Charlotte Teachers Institute

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Congratulations to CTI’s dedicated, creative 2011 cohort of Fellows! After nearly nine months of thinking, writing, teaching and learning, the 2011 CTI Fellows and their seminar leaders (UNC Charlotte and Davidson College faculty members) enjoyed some fun and reflection at the annual Fellows’ Finale celebration Dec. 13 at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

As part of a growing end-of-year tradition, CTI Director Scott Gartlan shared the collective impact of these 82 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers by the numbers:

Together these teachers span all 13 grade levels from kindergarten through high school.  They represent more than 15 subjects – from elementary teachers to biology teachers, world history, American history, and art history, language arts and costume design, Spanish, French, German, earth science, environmental science, physics, math and technology.

Together they have taught for 960 years with 762 of those years in CMS, and together they plan on teaching for an additional 1,163 years.  They will teach over 10,000 students during the next 12 months.  These 82 teachers plan to share the curriculum units they wrote for CTI with over 500 other CMS teachers, and 7,200 students will be taught the units Fellows created this year.  Together they will have spent 2,730 hours attending CTI seminars at UNC Charlotte, Davidson College, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and the Mint Museum.  And together these teachers have written approximately 1,640 pages of new curriculum that will be accessible to teachers around the world through CTI’s and the Yale National Initiative’s websites.

Cheers to our 2011 CTI Fellows!

2011 CTI Fellows Orientation in April at the Mint Museum

Click here to view full list of 2011 CTI Fellows.

As a fellow member of the League of Institutes, the Charlotte Teachers Institute has proudly partnered with the Yale National Initiative, Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, Pittsburgh Teachers Institute, Teachers Institute of Philadelphia, and the Delaware Teachers Institute in New Castle County to recognize the Teachers Institute model as a nationally significant program. Senators Joseph Lieberman (I, CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D, CT) and Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D, CT-3) and Chaka Fattah (D, PA-2) recently introduced legislation (S. 1240 and H.R. 2255) to create a competitive grants program to establish Teachers Institutes in other states.

Three Distinct Features of the Teachers Institute Model

1. The University-School Partnership Approach

This approach threads the needle of the academic and intellectual pipeline by connecting world-class university and college faculty with motivated, talented K-12 teachers in a highly collaborative learning environment.  This results in meaningful and lasting professional relationships among educators spanning entire spectrum of the educational system from K through university scholarship.  

2. Focus on Content Knowledge Linked to Pedagogy

Unlike traditional teacher professional development programs that place heavy weight on pedagogical knowledge alone, the Teachers Institute model emphasizes the balance between content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge.  This blended approach reenergizes teachers, professors, and their students at the K-12 level, as well as at the university level, to focus on the core curriculum in their schools and in their fields.  Writing the Curriculum Unit develops teachers writing skills and increases their content self-efficacy.

3. Teacher-Led Leadership Structure

The teachers are the leaders.  Teachers have the opportunity to contribute to CTI in a variety of leadership roles including the Steering Committee, an advisory group responsible for making decisions about institute functioning; the Seminar Coordinators, the teacher leaders representing each seminar group; and the School Contacts, a group of motivated teachers who promote CTI to other teachers in the district.

Based on its recent growth and success in establishing educational partnerships throughout the country, the Teachers Institute model should be considered a nationally significant program for the following reasons:

• Teachers Institutes engage and excite teachers to motivate their students for success.
• Participation in Teachers Institutes is strongly correlated with teacher retention in high-need schools.
• Teachers Institutes are an investment in innovation and creativity in education.
• Teachers Institutes provide opportunities for students to develop a deep understanding of the content across a wide variety of subject areas.

Currently, as a way to spread the word about what’s going on here in Charlotte, the Charlotte Teachers Institute is undergoing a good old-fashioned letter writing campaign to Congress.  We are encouraging teachers, faculty, school and university leaders, parents, and students to write letters to Members of Congress and their legislative assistants for education by e-mail.   The letters are simply a way of expressing support for the work of the Teaches Institute model.  If you are interested in learning more about the legislation or how to help, please click on the following documents below.

