Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) welcomed its new cohort of 104 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teachers into its innovative, interdisciplinary seminars for 2015. “This year’s CTI Fellows represent the wide range of teachers in CMS, from new to veteran, kindergarten to 12^th grade, and physics to interior design,” said CTI Director Scott Gartlan. “We continue to create significant growth opportunities for teacher leaders looking to deepen their knowledge base and impact the lives of their students.”

CTI’s eight concurrent seminars began with an orientation at Discovery Place in April and will run through November. CTI seminars are led by faculty experts in the arts and sciences, including four from Davidson College and four from UNC Charlotte. Seminars meet on those campuses and also at the Discovery Place Education Studio.

In each seminar, 13 CMS teachers (CTI Fellows) and a faculty leader work closely together in exploring a topic, long term and in depth, with each teacher creating new curriculum designed for his or her own students as a culminating project. CTI Fellows receive full access to both Davidson College and UNC Charlotte resources, as well as family memberships to Discovery Place. Upon completion each Fellow is awarded a $1,500 stipend and continuing education credits.

The 2015 CTI seminars and seminar leaders include:

• Exercise and the Brain – Barbara Lom, Biology, Davidson College
• What Makes a Nation? – Shelley Rigger, Political Science, Davidson College
• The Origins of Human Language – Ron Lunsford, English, UNC Charlotte
• Fundamentals of Mathematics: Problem Solving and Process Standards – Harold Reiter, Mathematics and Statistics, UNC Charlotte
• Peace Education:  Psychological Factors that Endorse War – Rick Gay, Educational Studies, Davidson College
• Integrating Concepts in Life Sciences – Malcolm Campbell and Chris Paradise, Biology, Davidson College
• Africa: Moving Beyond Popular Culture – Beth Whitaker, Political Science, UNC Charlotte
• Supernatural Figures in Theatre, Film and the Brain – Mark Pizzato, Theatre, UNC Charlotte

About Charlotte Teachers Institute

Through seminars led by UNC Charlotte and Davidson College faculty, CMS teachers learn new content, work collaboratively with other teachers, and develop new curricula for their students. Teachers serve as leaders in the institute and choose seminar topics they deem most important and engaging for current CMS teachers and their students. To date, more than 300 CMS teachers have participated in 44 CTI seminars, reaching more than 62,600 students.

In addition to its eight intensive annual seminars, CTI presents special events open to all teachers including “Evening for Educators” and “Teachers as Scholars” where CTI Fellows share the new curriculum they have developed in their seminars. CTI also offers community programs open to the public such as the popular “Exploding Canons” cultural collaboration series. In 2013 CTI and its partners were recognized by the Council of Great City Schools with the Shirley S. Schwartz Urban Education Impact Award.

CTI programs are made possible by a joint commitment of resources from CMS, Davidson College and UNC Charlotte and through the generosity of private funding institutions such as the Wells Fargo Foundation, The Belk Foundation, The Duke Energy Foundation, Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation, the Charlotte Hornets Foundation and Lowe’s Home Improvement. The institute is housed at UNC Charlotte within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

The full list of 2015 CTI Fellows by seminar includes:

Exercise and the Brain

• Cassandra Black, First Grade, Ashley Park PreK-8
• Jeanne Cooper, Science, Mallard Creek HS
• Tracie Cooper, Fourth Grade, Hidden Valley ES
• DeNise Gerst, Science, Barringer Academic Center
• David Hartzell, Literacy, Shamrock Gardens ES
• Deb Jung, Media Skills, Winding Springs Elementary
• Amethyst Klein, Science, Winterfield ES
• Aaron Kollar, Math, Piedmont Open IB MS
• Benji Lewis, Fifth Grade, Grand Oak ES
• Molly McCarthy, Language Arts, Piedmont Open IB MS
• Lauren McNeil, Special Education, Lebanon Road ES
• Ted Miracle, Fifth Grade, Grand Oak ES
• Leslie Paytes, Math, Crestdale MS

What Makes a Nation?

