No images? Click here The State of Illinois Releases the New Learning Renewal Resource GuideThis guide highlights a set of opportunities to invest in learning renewal with the new recovery act dollars. Current policy fellows and alumni held focus groups to gather teacher input for the guide, and their suggestions informed recommendations including putting a primary focus on mental health. Quotes elevating the voices of current, practicing teachers, are featured throughout the document. The 2020-2021 Teaching Policy Fellows who led the charge with this work were Krystal Clifton, Danielle Grenader, Jill Meisner, Weston Peno, and Senior Fellow, Krista Siems Wilson. Read the guide here! From Teach Plus Illinois Josh Kaufmann, Executive Director, Teach Plus Illinois Dear Teachers,
The Practice Corner Kristen Ciciora, Illinois Director of Instructional Programs Are you a Chicago teacher whose school is starting to think about what next year is going to look like? Do you have ideas for how to address post-COVID issues such as SEL support, assessment & differentiation, or any other systems creation/implementation needs? If you want to take a part in leading other teachers through a solution to issues like these (or any other issues you see in your school that need changing), apply to be a Change Agent by April 25th! Teacher Leaders selected for Chicago Change Agent will receive ongoing coaching and professional development from Teach Plus throughout the school year, and a $2,500 stipend. This program is grant-funded and free to schools. Teach Plus will be holding upcoming info sessions on April 14th and April 20th (RSVP here), and any questions can be sent directly to Kristen Ciciora (kciciora@teachplus.org). Kristen OpportunitiesTeach Plus Illinois Fellowship Applications: DUE April 25th, 2021 Teach Plus Illinois is accepting applications for the three different fellowships for educators in the 2021-2022 school year: Chicago Change Agent, Teaching Policy Fellowship, and the Early Childhood Educator Policy Fellowship. All of our programs are highly selective leadership opportunities for outstanding teachers looking to expand their influence without having to leave the classroom. They span the 2021-22 school year and offer selected teachers a generous stipend for their time and work. Apply now to be a Fellow or Change Agent! The deadline to apply to each fellowship is April 25th, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. For all programs, we are seeking cohorts of excellent teachers who reflect the cultural, linguistic, and geographic diversity of our students. Additionally, applicants:
For more information about Chicago Change Agent, please email Kristen Ciciora at kciciora@teachplus.org. For more information on the Teaching Policy Fellowship, please email Crystal Jameau at cjameau@teachplus.org. For more information on the ECE Fellowship, please email Sinthu Ramalingam at sramalingam@teachplus.org. Apply today! Two Design Thinking Opportunities to Shape Education in Illinois and Nationally from Teach Plus. Project Spark: Teach Plus Illinois is partnering with the Illinois State Teachers of the Year to solicit great ideas from educators to recognize and elevate this classroom innovation. We’re offering $10,000 in prizes to Illinois educators whose ideas have not only helped to serve students over the past year, but also offer significant promise for continued, sustainable impact in the years to come. Submissions will be accepted in two categories: innovations that have already had meaningful impact for students, and promising ideas that have yet to be implemented or have limited evidence of impact so far. Visit teachplus.org/innovation for official rules and entry form. Ends 4/30/21. The Phoenix Project: The Teach Plus Phoenix Project is a comprehensive design thinking process to reimagine teaching and learning and create a more equitable education system beyond the pandemic. Are you a teacher who has experienced the impact of the pandemic on students, families, and educators? Have you redesigned how you approach teaching and learning to meet the moment and help your students and families thrive? Join us on April 29, 2021, 6:30pm-8:30pm CST, as a participant in our Phoenix Project and help shape the future. To express our thanks for your time and expertise, we will provide a $20 Amazon gift card following your participation in the event. Register here! ISBE Seeking Nominations For Teacher of the Year and Those Who Excel Awards! ISBE will recognize 10 Regional Teachers of the Year, then select the 2022 Illinois Teacher of the Year from among these finalists. From the nominees for 2020 Illinois Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Early Career Educators, ISBE also will name the:
ISBE will accept nominations for Teacher of the Year through April 23. When a teacher is nominated, they will receive a link to complete the application. The deadline to submit applications for both Teacher of the Year and Those Who Excel is May 21. ISBE will name awardees in late summer. Learn more about the Teacher of the Year and Those Who Excel program requirements and submit a nomination at www.isbe.net/elevatingeducators. Hollaback Bystander Intervention Workshops Join Hollaback! and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC for one of their free bystander intervention and de-escalation trainings to stop anti-Asian and xenophobic harassment. The one-hour, interactive training will teach you Hollaback!’s 5D’s of bystander intervention methodology. For registration dates and more information, visit here! Good Reads 2020-21 Early Childhood Educator Policy Fellow Erean Mei shares in her op-ed: I Am an Early Childhood Educator. I Should Be Shaping Early Childhood Policy. "Educators like me bring an invaluable micro perspective, rooted in our experience and expertise in an early childhood classroom. Whether it is a behavior plan or state-level policy, we can ensure that it is well designed, well received by teachers, and well implemented" Read more... 2020-21 Teaching Policy Fellow Maria Gandara and 2020-21 Early Childhood Educator Policy Fellow Zachary Trail in Chalkbeat how Discussing White Privilege in an All-White Classroom is Difficult: "Despite the pressures the pandemic has placed on educators like Gándara, Chicago’s teachers and staff have largely stayed put. Bucking dire national predictions about a mass exodus of school employees, the number of retirements and resignations in Chicago’s public schools has not ticked up from the 2018-2019 school year" Read more... Teach Plus California Senior Policy Fellow Meghann Seril has prioritized making her classroom a culturally affirming safe space for her students, especially in the wake of recent anti-Asian violence and racism. Her powerful op-ed "I Want My Students to Feel Pride, Acceptance, and Empowerment in Their Classroom" has been elevated on the Teach Plus national site, and can be read here. "Teach Plus stands in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the wake of the recent anti-Asian racism and violence. We condemn all acts of violence, xenophobia, and racism that plague our communities — discrimination, hate, and hate crimes have no place in our society. By creating school environments that are culturally competent and anti-racist, our educators build more inclusive communities that affirm racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity to promote justice, equity and respect for all." |