March 2022 IL Newsblast No images? Click here Teach Plus IL Launches New Effort with ISBE to Support Teachers of Color ISBE announces $2 million effort to support and retain teachers of color through affinity groupsThe Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced a $2 million effort to support and retain teachers of color. ISBE will establish a statewide system of affinity groups in partnership with Sangamon-Menard Regional Office of Education 51 (ROE 51) and Teach Plus. The groups will bring teachers of color together to examine issues facing them, including the causes of attrition, and to develop policy recommendations. The recommendations will inform local district leaders on ways to improve working conditions and experiences for teachers of color. Read the full press release here. From Teach Plus Illinois Dear Teachers, After five years of teaching, I had finally learned to manage a classroom, develop an engaging curriculum, and usually most of my students were learning. But I started to want something more -- for me, it was a recognition that many of the challenges affecting our classroom were policies that were set by the district, the state, or even the US Congress and over which I had no control at all. For others, it’s that they see instructional problems in their school but don’t feel empowered to address them. Either way, teachers need a way to address those challenges and continue to grow. We now have three growth opportunities available for teachers in Illinois! Applications are open now for our Early Childhood Policy Fellowship, our K12 Policy Fellowship, and the Chicago Change Agent Program. If you want opportunities to grow but don’t want to leave the classroom, check out the details below or in the links above. Warm regards, The Practice Corner Dear Teachers, One of my pandemic-era self-care habits has been going for a 10-20 minute walk in my neighborhood. Sometimes I'll listen to an article or podcast, other times I'll practice my Spanish on DuoLingo, and occasionally I'll listen to a chapter of an audiobook. I just started "A Promised Land" by Barack Obama and something he said (which I also remember from Michelle Obama's book, Becoming) has been sticking with me. It's a community organizing thought exercise--"thinking about the world as it is and the world as it should be." This made me think about an exercise that we do with our Change Agent teacher leaders as part of our summer training--having them imagine and vividly describe what their school looks, feels, and sounds like if they are successful at addressing the problem they set out to solve. The Change Agent program is such a powerful system of supports for teachers who want to stay in the classroom but take charge over addressing a schoolwide issue. We provide ongoing coaching, professional learning, and a network of like-minded teachers throughout the year in order to help teacher leaders transform their schools into a closer version of "how they should be" (as well as a generous stipend for your time and work). If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, we're accepting applications for next year's cohort! You can learn more on our website or check out a description in the opportunities section below. Warmly, Teach Plus IL in the News IL TPF Alum (2017-18) Devin Evans was recently featured on ABC 7 Chicago on teacher diversity in Illinois! "If we don't get the issue fixed now, it could lead to a generation of students who won't have the same academic success that students in my classroom and other classrooms are getting," Devin states. Devin teaches 10th grade English Language Arts at Butler College Prep Charter High School on Chicago’s far south side. He serves as co-10th grade team lead and master teacher for Butler’s humanities department. Devin has written blogs on the importance of black male teachers in classrooms and racially-discriminatory school discipline policies. Congrats to Dr. Sherri Rodriguez, Principal of Melrose Park Elementary School, and all teacher leaders! Out of the 9 schools in the district, Melrose Park School had the second highest student growth according to NWEA MAP in math and reading! Fellow Highlights Megan Hillegass, Teach Plus IL ECE Policy Senior Fellow, Named 2022 Early Childhood Teacher of the Year Learn more about it here! Lisa Thyer, Senior Teaching Policy Fellow, Named One of Thirty Finalists for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching Read about it here! Jasmine Gilliam, Senior Teach Plus Change Agent, Published in the Winter IL ASCD Journal Read the journal here! Opportunities This Fellowship program is for educators who want to help develop their inquiry and research skills, contribute to conversations surrounding education policies with their local legislators, and forward the efforts of equitable education for the diverse student population of Illinois. The deadline for applying is April 18th, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. For more information on the Teaching Policy Fellowship, please email Crystal Jameau at cjameau@teachplus.org. This highly selective policy fellowship is for all levels of Early Childhood educators; it allows participants to address policy issues by engaging directly with their local legislators, and receive professional training. The deadline for applying is April 