not want their children to learn about certain topics?

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1. Is there any sign of the opportunity gap ever disappearing?

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1. Will one ever have a completely anti-racist education?

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Midterm Reflection Sources (Click on link to access)

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/10GMknAcJrefBR4Atqrta4gknFQNwjZvxra8z60op3uo/edit?usp=sharing