• Jennifer Anderson, Language Arts, James Martin MS
• Brad Baker, History, W.A. Hough HS
• Annie Calloway, Literacy, Olde Providence ES
• Calen Clifton, Social Studies, Martin Luther King, Jr. MS
• Alexandra Edwards, Social Studies, Bailey MS
• Michele Lemere, English, Garinger HS
• Lisa Modrow, Social Studies, Bailey MS
• Rob Pinkston, Interior Design, W.A. Hough HS
• Bridget Robinson, History, W.A. Hough HS
• Heather Simpson, Grades 1-3, Chantilly Montessori
• Mark Surratt, Fourth Grade, Providence Spring ES
• Alan Vitale, History, East Mecklenburg HS
• Katie Willett, English, Independence HS

The Origins of Human Language

• KaraAnne Boneillo, Fourth Grade, Reedy Creek ES
• Melinda Clunn, Language Arts, McClintock MS
• Adriana Hart, Kindergarten, Collinswood Language Academy
• Allen Jacobi, Language Arts, Northwest School of the Arts
• Matt Kelly, Spanish, Independence HS
• Melanie Kirschner, First Grade, Albemarle Road ES
• Tabitha Miller, Kindergarten, Collinswood Language Academy
• Sedana Noble, First Grade, Reedy Creek ES
• Nicole Nesbitt, Science, Albemarle Road MS
• Margaux Saenz, Fourth Grade, Oaklawn Language Academy
• Seon Sloley-Posey, Fourth Grade, Barringer Academic Center
• Rochelle Stanley, English, Garinger HS
• Elizabeth Young, English as a Second Language, Lebanon Road ES

Fundamentals of Mathematics: Problem Solving and Process Standards

• Lisa Ashworth, Fifth Grade, Barringer Academic Center
• Michael Butler, Fifth Grade, Elon Park ES
• Dennis Fox, Math/Science, Turning Point Academy
• Gilberto Franco, Math, Collinswood Language Academy
• Miesha Gadsden, Second Grade, J.H. Gunn ES
• Katelyn Gardepe, Fifth Grade, David Cox Road ES
• Connie George, Math, Quail Hollow MS
• Kimberly Lipscomb, Fourth Grade, Highland Creek ES
• Mindy Passe, Fifth Grade, Barringer Academic Center
• Joanne Rowe, Math, Northwest School of the Arts
• Stephen Salisbury, Kindergarten, Crown Point ES
• Meg Shuman, Fourth Grade, Barringer Academic Center
• Rima Solh, Math, Eastway MS

Peace Education: Psychological Factors that Endorse War

• Heather Almaraz, Fifth Grade, Lebanon Road ES
• Angela Bates, History, CATO Middle College HS
• Gloria Brinkman, Visual Art, North Mecklenburg HS
• Albertia Burgess, English, West Charlotte HS
• Melanie Greely, Grades 4-6, Chantilly Montessori
• Cheryl Hanley, Language Arts, McClintock MS
• Sarah Korenyik, Language Arts, Northwest School of the Arts
• Jennifer Ladanyi, Language Arts, Bailey MS
• Michael Richards, Social Studies, Bailey MS
• Megan Shellenberger, English, W.A. Hough HS
• Roshan Varghese, History, Butler HS
• Deborah Watson, Visual Art, Hopewell HS
• Christopher Williams, English, East Mecklenburg HS

Integrating Concepts in Life Sciences

• Chrystal Cavanagh, Science, Morehead STEM Academy
• Alicia Gaj, Science, McClintock MS
• Rochelle Gray, Biology, Mallard Creek HS
• Tavia Highsmith, Language Arts, Albemarle Road MS
• Julie McConnell, Biology, W.A. Hough HS
• Adora Reid, Science, James Martin MS
• Ericka Riddle, Biology, East Mecklenburg HS
• Julie Ruziska Tiddy, Science, Carmel MS
• Deb Semmler, Physics, East Mecklenburg HS
• Sandie Spraggins, Technology, Irwin Academic Center
• Kimberly Terrell, Fifth Grade, Steele Creek ES
• Jennifer Thompson, Science, James Martin MS
• Connie Wood, Biology, East Mecklenburg HS