Helpful Information about the Legislation:

Arguments for Enacting of the Teachers Institutes Bill

Congressional Press Release about Teachers Institute Bill

Yale National Press Release about Teachers Institute Bill

Charlotte Mecklenburg teachers were recognized as part of the festivities at the Bank of America 500 held Saturday October 15th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dr. Cindy Moss, the director of STEM for CMS, was the official starter and 41 teachers, who were selected for their contributions to CMS in the areas of science and math, were paired with NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers and introduced with their drivers prior to the race. There were six teachers among the group who are associated with CTI pointing to the high caliber of teachers in CTI.

Pictured fellows, in order from left to right are: Stacey Hartberger, James Martin Middle School, “Sports and Physics” seminar; Jashonai Payne, David Cox Elementary, “Sports and Physics” seminar; Michael Pillsbury, Randolph Middle School, “Math through Popular Culture” seminar; Cynthia Woolery, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary, “Sports and Physics” seminar;Karma Banks, David Cox Elementary, “The Chemistry that Surrounds Us” seminar; and Amdana Reasoner, Sedgefield Middle, “The Chemistry that Surrounds Us” seminar (not pictured).

CTI, an educational partnership among UNC Charlotte, Davidson College and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), is designed to strengthen teaching and learning in public schools. Affiliated with the Yale National Initiative at Yale University, CTI provides intensive, high quality, professional development for CMS teachers. Each year about 100 CMS teachers enroll in CTI’s innovative, content-rich, seven-month-long seminars, led by tenured university and college faculty.

“The CTI model is a one-of-a-kind program for CMS teachers. I am thrilled and honored to be part of a professional development program that so closely aligns the needs of students, the experience of teachers, and the expertise of professors. It is this unique university-school design that separates CTI from all other programs locally and nationally,” Gartlan said.

As CTI’s executive director, Gartlan will lead the Institute in its day-to-day operations, program management and evaluation, fiscal oversight and development activities. “Having previously served as CTI’s program evaluation project director, Scott comes into his new role with valuable experience and understanding of the mission of the Institute, and is well poised to guide it in its next stage of development,” said Nancy Gutierrez, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UNC Charlotte.

Gartlan brings CTI a variety of relevant experience in teacher professional development, including five years of teaching experience in area schools. At the Cannon School, he taught AP Psychology and Honors Ethics and was also the school’s Character Education Coordinator. More recently, at Charlotte Country Day, he taught AP and IB Psychology. In addition, Gartlan was previously program coordinator for curriculum development at the Cahn Fellows Program for Distinguished New York City Principals at Teachers College, Columbia University, and he worked on the Moral Development Team with the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education in Portland, Oregon.

“CMS is delighted to have Scott Gartlan at the helm of the Charlotte Teachers Institute for this critical next phase of the organization’s development and expansion. Scott brings great skills to the program in the area of research and evaluation as well as experience as a classroom teacher. His leadership will undoubtedly allow CTI to realize its goal of being the premier professional development opportunity available to teachers in CMS,” said Ann Clark, Chief Academic Officer of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Gartlan received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Psychology from Washington College, and his Ed.M. in Education Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from UNC Charlotte. Gartlan also serves as a member of the Diversity and Public Policy Advisory Board for the Center for Professional Ethics at UNC Charlotte.

In welcoming Gartlan to his new post, Davidson College Vice President for Academic Affairs Clark Ross said, “We look forward to our continued relationship with this exemplary program that links Davidson College with the fine teachers in our Charlotte-Mecklenburg system. Our participating Davidson faculty continue to be enriched through their engagement with this program and the dedicated public school teachers with whom they collaborate.

Jim Vivian, director of the Yale National Initiative, offered his support for Gartlan’s work with CTI. “We are eager to embark on the next phase of our work together. We look forward to working with Scott and to continuing a productive and rewarding association with the teachers and faculty in the Charlotte Teachers Institute.”

CTI’s core seminar program resumes for the fall semester on September 20. These eight seminars will meet weekly where Fellows discuss content knowledge related to their discipline, ways to integrate that new knowledge into the curriculum, and build relationships with fellow teachers throughout the district.

For more information about Charlotte Teachers Institute, contact: CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan, (704) 687-2026, info@charlotteteachers.org