A newly planned Center for Urban Education aims to improve teaching and learning in urban schools across Western New York. Canisius College and the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education (NUA) are teaming up to build the center, which will be housed in the college’s School of Education and Human Services.
Dean of the School of Education and Human Services Jeff Lindauer tells WBFO one of the goals of the center will be to improve teacher recruitment and retention in city schools.
“As most teacher education programs in Western New York see a decline in enrollment, we want to specifically try to target those interested in teaching in urban environments. So, that’s a part of the center. We would have a branch of trying to recruit people interested in making an impact for those students,” Lindauer said.
Lindauer noted that Canisius has seen a decline in enrollment in their education department on both graduate and undergraduate levels, following national trends.
Lindauer said the center will be open to working with all urban schools.
“We probably have more expertise right now at the elementary level, but we want to be responsive to the needs of the schools and the children,” Lindauer said. “If we have conversations with a charter school or the Buffalo Public Schools or even a private urban school, we want to see how we can help with some of the things that they’re trying to do with their students.”
He expects Canisius to benefit from the center.
“We have some other initiatives that we’d like to get started with the NUA, too. First, work with our faculty and students and bring some of their experts in and address things like culturally responsive teaching and some of the other issues that they can help us with,” Lindauer said.
