College of Education News

More than 100 Local Teachers Learn New Teaching Methods at Sixth-Annual Chancellor's Academy

Monday, June 27 marks the first day of the weeklong Chancellor's Academy, now in its seventh year. The Academy, which began in 2005, provides opportunities for more than 100 teachers in Champaign and Urbana Schools to receive concentrated professional development focused on enhancing teaching practices. Participants are teachers who have been selected by their principals as leaders who can inspire change. Each of the 24 secondary and elementary public schools in Champaign and Urbana will be represented.

On Wednesday of the Academy, attendees, media and friends of the College of Education are invited to attend a reception from 4 - 5 p.m. to celebrate the Provost's new $350 thousand annual funding of the Center for Education in Small Urban Communities.

The Academy is an important component of the partnership between the Champaign and Urbana public schools and the Center for Education in Small Urban Communities, a service, outreach, and research unit within the College of Education at the University of Illinois. This year's Academy, "Critical Transformations: Empowering Teachers and Students", expands on the concept of differentiated instruction and responsive teaching. Teachers will learn to be more purposeful and responsive in planning and implementing their instruction to better meet the needs of all their students. The Academy also continues its focus on capacity-building by preparing teacher leaders to share what they've learned, to encourage others to examine their own instructional practices, and to support the growth of teacher inquiry as the basis for professional learning.

Keynote speakers and facilitators for the Academy include teacher collaborators at the Center, local teachers and instructional coaches, University of Illinois faculty, and invited national experts. The five-day event will include significant time for teachers to collaborate and plan in teams focused on key issues, such as literacy, mathematics, inquiry-based learning, technology, and leadership. Academy participants will also be supported in the development of follow-up plans to ensure that the learning and momentum of the Chancellor's Academy continues into the school year. This year, follow-up opportunities are funded in part by a generous grant from State Farm Insurance Companies.

Participants overwhelmingly praise this outreach effort. As one teacher from last year's Academy stated, "I loved the speakers, workshops, and time with other teachers from both districts. The break-out sessions reminded me of practices I no longer use, but now plan to in the fall. Being able to research, collaborate, and plan with my teammates was invaluable! The keynote speakers were interesting, applicable, and energizing to my teaching practice!"

For more information, contact Wendy Kunde at 333-4687 or wkunde@illinois.edu.