Social Justice in Urban Education

Program Details

Drake University’s Social Justice in Urban Education (SJUE) program seeks to educate culturally responsive teachers to work effectively with all students in urban settings—particularly students of color, working-class students, immigrant students, and students from historically marginalized populations. Aligned with the School of Education’s commitment to academic reflection, collaborative learning, and social justice, the program seeks to help teachers critically examine urban contexts in order to develop the knowledge and tools to successfully guide students in these contexts.

Key Outcomes

Students completing the Social Justice in Urban Education concentration will:

• Analyze the historical, political, social, and cultural contexts of the notion of “urban”
• Utilize “difference” as an educational asset strategy for students of color, working-class students, immigrant students, and other historically marginalized populations
• Utilize research and data for pedagogical improvement
• Engage in collaborative learning
• Engage in continuous self-reflection
• Become culturally responsive educators who work in collaboration with students, parents, teachers, and local communities

Program Options

This 15-credit-hour concentration is open to Drake students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Coursework

Required Courses
EDUC 164/264: Perspectives on Race, Ethnicity, and Gender (3 credit hours)
EDUC 183/283: Social Context of Urban Schools (3 credit hours)

Elective Courses
EDUC 184/284: Applications for Teaching in Urban Schools (3 credit hours)
EDUC 186/286: Youth, Culture, and Society (3 credit hours)
EDUC 187/287: Urban Education and Immigration (3 credit hours)
EDUC 277: Urban Trends in Literacy (3 credit hours—graduate students only; undergraduate students can take the course via petition during senior year)

Questions?

Kevin Lam

Assistant Professor, Urban and Diversity Education
kevin.lam@drake.edu

1-800-44-DRAKE x2324
515-271-2324

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