Title: Risking change
Description: Urban schools are in crisis. Despite reform efforts, the failure rate of students, disproportionately low-income students of color, is alarming. For many youth trapped in poverty, concern for daily survival can impede academic success. However, despite such harsh circumstances, some teachers still hold to the principles of pedagogy--the art and science of teaching--educating even the hardest to reach students. In order to develop pedagogy that will educate all students, especially those defined as at- and high-risk, this study emphasizes success stories. Building on previous studies that examine the purpose of school, effective urban teaching, and the role of community-based organizations in the lives of youth, I look exclusively at community-based educators. Many community-based educators deal intimately with today's youth and form an important bridge in their development. The educators illustrate best practices; these non-traditional sources may well advance new methods for all teachers. Taking as a model Lawrence-Lightfoot's (1983) search for goodness, my study uses portraiture to analyze the innovative teaching techniques of four community-based educators. These educators were chosen because of model ratings, colleague recommendations, and youth accolades. For three years I conducted a qualitative investigation in order to understand their philosophies and strategies for working with high-risk youth, and to see how their personal experiences and the institutional context shape the way they engage young people. I present these answers in the form of portraits (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997). I then draw conclusions that can inform the practices of public high school teachers in low-income urban communities.

The community-based educators teach in varying settings, from inside schools to within juvenile hall. In these situations, four pedagogies surface: communication, community, compassion, and commitment. These teaching tactics reveal each educator's main approach to working successfully with troubled teenagers. In addition, ten common indicators of effectiveness are presented that underscore the importance of teaching for social justice. Engaging low-income youth of color, in particular, actualizes the ideals of an emancipatory education. These educators illustrate how to transform "at-risk" youth into "at-promise" individuals who actualize their agency, potential, and empowerment. The findings from this study have the potential to inform researchers, practitioners, and policy makers so that we become better equipped, capable, and willing to leave no child behind.
Subjects: Youth with social disabilities, Education, Case studies, High school dropouts, Problem youth, Urban Education
Places: United States