Teaching Our Cities: The Principles



This is the idea behind Teaching Our Cities. The following principles are a starting point for putting this vision into action:

  1. Cities are full of assets and resources, so city learning should use the urban environment as a classroom, textbook, and teacher.

  2. Cities have challenges, so city learning should challenge students the real work of solving problems & improving the urban environment.

  3. Cities are complex, so learning about cities must be interdisciplinary and integrated.

  4. Cities are diverse, so city learning needs to reflect diverse experiences and perspectives.

  5. City schools are also diverse, so city learning needs to be responsive to students’ cultures and lived experiences, and engage and adapt to all learners.

  6. Cities are full of life and opportunities, so city learning should be active and experiential.

  7. Cities are real, the everyday life of our students, so city learning must be relevant and rooted in these places.

  8. City schools are home to persistent inequities and achievement gaps, so city learning needs to close opportunity gaps and dismantle systemic inequities.