This paper explores concepts and theories in the tradition of critical pedagogy as they relate to teaching practices in contemporary American urban public schooling. Objectives for critical pedagogies are discussed and applied to various aspects of teaching and education, including urban schools and school systems as problematical institutions; establishing a healthy classroom climate and learning community; creating a learning partnership with students; posing-problems for study; generating ideas through collaborative dialogue; guiding inquiry and critical thinking; providing ongoing and authentic assessment; and the imperatives of ethical values, ideology, and multiple perspectives in critical teaching praxis. Critical educational scholarship informs teaching and learning in schools to provide liberating opportunities to achieve critical and academic literacies. Theories of liberation, freedom, democracy, justice, power, oppression, transformation, community-building, humanization, authority, dialogue, agency, instructional ideology, social reproduction, standards, curriculum, culture, learning, thinking, questioning, literacy, assessment, and pedagogy are explored from critical perspectives and discussed as they are brought to bear on classroom teaching and learning in urban K-12 schools. / Urban Education

This study elucidates the history and program structure of an urban out of school time program designed for liberatory education for K-16 students. This study aims to define the Catto Freedom Schools Way and examine the extent to which it is being followed at the Hamer-Still Freedom Charter School. This study contributes to what we know about school design and ethnic studies as a strengths-based approach to educating youth of color. A review of the literature reveals that Freedom Schools have been in existence since African people came to the Western hemisphere and The Freedom Schools Way has meant different things to each entity over that time (Countryman, 2006; Du Bois, 1903; Garvey, 1923; Payne & Strickland, 2008; Williams, 2005; Woodson, 1933). Findings suggest that The Catto Freedom Schools Program (CFSP) Way is a combination of two complimentary elements: learning about Black history and culture (Asante, 1980; Carr, 2009; Diop, 1996; Gay, 2000; King, 2005; Murrell, 2002; Myers, 1997; Nobles, 1976) and chain mentorship (Andrews, 2001; Olson, 2008; Welty, 2000). Learning about Black history and culture consists of reading and writing about Black history and culture and assuming African values and customs. Chain mentorship consists of looking up to older people for direction and guidance as well as stepping up in service to give younger people guidance. Hamer-Still Freedom Charter School (HSFCS), a school designed on the CFSP model, is experiencing the most success in implementing reading and writing about African history and culture and having accessible adult role models on whom the students, also known as Servant Leader Scholars, can rely on for academic and personal support. In order for HSFCS to embody the CFSP Way, it needs to strengthen opportunities for its students to step up and provide service for younger children as well as fully develop a spirit of positive peer pressure throughout its upper school. / Urban Education