Kristina DeWitt, Ph.D. Monica Huband, Ed.D. Urban Education Changing Perceptions through Immersive Experiences Liberty University Kristina DeWitt, Ph.D. Monica Huband, Ed.D.

Research Approximately 55% of novice teachers leave their urban school districts within five years Teachers of disadvantaged students typically have less experience, produce smaller test score gains, and have the lowest licensure exam scores Students are more successful when they work with experienced teachers

Experience Anger Frustration Jaded Checked out Depleted/Defeated Finished Depleted/Defeated Checked out Jaded Frustration Anger

Impact of High Teacher Turnover Lower ELA and math scores Disruption of routine Loss of community Loss of consistency

Fast Forward Lynchburg, Virginia Urban community 24% poverty rate 50% of schools denied accreditation How we were preparing teacher candidates for the realities and challenges of teaching in urban schools?

Urban Education Club Book study Presentations Washington D.C. Practicum Interviews Articles Discussions Journals Service

Classroom Experiences Observation and interaction In Central Virginia and Washington D.C. Purposeful training Collaboration with teachers & schools Deeper understand of urban education through positive dialogue

Impact on Students “It gave me a new perspective. I saw students who came from broken families and my heart broke for them, so I wanted to stay.” “I thought I understood urban communities. Now I realize that I have a lot more to learn.” “I have learned to work better with those who are different from me in all aspects of life. I have learned the importance of a diverse classroom.”

Just Dig a Little Deeper

Call to Action What can educators do to initiate change? How can providing immersive experiences for preservice or new teachers benefit their training/preparation?

References Goldhaber, D., Walch, J. (2014). Goals in teacher quality. Education Next, 14(1), 39-45. Papay, J., Bacher-Hicks, A., Page, L., & Marinell, W. (2017). The challenge of teacher retention in urban schools: Evidence of variation from a cross-site analysis. (JEL Classification: I21, J45). Retrieved from SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2607776 Ronfeldt, M., Loeb, S., Wyckoff, J. (2013). How teacher turnover harms student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 50(1), 4-36.

Contact Information Dr. DeWitt, kdewitt@liberty.edu Dr. Huband mhuband@liberty.edu Thank You!