24th, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. For more information on the ECE Policy Fellowship, please email Sinthu Ramalingam at sramalingam@teachplus.org. This Fellowship program is for outstanding teachers who want to lead a change effort to address an issue that affects students across their school. Together with their principal, the teacher leader identifies a problem of practice, and works collaboratively with other teachers and a teacher leadership coach to tackle this challenge. The deadline for applying is April 24th, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. For more information on the Chicago Change Agent Fellowship, please email Kristen Ciciora at kciciora@teachplus.org. Don't forget to attend our info session on March 15th at 6pm to learn more about the Illinois Early Childhood Education Policy Fellowship and Chicago Change Agent Program, two highly selective leadership opportunities for outstanding, equity-focused Illinois teachers. Please contact Crystal Jameau at cjameau@teachplus.org for any questions. Teach Plus Special Education Retention Focus Group The Teach Plus Policy Fellowship's Teacher Pipeline group is focusing on special education educator retention -- because special education teachers have the lowest retention rate compared to all other content areas. Fellows are holding focus groups to better understand the needs of teachers in the profession, to help inform ISBE's policy choices. If you are a special education teacher or have previous experience in the classroom as a special education teacher, please join any one of the focus groups. Also, feel free to share with those you know who might be interested. Each session lasts approximately 45 minutes. If you are interested, please register for the session with the corresponding date and time. Session 1: March 11, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Session 2: March 14, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Session 3: March 15, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Session 4: March 15, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Session 5: March 18, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Session 6: March 22, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Institute for Racial Justice Postdoctoral Fellowship in Educational Justice Applications Open The Institute for Racial Justice (IRJ) at Loyola University Chicago is launching a Postdoctoral Fellowship Initiative. The goal of the Initiative is to build pathways for generations of scholars who will advance intersectional, interdisciplinary research that centers on racial justice and drives structural change. The IRJ will support scholars and equip them with resources and networks to conduct change-making research, create transformational educational experiences, and build translational community partnerships. Illinois Assessment of Readiness Item Writing Recruitment As ISBE selects texts and develops items for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), we are seeking educator feedback to evaluate the content and design of the assessment. Educators who participate in our IAR Content and/or Bias and Sensitivity Committees effectively give a voice to their students and their district regarding the material used to assess them. ISBE is currently recruiting administrators, classroom teachers, special education teachers, learning specialists/interventionists, and curriculum coordinators with experience in Grades 3-8. Interested educators can complete this survey to enter ISBE’s committee pool as a possible participant. Take Action! Urge the General Assembly to Invest in the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship in FY23 Students of color who are taught by teachers of color often see major improvements. Let your state legislators know the importance of investing $4.2M into MTI. The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to set the state’s FY23 budget in April. Raise your voice on behalf of aspiring teachers of color to ensure our state officials increase investment in MTI by sending a letter, calling, or tweeting your legislator! Find your legislator and contact them today! Register for the Black Educational Advocacy Coalition (BEAC) Equity Conference Raise your voice on behalf of aspiring teachers of color! The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to set the state’s FY23 budget in April. Raise your voice on behalf of aspiring teachers of color to ensure our state officials increase investment in MTI. Let's get $4.2M for MTI over the finish line. Please call, email, or tweet your State Senator and State Representative today! Good Reads The Importance of Understanding Critical Race Theory in the Classroom by TPF Alum Gina Caneva "As an educator, I want to live in a world where Black history, culture and literature are part of the curriculum year-round," Gina states. Read the full article here. Revamping Early Literacy Instruction in Illinois by Cassie Walker Burke "About three years ago, school board members, teachers, and administrators in Osburn’s district began taking a hard look at how children there learn to read. The Right to Read bill, which would better regulate how reading is taught to the state’s students, is currently being reviewed by the Illinois General Assembly," Cassie writes. Read the full article here. |