6th Annual Great Teachers for Our City Schools National Summit

Hosted by Center for Urban Education at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, the Great Teachers National Summit brought together key stakeholders – teachers, principals, district and charter school administrators, school board members, researchers, higher education, state legislators, the U.S. Department of Education, business and parent groups, and even students – to discuss ongoing concerns with teacher effectiveness in urban settings. Keynote speaker Professor Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade from San Francisco State University urged urban teachers to seek to better understand the context of the neighborhoods and communities they teach within and how that context shapes the physical, mental, emotional, and material influences in their students’ lives. Dr. Duncan-Andrade called for greater balance in state and federal policy by noting that the present focus on test preparation and accountability must be accompanied by more meaningful supports to enable all teachers to meet the full needs – both academic and more fundamental life and coping skills – of students from high-need urban settings. Links to more information about the summit, as well as presentations, speakers, and additional resources are available online.