Charlotte Teachers Institute

Author Archives: Robin Mara

2014 CTI Teachers As Scholars: The Nature of Energy

August 14, 2014 – 7:51 pm

CTI Fellows Share New Curricula on Energy Science

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CTI will share bright new ideas for teaching and learning about energy in a special Teachers As Scholars event on Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the EnergyExplorium at McGuire Nuclear Station in Huntersville. The program features CTI Fellows who collaborated on the topic “The Nature of Energy: How We Use and Store It to Power Our Everyday Lives,” and highlights innovative curriculum they developed in their CTI seminar. Seminar Leader Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science at UNC Charlotte, will also share her energy expertise.

Sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy, the event is free and open to the public. It begins with a reception and viewing of the EnergyExplorium’s exhibits from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by presentations and a panel discussion with Trammell and CTI Fellows until 8 p.m.

Five CTI Fellows Chosen for NC Governor’s Teachers Network

August 11, 2014 – 9:33 pm

By Matthew Strohl, CTI Summer Intern

Recently, North Carolina implemented a program called the Governor’s Teacher Network (GTN) which brings together teachers from all over the state in a year-long intensive program to collaborate on professional development and curricula for other teachers. Five CTI Fellows were chosen as part of this group of distinguished teachers: Brooke Colby-Russell, art, Mallard Creek High School; Theresa Brooks, K-1, Davidson Elementary School; Lewis Davidson, math, Mallard Creek High School; Gloria Brinkman, visual art, North Mecklenburg High School; and Kathryn Heinen, music, East Mecklenburg High School. Thirty-four CMS teachers were selected in all. Because this is GTN’s first year, I decided to ask them a few questions about their experience thus far and what they expect.

What is the GTN?

COLBY-RUSSELL GTN is the Governor Teachers Network. It is going to be a group of teachers that are coming together to help write curriculum and develop professional development for teachers by teachers. The thought is that it will be a lot more useful. Teachers will be a lot more open to the ideas that are being presented because they are from other people that are “down in the trenches.”

BROOKS It is an opportunity for teachers to come together. There are two different pathways that you can choose. One is a professional development pathway. The other is a pathway for teachers to write lesson plans. These resources will all be available on the Power School Network.

DAVIDSON This is a brand new initiative inspired by Gov. Pat McCrory. We just had our kickoff with all 450 educators collected in Raleigh. In the past, the state spent a lot of money on external consultants who would come in and tell us what we should do. McCrory asked ‘who knows what best we should do?’ The answer: Teachers, the people with their feet on the ground and who are out there working with the issues every single day. So why not pay them rather than the consultant to take this on? We have all been asked to take on a difficult work scope in addition to our responsibilities, but we all appreciate this opportunity and are willing to make the sacrifice. These educators will do things to enhance all teachers’ abilities to teach.

Did CTI influence your decision to participate in the GTN?

BROOKS It did. When I did CTI, I looked at children and how we influence the way they look at the world. My seminar was about the meaning of beauty to young children. CTI was a great vehicle for me to investigate.

HEINEN I think I am interested in both of them for the same reason. Creating the content and looking at the curriculum and pulling apart the standards appeals to me on both different levels. I am excited because with CTI I am taking a music history focus while through the GTN I am taking more of a music theory focus. The fact that I am able to look at two isolated parts of my content will make for an interesting year.

How do you feel the GTN will affect you?

COLBY-RUSSELL I think GTN will continue to build my confidence and to allow me to take more leadership roles in my school. It is going to push me to start to seek out more of those leadership opportunities, because now I will have two things under my belt, two tools in my toolbox that will help me out.

BROOKS We have already started – We haven’t even met yet. We started doing a class together and talking to each other via email. It has already been a great deal of fun.

DAVIDSON I really would like to say that the effect is not for me, but for the people I am developing the professional development for. Clearly I will grow by virtue of research I do and work I will be able to produce.

What do you hope to get out of the GTN?

HEINEN I am looking forward to understanding what DPI is looking for as far as these units are concerned. I do think that is an area that is a little bit unclear for a lot of music educators because we are very frequently last on the list. And I think being able to understand that this is what their expectations are for the high school music programs would be beneficial.

