The Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality (TACD), housed within Steinhardt’s Metro Center for Urban Education (Metro Center), will host its 2012 summer institute preparing K-12 educators to practice cultural awareness in today’s multicultural classroom

NYU Steinhardt Hosts Summer Institute on Boosting Teacher Cultural Responsiveness in the Classroom, July 6

The Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality (TACD), housed within NYU Steinhardt’s Metro Center for Urban Education (Metro Center), will host its 2012 summer institute “Guardians of Equity: Moving Beyond a Deficit Model,” on Friday, July 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the NYU Kimmel Center located at 60 Washington Square South. In partnership with the New York State Education Department, the day-long event will prepare K-12 educators to practice cultural awareness in today’s multicultural classroom.

Featuring keynote presentations by Gloria Ladson-Billings, Kellner Family Professor of Urban Education at the University of Wisconsin and Elizabeth Harry, a professor of teaching and learning at the University of Miami, this year’s institute will feature a number of topics and break-out sessions including the use of Hip-Hop to highlight students’ brilliance, exploring the emotional needs of English Language Learners (ELLs), the historical impact of racism on today’s classroom, and how teachers can reach their LGBTQ students. For a complete schedule of the day’s events, visit: http://bit.ly/LFONk1

“Helping school districts and educators become more culturally responsive in their policies, practices and beliefs is the cornerstone of our work,” said Alan Ripp, TACD project director. “We work hard to ensure equitable outcomes for every student. The most vulnerable students, many times black and Latino boys, do not always see themselves in the curriculum, or feel disengaged from the culture of school so we are working to change that.”

“Demographics are shifting,” said Metro Center Director Pedro Noguera. “Educators need to be prepared not only to teach, but to understand the social, cultural and socio-economic issues impacting the diverse learners of their classroom. TACD’s summer institute provides an opportunity for those at the head of the class to actively tackle these issues with sensitivity and help their students succeed.”

MEDIA ONLY: Reporters interested in covering or attending the event, please contact Courtney Bowe within the NYU Office of Public Affairs at 212.998.6797 or email courtney.bowe@nyu.edu.

About TACD
The Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality (TACD) project, formerly known as Chapter 405, at the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, is contracted through the New York State Education Department Office of Special Education to develop, implement, and assess a process of providing comprehensive technical assistance and professional development trainings to New York State School Districts that are addressing issues of disproportionality. To learn more about TAC-D, visit: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/metrocenter/tacd.

To learn more about NYU Steinhardt, visit: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu

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