Dr. Walter A. Gill, Ph.D

There is no more important aspect of democracy in the United States than a good education –that is, schooling for all of its citizens. The challenge of schooling students living in urban environments is becoming audacious, paradoxical and dangerous. Urban school systems across the country have remained static and stagnant in maintaining a status quo beneficial to a top down system that does not provide for the neediest students. These students have been identified as those doing poorly on tests, designated for special education, the most behaviorally disruptive, and the dropouts.

By some calculations there are over 4,900 high schools, of which 2,000 produce half the nation’s dropouts. Barely more than 50% of African- and Hispanic-American students earn a high school diploma. It is no coincidence that most young people who drift into unemployment, criminal activity, and incarceration are middle and high school dropouts. In this author’s view, urban education’s charge should be to aid all students beginning in the first grade with a career focus, identifying and challenging their interest during middle school, and developing them toward responsible citizenship, legal employment, and good parenting skills in high school.

This book addresses some of the following issues: holistic self-concept vs. myopic self-esteem; socializing with students by teachers; curriculum/opportunities for students not going to a four-year college; using computer gaming for achievement; instructional rap in the classroom; and school leadership that adapts to student needs.

Comments by educators and others on Dr. Walter Gill’s
Teaching in Urban America: A Formula for Change

"Dr. Gill’s book is a must read for public school educators. He identifies educational obstacles, challenges us to rethink our strategies, and offers interesting interventions to affect positive change for young people. I particularly appreciate his emphasis on the need to teach children how to become good parents."

 Roger F. Harris, Ph.D., Superintendent, CEO
Boston Renaissance Charter Public School

 "We are forced to begin to understand what it takes to educate all children. This book is a wonderful compilation of thoughts and ideas and a must read for all persons who understand that what we do with our youth today will impact all of our lives for many years to come."

Dr. Jennifer Giddings Brooks, Director, Center for
Urban Education Texas Christian University

 "Dr. Gill’s teaching style is amazing. It was a great experience being taught and seeing how he teaches. His style is fit for every student. No matter who was in his class or how they were feeling, they always left the class happy. I will always thank him for his help and encouragement."

Jermaine S., Former student, Woodbourne Residential School

"A must read with ideas for adoption for all levels of the educational enterprise from policy makers, administrators, teachers, parents, and students of education and others who claim an interest in the pursuit of  pedagogical excellence for students in general and urban children, youth, and young adults in particular."

Allen R. Sullivan, Ph.D., Assistant Superintendent, Emeritus,
Student Development and Advocacy Services, Dallas Independent
School District  

"Dr. Gill is an educator’s educator. He practices what he preaches and writes about effective tools for success in today’s learning environments."

Alif Muhammad
Instructional Coach
Hampshire Educational Collaborative/
Department of Youth Services, Massachusetts

 "In perusing this book, I can only say the timing is right. There is a great need to prepare this generation for the reality of the real world that we live in and not just the one we may dream one day will come to be."

                                    Joseph A. Smith, Academic Advisor, St. Petersburg (FL) College.

 “This book… will shake loose the weakest links in the chain to truth in urban
education and expose  us to reality and the response to reality.”
Molefi Kete Asante, Professor
Department of African American Studies, Temple University

“(Dr. Gill) combines the intellectual heritage of a historian and social scientist…with common sense practicality of a reformer…”
James McPartland, Director
Center for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University

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