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UR Learning with
Rochester
City School District students
“Charity isn't a good substitute for justice”
Mission
To encourage and aid University of Rochester students in their involvement with various programs working with Rochester City School District (RCSD) students. Through research it has been found that in order to be effective working with the RCSD students you have to have an understanding of the context you are working in and the context you are coming from. A clear understanding of your motives and goals as well as the needs of the students and how to meet those needs is also neccessary. The mission of this site is to prepare you to work and learn with RCSD students.
Philosophy
Our role as U of R students is not to make RCSD students like us; we are there to enable them to believe in themselves and their goals and abilities, value their culture and background, as well as provide the tools they may find necessary to accomplish this.
The children of Rochester face family, school and community situations on a daily basis that are very difficult. 38% of the children live below the federal poverty line. Poverty is not just low income. It affects access to food, prevents quality medical care and quality education, is often coupled with dilapidated housing, causes children to live in neighborhoods with high rates of violence, causes high immortality rates, causes children and/or families to relocate their residency frequently, reduces the amount of time the family is able to spend together, etc. However, 100% of the RCSD children have the capacity to have a childhood, to do well in school, to love their friends, families and themselves.
“Recognize their greatness, don’t magnify their
problems.”
– Christopher Cuby
By becoming involved with these programs you are not only going to your site but you are also taking on a critical role in the children's lives as their advocate for their personal growth. By using the resources we have provided you with on this site you are taking the first step in becoming an effective advocate for Rochester city students, and the first step in becoming a social advocate for them in a larger context ( Rochester, New York, the United States, the world).
“I’m planting a seed and I want you to
be able to grow it.”
– Christopher Cuby
We encourage you to use the materials we provide to you on this site in dialogue with what you know, what you will experience working with the RCSD students and what you what you will do as an advocate for change.
And remember. . .
“When the fun goes out of play,
most often so does the learning.”
– Joanne
E. Oppenheim
Next page – How to use
this site
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