COLBY-RUSSELL I am really hoping that it is going to be that motivational factor for me to move more out of the daily grind of teaching, lessons materials teach reflect. It works but sometimes it gets monotonous and boring. This will throw a wrench in there for me. It will give me some spice so that I can go further with my ideas.

BROOKS I am hoping to reach other teachers and to show them that the journey to using technology in the classroom is a baby step process and that it is so worth it in the end.

BRINKMAN I really becoming very, very excited about this type of challenge. I get excited about writing original curriculum. And that it can be accessible, shared with other teachers, is just thrilling for me. It is a way that I like to be a resource for other teachers. This is a very important way for me to do just that.

How do you feel the GTN and CTI relate and what are the differences between them?

BRINKMAN It is going to be a different type of collegiality. The individuals that I will be collaborating with are not going to be face-to-face. That provides a new challenge to meet deadlines and parameters for format. This step into the GTN is going to be very comfortable because of the experience at CTI and having had that very professional discourse. Our institute is very wonderfully developed with great professionalism. It makes you rise up and meet the demands of the deadlines and needs, to be able to share your unit work. In that sense, I think that the Charlotte Teachers Institute has given me a certain amount of comfort level to move forward.

HEINEN I definitely think there are strong correlations between the assignments related to both of them. You could come up with similar pitches for both and it would still work. I think the creation of really rich research-based units for classrooms is a strong correlation between them. There is a pretty distinct difference. I think with GTN we are going to be very content-specific. With CTI, one of the things that is really interesting is that it is cross-curricular and cross-grade level.

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CTI National Fellows Engage in ‘Life-changing’ Seminars at Yale University

July 22, 2014 – 3:19 pm

2014 CTI National Fellows — CTI Yale National Fellows take a moment to pose during their intensive, two-week seminars at Yale University (l to r): Teresa Strohl, Alexandra Edwards, Torrieann Dooley, Gloria Brinkman and Phil Carver.

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.

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CTI National Fellows Head to Yale for Intensive Seminars

July 3, 2014 – 5:13 pm

By Matt Strohl, CTI Summer Intern

July 3, 2014 — Five Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) Fellows are boarding a plane this Sunday for an annual summer intensive (July 7-18) at Yale University. The Yale National Initiative (YNI) sponsors this event every year and invites teachers from different school districts across the country to deepen their content knowledge and create new curricula.

The YNI was started in 2004 by the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute in order to strengthen teaching in public schools. According to the Yale National Initiative website, “The Initiative is a long-term endeavor to establish in most states Teachers Institutes that will provide state and local policy makers effective examples of the innovative Institute approach in their own communities.”

Teachers from all over the country travel to Yale each summer to participate in a summer intensive program that focuses on enhancing their teaching through a focus on content knowledge. These teachers, named National Fellows, participate in seminars throughout the two-week period that they are at Yale. From these seminars, Fellows are required to produce a 15-25 page curriculum unit that will then be published and distributed on the national level.

This year five CTI fellows have the opportunity to participate in the YNI. Teresa Strohl (Visual Art, Barringer Academic Center), Gloria Brinkman (Visual Art, North Mecklenburg High School), Torrieann Dooley (2^nd Grade, David Cox Road Elementary School), Phil Carver (Science, James Martin Middle School) and Alexandra Edwards (Social Studies, Bailey Middle School) will be joining CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan, and two Davidson College faculty and one UNC Charlotte faculty on the trip to Yale University. For some of them, this is their first time participating in the intensive; for others, this is just another notch in their belts.

“We are so proud that these five CMS teachers have been selected as Yale National Fellows,” said CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan. “These Fellows have earned the opportunity to study alongside Yale University professors, collaborate with teachers from 17 school districts in nine states, and create original curricula for students in their classrooms. Being part of the Yale National Initiative is truly a transformative experience.”

The five Fellows from CTI travelled to Yale in May for an initial meeting. This first trip allowed for the Fellows to meet colleagues and discuss plans for the coming intensive program.

“Yale in May was fantastic! It was wonderful meeting so many intelligent educators and reconnecting with friends and fellows from past years,” said Dooley, a repeat fellow for the YNI. “I also really enjoyed getting to know the team of teachers/fellows from Charlotte. I believe our bond helps strengthen our local CTI community as well.”

Gloria Brinkman, another CTI fellow that is also a returning YNI fellow, also discussed her excitement about the program.

