Improving Urban Middle Schools: Lessons from the Nativity Schools

Winner of the 2010 Alpha Sigma Nu Book Award in the category of "The Professional Studies", presented by Association of Jesuit Colleges and University and Alpha Sigma Nu

Nativity schools—there are over forty in urban areas throughout the United States—provide an important alternative to urban middle schools failing to provide their students with an adequate education. Nativity schools, which are privately funded, provide a year-round educational experience for at-risk urban children. They feature small classes, an extended day, and attention to students' social and spiritual developmental needs. L. Mickey Fenzel visited eleven Nativity schools in seven cities, conducting interviews and classroom observations, and collecting standardized test scores and survey data. Fenzel examines features of the Nativity model that distinguish it from other educational programs and takes a close look at the controversial use of volunteer teachers. The Nativity model is also discussed with respect to its social justice mission that is rooted in Jesuit tradition.

L. Mickey Fenzel is Professor and Chair of Teacher Education at Loyola College in Maryland.