Student U | Teachers

Overview

Student U is an academic enrichment program in Durham that works with community partners to ensure that our students realize their fullest academic and personal potentials. We do this by bringing together DPS students who are at risk of becoming disconnected with the school system, employing passionate, dedicated, talented college students to teach, providing those college students with support from experienced DPS, Durham Academy, and Teach for America teachers, and by challenging everyone to dream and achieve more than he or she could have imagined.

Student U is a year-round program. The first part is an intensive six-week summer program based at Durham Academy. The second part is the school-year program, which includes: mentoring, study halls, leadership development, remedial math, remedial reading, Odyssey of the Mind, a science club, and literary clubs. We ask the teachers we hire for the summer to commit to 2-3 hours a week for the school year to facilitate the school-year programming.

Who is Student U

Student U students are students from Durham Public Schools. They are recruited as 5th graders, and make a commitment to remain with the program at least through high school. Student U students have endless potential, a desire to learn, and are capable of amazing achievement.

Student U teachers are dedicated, hard-working university students who are interested in trying their hand at education. Some of our Student U teachers already know that they will teach when they are done with school; others have never considered teaching. Our Student U teachers are typically undergraduate students, but we have had several graduate students who have participated in Student U as well. Student U teachers typically attend North Carolina Central University, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, or another university in the RTP area.

Student U mentor teachers (the talented, experienced teachers that guide curriculum development, teacher development, and the mentoring of our university-student teachers throughout the summer) are teachers from the Durham Public Schools and Durham Academy. Teach for America teachers who have finished their first or second years of teaching pair up with these experienced teachers to guide our Student U teachers.

Student U partners are: Durham Public Schools, Durham Academy, North Carolina Central University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Duke University.

Three students hug their teacher

Student U is based on the philosophy of students teaching students. The model builds on the teachers' strengths, recognizing that their youth can serve as a valuable asset, both in and outside of the classroom. Student U students view their teachers with respect and see them as role models. The Student U Affirmation, which is said by all students and teachers each day, reads "We are role models, teachers, students, and friends."

Click to expand photo.