Students who pursue this certificate will deepen their understanding about the complexities and contexts that inform urban educational settings. This knowledge is significant not only because the majority of students in states like New Jersey attend city schools, but also because students of color have since become the majority across all schools in the United States. As a result, there is a continuing need for educators who are better prepared to teach students of color in city schools in ways that are culturally sustaining, accessible, and socially just.
Further, the US Department of Education’s Teacher Shortage areas report indicates that Newark, Trenton, Camden, Philadelphia, and Baltimore continue to face shortages in qualified teachers, due in part to teacher turnover that relates to a lack of proper preparation. The COGS in Teaching in Urban & Diverse settings is designed to provide the knowledge educators need to work in city schools in ways that can create equitable and culturally relevant learning environments through more just and dignified educational interactions.
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