Elmhurst College will host a free Educator’s Forum on Saturday, October 11 to help educators meet the needs of English learners and to introduce teachers to changes in Illinois law.
The Educator’s Forum will comprise two 90-minute workshops; educators may participate in one or both. Each workshop will be offered at 9:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. so that participants can attend one or both sessions.
Workshop One: Using Funds of Knowledge to Help English Learners Access Academic Content
This hands-on workshop provides an innovative approach to how teachers can teach academic content while also meeting the linguistic and cultural needs of their English learner populations. In light of new standards, teachers need to be able to access students’ cultural background and language proficiencies. In this workshop, teachers will learn how to access and categorize students’ “funds of knowledge” (Moll, 1992)—knowledge, skills and practices used in their everyday life—and develop meaningful activities that elicit those funds. The presenters include Dr. Beverly Troiano, assistant professor at Elmhurst College; and Dr. Ambareen Nasir, adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Workshop Two: Understanding Illinois Law & the Danielson Framework for Evaluating Teaching and Assessing Learning
This workshop provides an overview of changes in teacher evaluation in Illinois, the Danielson Framework and how student engagement can be evaluated through teacher observation. The workshop also will address how to show teaching impact through evidence of student growth. The presenter is Robert Langman, principal at Wesley Elementary School and director of instructional and informational technology in Addison School District 4.
The Educator’s Forum is free and includes breakfast. Official professional development documentation for the State of Illinois will be provided. Each workshop is 1.5 hours total.
An optional information session on Elmhurst College’s graduate programs in education will be offered at 12:15 p.m.
Elmhurst College was one of the first institutions approved by the Illinois State Board of Education to offer the new Teacher Leader Endorsement. The Teacher Leader Endorsement requires a master’s degree, which can be earned with Elmhurst’s Master of Education in Teacher Leadership. The 34-hour master’s degree program meets the practical and professional needs of teachers.
Elmhurst College also offers state-approved endorsements in the areas of ESL, Bilingual, Special Education and Health Education. Endorsements may be earned while completing a master’s degree or as a non-degree-seeking graduate student. Classes meet in a hybrid format that combines on-campus and online coursework. Start times are available in the Summer, Fall or Spring terms.
Registration and breakfast for the Educator’s Forum will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, in the lower level of Circle Hall. Space is limited. To reserve your space, call the School for Professional Studies at (630) 617-3300.