Africa: Moving Beyond Popular Culture

• Lara Britain, Social Studies, James Martin MS
• Justine Busto, English as a Second Language, East Mecklenburg HS
• Nikki Dingle, Science, Coulwood MS
• Ian Joyce, Social Studies, Eastway MS
• Beth Lasure, Visual Art, Mallard Creek HS
• Ebone’ Lockett, English, West Mecklenburg HS
• Wendy Potter, Family/Consumer Science, David Butler HS
• Pam Shembo, Fifth Grade, Waddell Language Academy
• Jackie Smith, Science, W.A. Hough HS
• Merrie Smith, Third Grade, Shamrock Gardens ES
• Darrmetacia Winston, Family/Consumer Science, Olympic HS School
• Lana Withrow, Music, Barringer Academic Center
• Sade Wright, Third Grade, Barringer Academic Center

Supernatural Figures in Theatre, Film and the Brain

• Tabitha Albury, English, North Mecklenburg HS
• Christine Beau-Antoine, Language Arts, Lincoln Heights Academy
• Angela Boyce-Thornton, Kindergarten, Ashley Park Pre K-8
• Mawuena Dabla, French, Harding University HS
• Jennifer Dalesandro, Third Grade, Bain ES
• Nikki Guevara, First Grade, Bain ES
• Kristen Karazsia, English, West Mecklenburg HS
• Stephanie Misko, English, W.A. Hough HS
• Silvia Monsalve-Velazquez, First Grade, Oaklawn Language Academy
• Noelle Peerey, Visual Art, Hopewell HS
• Kelley Shelley, Visual Art, Butler HS
• Teresa Strohl, Visual Art, Barringer Academic Center
• Amy Thomas, First Grade, Reedy Creek ES

Duke Energy recently announced its support for Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) with a $20,000 grant to fund an energy-related seminar for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teachers, as well as two special events for the public this fall. Duke Energy is sponsoring “The Global Energy Challenge,” one of CTI’s eight, long-term seminars in 2014.

The two Duke Energy supported public events are: “Teachers as Scholars: The Nature of Energy” on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the EnergyExplorium at McGuire Nuclear Station, in partnership with Piedmont Natural Gas; and “Exploding Canons: Under the Lake” on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Davidson College. The Exploding Canons program explores the changing social and physical landscape of Lake Norman over its 50 year history. Both events are free and begin with a reception at 5:30 pm, followed by presentations from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

“Duke Energy commends the more than 100 teachers who will spend much of their free time this summer and fall participating in the Charlotte Teachers Institute,” said Richard “Stick” Williams, president of Duke Energy Foundation. “These dedicated educators are being exposed to content-rich ideas and are developing curriculum that will benefit students in Charlotte classrooms and beyond. We are proud to support the work of the Institute,” Williams said.

Denise Gerst, science teacher at Barringer Academic Center, said CTI’s energy seminar stretches her knowledge as an educator and a consumer. She added: “I’m more cognizant of how energy is utilized and how energy sources are identified within our country and throughout the world. I also have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow educators from various disciplines who challenge me to think beyond my comfort zone.”

Davidson College Chemistry Professor Durwin Striplin, faculty leader for the energy seminar, notes he is also grateful for “the opportunity to study and learn – with a very energetic and keen group of fellow teachers – about the energy future that faces our planet and the challenges we face. We’re looking at not only possible solutions to the massive energy needs that will confront us in the next couple of decades, but also the necessary teaching practices that will motivate students to take part in this all-inclusive, all-important global conversation.”

CTI seminars began in April and continue until December, with 104 CMS teachers participating. These CTI Fellows work closely with university/college faculty and each other to create new curricula designed for their own classrooms, with an expected reach of 15,000 CMS students in 2014-15. “CTI’s collaborative seminars deepen teachers’ understanding of the subjects they teach, and help them think critically and creatively about academic objectives – with their own students in mind,” said CTI Director Scott Gartlan.

This year’s CTI seminars take place at Discovery Place, the Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, Davidson College and UNC Charlotte. The Duke sponsored Energy seminar is on of the four seminars at Discovery Place.

July 22, 2014 — Five Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teachers are representing Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) as 2014 Yale National Fellows in “life changing” seminars at the Yale National Initiative to strengthen teaching in public schools® (YNI) in New Haven, CT. These CTI Yale National Fellows rank among 60 educators from across the country selected for Yale seminars designed to provide public school teachers with deeper knowledge of the subjects they teach and enhance their leadership development at the local level. The 2014 YNI seminars began with a long weekend session in May, followed by a two-week summer intensive session July 7-18, and culminate at the YNI annual meeting in October.

