Planting new seeds

-- Chad Hendrix

Most academic and community scholars would agree that most of our social problems and solutions come out of education. The Urban Teacher Program at Metropolitan State University is designed by its Vision and Mission to be the solution to the diversity needs detailed in the Principles of Community Engagement report.

In July 2004 the Minneapolis Board of Education received an interim report and implementation plan focusing on community engagement process. GHLLP and HHC were the two groups that formed the consultant collaborative that authored this report.

Inside the report’s Executive Summary, GHLLP and HHC address some major issues facing our community public schools. These major issues include achievement, school choice, diversity, equity and purpose. The report wants to know in what ways does the community value diversity? This is one voice in this discussion.

Look at one of Metropolitan State University’s diversity components, the Urban Teacher Program, and how the program encourages students to play a role in improving community engagement in the public schools of the Twin Cities’ metropolitan area.

There is a strong relationship between the five issues in this report; but, the fine line that draws them together is cultural competence. The traditional Eurocentric educational curricula in our public school classrooms no longer support the changing faces. This blatant exclusion of cultural diversity is directly connected to poor student achievement, attendance, classroom behavior and self-esteem.

Our Urban Teacher Program is looking for students with multicultural perspectives to serve as leaders in our fast-growing, multicultural classrooms. The students that enter this exciting program will be prepared to address the diversity needs that today’s public school classrooms call for. The new urban teacher carries an unwavering commitment to equity by building his or her own cultural competency. By actively engaging with the urban community to create a purpose for learning, that teacher will, ultimately, have successful students in his or her classroom.

Support our Urban Teacher Program and engage with a public school in your community. Though our children need inspiration and encouragement both in and outside of the classroom, what they want and are missing is cultural respect.

Start planting new seeds in our children and in our urban communities.