Changing lives through urban ed: CV talks with Chance Lewis

by Lisa Patterson

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Picture by Wade Bruton

December 12, 2011

Urban schools offer dynamic learning experiences. They also face unique challenges.

UNC Charlotte’s urban research mission and proximity to schools within the award-winning Charlotte Mecklenburg School district have positioned the College of Education to advance urban education research and scholarship for four decades.

Chance W. Lewis  joined UNC Charlotte this fall as the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair of Urban Education. Lewis will teach doctoral students in urban education as part of the University’s doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction.

Lewis is a prolific scholar and author, and distinguished educator. Prior to joining the university, he served as Houston Endowed Chair and associate professor of urban education at Texas A&M University and co-directed the Center for Urban School Partnerships. In 1997, he was named Teacher of the Year for the state of Louisiana.

Since his August arrival, Lewis has hit the ground running, making connections in the community and preparing for the upcoming launch of his self-published, peer-reviewed academic journal Urban Education Research & Policy Annuals. I caught up with him to discuss the challenges urban schools face and the ways UNC Charlotte can impact children and teachers.

What are some of the most pressing issues urban schools face, and how do the schools benefit from collaboration with institutions of higher education, particularly UNC Charlotte?

In my opinion, some (not all) of the pressing issues that urban schools face are as follows: Classroom management, teachers’ inability to reach 21st century learners via innovative instructional approaches, teachers’ academic expectations of students and teachers who are not prepared for the realities of teaching in urban schools.

By collaborating with institutions of higher education, urban practitioners can be provided with the latest research on what works in urban schools. Also, the collaboration with UNC Charlotte and the Urban Education Research and Policy Collaborative can provide valuable resources such as training materials and professional development from faculty who have a track record of working with urban schools across the country. These efforts have yielded positive results to the most pressing issues. For example, a school district in Texas that I worked with along with colleagues won the prestigious Broad Prize for the top urban school district for our efforts in addressing the academic achievement of students of color.

An additional benefit of the collaboration/partnership is that K-12 educators in urban schools are provided opportunities to pursue graduate work directly in the field of urban education to improve practice at their school sites. Finally, urban schools and institutions of higher education can work together on pursuing large-scale grants to provide funds for cutting-edge approaches to enhance student learning.

You mention teacher preparation as an important concern. How should we go about preparing teachers to go into urban environments and effectively interact with students and parents? What needs to happen?

Teacher-education programs have to prepare pre-service teachers to teach their curricular content in a way that is life-changing for their students. Pre-service teachers need the skills to make their lessons culturally relevant and engaging for 21st century students.

More emphasis has to be placed on innovative ways to use technology in the classroom. For example, many of the successful urban schools around the country are utilizing iPads and other innovative technologies to make learning culturally relevant and exciting. Teachers have to become facilitators of learning for the 21st century and actively engage these students so they are able to reach their full potential.

Name the parties that should have a seat at the table if we are to address these issues. How do we bring the people/organizations together to work on challenges endemic to an urban school setting?

The primary stakeholders who must have a seat at the table are: students, parents/community members, K-12 educators, university partners, businesses, politicians, policymakers, philanthropic organizations and many others.

To bring these constituents together and address these challenges, we must formulate think tanks and other related forums to bring these constituents to the table. I see this as a very exciting opportunity for UNC Charlotte to become the premier leader in urban education, pulling these constituents together to devise a strategy of how to address these issues through our urban mission of teaching, research and service. With UNC Charlotte as the central hub among these constituents, it’s possible to make a monumental difference in the lives of students.

Describe your research at Texas A&M. Will you continue this work at UNC Charlotte? Are there new directions of research on the horizon?

The majority of my research has been centered on the academic improvement of African American students in urban schools. This work will continue at UNC Charlotte, given that this population still has not achieved an acceptable level of performance in urban schools. In most areas of the country, this group of students ranks at or near the bottom of most academic barometers. New directions of my research will seek to understand how the teaching/learning process in urban schools can be enhanced to help students become more excited about learning. Also, I plan to expand my research to answer the most pressing questions in urban settings across the globe. By the expansion of my research, our graduate students will be exposed to global possibilities to make a difference in educating students in urban settings.

You began your career as a teacher in an urban school. How did that experience affect you? Are there any anecdotes you’d like to share about the children you taught or the insights you gained?

Yes, my career began in an urban school, and I am a product of an urban school as well. Through these experiences, the work I am currently involved in is not just a research agenda; it is part of my life story. My teaching experiences in this environment have allowed me to gain insight on how to really teach in a life-changing way and help my students to reach their full potential.

I have come to realize from these students that they are looking for teachers who care about them enough to push them to greatness when others count them out. These students also taught me that I had to continually become better at my craft because I had to prepare them for a quickly changing world. They were counting on me to help them find their place in the world and do great things with their lives.

Is there one teacher in particular who touched your life and/or inspired you to follow this career path?

I was fortunate enough to be taught by my mother as a high school student. I saw first-hand the level of preparation that a truly committed educator must have if they want to be great, versus being ordinary. She inspired me to do great things because she mentioned that “somebody in the world needs you to be great so that they can reach their destiny.” This has motivated me on my career path to provide each person I come into contact with the best educational experience possible — they are counting on me to reach their destiny.