Yale National Fellows represent 17 school districts in nine states, including those from existing Institutes in Charlotte, NC; New Castle County, DE; New Haven, CT; Philadelphia, PA; and Pittsburgh, PA.  CTI National Fellows and their Yale seminars and professors include:

• Gloria Brinkman, visual art, North Mecklenburg High School — “Eloquence,” led by Joseph R. Roach, Sterling Professor of theater and professor of English, African American studies and American studies;
• Phil Carver, science, James Martin Middle School — “Microbes Rule,” led by Paul E. Turner, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology.
• Torrieann Dooley, 2^nd grade, David Cox Road Elementary School — “Place Value, Fractions, and Algebra: Improving Content Learning through the Practice Standards,” led by Roger E. Howe, professor of Mathematics;
• Alexandra Edwards, social studies, Bailey Middle School — “Understanding History and Society through Images, 1776-1914,” led by Timothy J. Barringer, professor of History of Art;
• Teresa Strohl, visual art, Barringer Academic Center — “Playing with Poems: Rules, Tools, and Games,” led by Langdon L. Hammer, professor of English.

Dooley also serves on the YNI National Steering Committee. Dooley, Brinkman and Edwards are previous CTI National Fellows, while Carver and Strohl are participating at Yale for the first time. Strohl, moved to tears by her first summer session at Yale declared, “This whole experience is life changing! The camaraderie that exists between teachers from across the country and from seminar leaders at Yale is beyond any other collaborative work I’ve encountered.” Strohl’s colleagues enthusiastically agreed:

Dooley: “Yale was amazing. My seminar leader stretched and challenged me as a learner. Being around other teachers in such a positive and professional environment makes me really excited about being a teacher. I’m looking forward to teaching the curriculum unit I wrote and sharing my work with other teachers.

Edwards:“The opportunity to participate in YNI gives me the ability to work with such amazing Yale leaders and teachers from across the nation. The unit I produce will change the way my students really see U.S. and North Carolina history.”

Carver:“The Yale National Initiative Intensive Session is a unique opportunity to visit Yale, interact with some of the most distinguished college professors in the world, and become a published author. The seminar fellows are treated like royalty, and receive all the perks of being a faculty member for a few weeks. The Yale experience is definitely the most unique and prestigious professional development a classroom teacher can attend.”

Brinkman: “The Yale Intensive Session was a truly elevating experience. The seminar content on ‘Eloquence’ was as rich as it was fun.  I am so excited about the development of my curriculum unit for which I received incredible support and encouragement. I can’t wait to teach it in my classroom to guide my students’ to eloquence in critical response and persuasive public speaking. It was thrilling this year to be welcomed back as a member of the Yale community and to collaborate with YNI friends and fellows from around the country as we worked toward common goals for both our classrooms and our local teacher institutes. The privilege of being a Yale National Fellow is like no other educator professional development opportunity.”

All five National Fellows are also local CTI Fellows, among over 100 CMS teachers currently engaged in Charlotte-based CTI seminars led by Davidson College and UNC Charlotte faculty. Also attending the initial week of the YNI Summer Session in New Haven were CTI Director Scott Gartlan and three of CTI’s eight local seminar leaders: Davidson College Professors Shelley Rigger (political science) and Durwin Striplin (chemistry) and UNC Charlotte Professor Alan Rauch (English). Rigger serves on the YNI’s University Advisory Council.

CTI is in its sixth year of presenting local, long-term seminars led by Davidson College and UNC Charlotte professors. To date, more than 300 CMS teachers, teaching more than 62,600 students, have participated in local CTI seminars. CTI and its partners were recognized by the Council of Great City Schools with its 2013 Shirley S. Schwartz Urban Education Impact Award. CTI is made possible by a joint commitment of resources from CMS, Davidson College and UNC Charlotte and through the generosity of private funding institutions such as the Arthur Vining Davis Jr. Foundations, The Belk Foundation, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation. The institute is housed at UNC Charlotte within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

For more information visit the CTI website at: www.charlotteteachers.org or contact CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan, 704-687-0078, scott.gartlan@uncc.edu.

For information about the YNI visit: www.teachers.yale.edu.