RUTA to give high school students an introduction to teaching in urban schools, high needs subject areas

Twenty-six rising high school seniors will get a first-hand introduction to the teaching profession-and to urban education, in particular-during the second annual Rowan University Urban Teaching Academy (RUTA) July 26-Aug. 6.

RUTA is designed to help aspiring teachers learn more about teaching in urban schools and in high shortage subject areas. Studies suggest that there will be a national shortage of teachers in the next decade. The shortage will be most acute in urban schools and in subject areas such as science, special education, mathematics, world languages, bilingual, and early childhood education.

"RUTA aims to encourage today's high school students to become tomorrow's teachers to help resolve this shortfall," says Steve Farney, associate dean of Rowan's College of Education and the director of RUTA.

For two weeks, RUTA students will spend time on Rowan's Glassboro campus and in Camden learning about urban education from the ground-up. In their first week, students will visit the city to meet with officials, administrators and teachers in Camden, as well as children at the city's Lanning Square Elementary School. During RUTA's second week, students will work on lesson plans and will actually teach lessons to children from Lanning Square, who will be visiting Rowan's Glassboro campus.

Lessons, which will be taught Aug. 4 on Rowan's campus, will have an Olympics theme.

RUTA also includes a trip to the Franklin Institute involving the high schoolers and the elementary school students, a real highlight of the program, according to Farney.

"Last year, the Franklin Institute trip was where RUTA students really had the chance to get to know the Lanning Square students...and to really bond with them," says Farney.

According to Farney, surveys from last year's program showed that participants' perceptions of urban education-and of the city itself-changed significantly upon completion of RUTA.

"The program works to help break down stereotypes about urban schools," says Farney.

Altogether, 40 students applied for RUTA this year. Students were admitted to the program based on their grade point average, a personal essay, activities and community service, and recommendation letters. Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.8 to be considered for the program. Tuition for the program is free. Students who successfully complete RUTA receive a $250 stipend.

RUTA is sponsored by Rowan as part of the Garden State Partnership for Teacher Quality in cooperation with the College of Education.

According to Farney, 11 of the 26 students in last year's inaugural RUTA program ended up applying to Rowan and all were accepted. This year, five RUTA alumni will return to serve as program aides. Two of the students, Melissa Calabrese of Cherry Hill and Robin Sawyer of Glassboro, will be Rowan education majors this fall, says Farney.

While RUTA does get the word out about Rowan's exceptional teaching program, the ultimate goal is to introduce students to the field of education, says Farney. Students in the program learn from a dedicated cadre of Rowan College of Education faculty members, who lead most sessions.

"We tell the students, ‘It's OK if you don't come to Rowan. We want to give you this opportunity. You may just find that teaching is your calling,'" Farney says.

The following students are participating in RUTA this year:

Burlington County: Erika Schwartz and Krista Varanyak, Burlington, and Adrienne Stewart, Burlington Township, Burlington Township High School; Arayna Spratley, Willingboro, Burlington County Institute of Technology.

Camden County: Mariely DeJesus, Camden, Camden Academy Charter High School; Yuneidy Estrella, Camden, LEAP Academy University Charter School; Darcy Lucia, Blackwood, Erica Vasquez, Somerdale, and Ashley Ordile, Bellmawr, Triton High School; Sarah Price, Stratford, and Chelsea Ray and Sharayah Williams, Somerdale, Sterling High School; Amy Stoops, Oaklyn, Collingswood High School; Marissa Wood, Gloucester, Gloucester Catholic High School.

Gloucester County: Megan Fox and Caitlin Eichenberg, Deptford, Deptford High School; Brittani Giglio, Woodbury, Gloucester County Institute of Technology; Thomas Shute, Woodbury, Woodbury High School.

Ocean County: Thomas Barry, Barnegat, Barnegat High School; Jonathan Carmona, Little Egg Harbor, Pinelands Regional High School; Kyersten Harrs, Bayville, Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science; Kassandra Lillo, Jackson, Jackson Memorial High School.

Salem County: Rebecca LaBree, Pittsgrove, Schalick High School.

Bucks County, Pa.: Lauren Dorfman, Langhorne, Council Rock High School South; Sydney Rubino, Richboro, Council Rock High School North.

For information about RUTA, visit www.rowan.edu/colleges/education/ruta/.