The goal of the National Center for Urban Education (NCUE) is to support Illinois State University’s rich history of teacher education through a focus on social justice, community-integrated teaching, and culturally responsive practices. As part of our mission, this past year we were excited to partner with the School of Teaching and Learning at ISU as well as the Community Consolidated School District 21 (CCSD21) to create culturally relevant professional development seminars offered to Early Childhood Education (ECE) students and faculty as well as practicing elementary teachers.
Working together with stakeholders, Dr. Apryl Riley, NCUE program manager, and Jennifer O’Malley, NCUE Chicago Teacher Education Pipeline director, adapted the NCUE offerings to each distinct audience and modality. The ISU School of Teaching and Learning’s Early Childhood Education – Online Workforce program serves professionals who currently work with children ages birth through 5 to obtain a bachelor’s degree and Professional Educator License in Early Childhood. Working with both TCH faculty and university students, NCUE provided virtual seminars over this academic year in the areas of Self-Care & Wellness for Educators as well as supporting the faculty with a session on Exploring Identity & Building Culturally Responsive Learning Communities, specifically in the online learning space.
This spring, NCUE was pleased to support elementary teachers from CCSD21 with a session on Identity, Building Intentional Classroom Connections, and Empathetic Listening. This in-person session was part of the school-defined teacher professional learning, and we were honored to be able to work with practicing teachers, including some #EdBirds.
Our goal at NCUE is to have participants leave a session feeling that they have more tools in their toolbox to implement directly into their teaching practice. We know we have succeeded when we see feedback like, “Thank you for aligning research with simple ideas to put into practice.” We also hope to support continued professional growth and reflection, and were excited to see a participant share that the “connection topic made me rethink my interactions with my students.” Another expressed, “This content is something that all faculty and staff need to hear. The content applies to all who have any contact with students.”
Most importantly for our NCUE mission, another noted, “They shared great tools that helped me better understand myself and my role as one who can create safe spaces/communities within my classes.”
We look forward to future collaborations. Interested in partnering with NCUE on culturally responsive professional development? Please reach out to Dr. Maria Luisa Zamudio-Mainou, NCUE executive director, for a menu of current offerings. NCUE is always open to tailoring a session or series to your specific needs.