“It felt like a family reunion to be welcomed back by my seminar leader, Joe Roach, the YNI Director James Vivian, and my friends from other teacher institutes around the country who are also returning fellows for the 2014 summer intensive session,” said Brinkman. “Yale is an amazing place and it is wonderful to feel familiar as well as befriended on campus.”

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Wells Fargo Awards Grant to Charlotte Teachers Institute for Sixth Consecutive Year

June 17, 2014 – 9:28 pm

CHARLOTTE – June 17, 2014 – Wells Fargo has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI), an innovative partnership among Davidson College, UNC Charlotte, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). The purpose of this partnership is to empower classroom teachers through the cultivation of content knowledge, creativity, leadership and collaboration.

“Wells Fargo continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to CMS teachers through CTI. Focused on intensive, content-rich, and highly collaborative fellowships, CTI provides teachers with significant career development opportunities,” said CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan. “We are proud to partner with Wells Fargo to promote high quality teaching.”

Since CTI’s creation in 2009, Wells Fargo has continuously offered support to the program.

“The Wells Fargo Foundation is pleased to continue to support the work of the Charlotte Teachers Institute,” said Wells Fargo Community Affairs Manager Jay Everette. “Our foundation has designated education as one of our primary focus areas. We believe that education is one of the most important investments we can make in our country’s future. Wells Fargo is responsible for promoting the long-term economic prosperity and quality of life for everyone in our communities. If they prosper, so do we.”

This Wells Fargo grant will support CTI’s general programming, including seminars that started in April and run through December. 104 classroom teachers participating in these 2014 seminars collaborate with professors from UNC Charlotte and Davidson College to create 15-25 page curriculum units. These units will reach more than 15,000 students in 2014-2015.

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 350 CMS teachers have participated in CTI seminars teaching more than 70,000 students.

An affiliate of the Yale National Initiative at Yale University, CTI provides high quality teacher professional development led by expert university and college faculty. Programs include seven-month long, content-rich seminars and special events for teachers, as well as community presentations such as the popular Exploding Canons cultural collaboration series. CTI and its partners were recognized by the Council of Great City Schools with its 2013 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 Arthur Vining Davis Jr. Foundations, The Belk Foundation, Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation. The institute is housed at UNC Charlotte within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.4 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, and the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2013 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

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For more information, contact CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan, 704-687-0078, scott.gartlan@uncc.edu

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools media contact: Kathryn Block, 980-344-0009 Kathrynd.block@cms.k12.nc.us

Davidson College Public Relations media contact: Bill Giduz, 704-894-2244, bigiduz@davidson.edu

UNC Charlotte Public Relations media contact: Buffie Stephens, 704-687-5830, BuffieStephens@uncc.edu

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CTI Welcomes 2014 Cohort of 104 CMS Teachers and New Partnerships with Discovery Place and Gantt Center

May 30, 2014 – 8:06 pm

CHARLOTTE – May 2014 – Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) has accepted a new cohort of 104 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teachers into its innovative, interdisciplinary seminars for 2014, involving new partnerships with Discovery Place and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. “We are beyond excited to welcome our new CTI Fellows and provide them with the opportunity to work with icons of the scientific and cultural scene in the greater Charlotte community,” said CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan. “These partnerships will provide full access for our teachers to explore ideas and artifacts in innovative ways to improve their curriculum.”

Four of CTI’s eight, seven-month, small group seminars will meet at Discovery Place:
• Artificial Intelligence – Raghuram Ramanujan, assistant professor of mathematics and computer science at Davidson College
• The Global Energy Challenge – Durwin Striplin, professor of chemistry, Davidson College
• Metamorphosis: Transformative Experiences – Amy Ringwood, associate professor of biological sciences at UNC Charlotte
• Intersections of Science Technology and Culture – Alan Rauch, professor of English at UNC Charlotte.

“Changes to science and technology happen rapidly, and it can be challenging for classroom educators to maintain an expert level of understanding in these technical concepts. Through our new Discovery Place Education Studio for professional development, we are thrilled to partner with Charlotte Teachers Institute to bring these learning experiences to our Charlotte teachers,” said Discovery Place President and CEO Catherine Horne.

The Harvey B. Gantt Center will host CTI’s Visual Storytelling in Children’s and Young Adult Literature seminar, led by UNC Charlotte Associate Professor of English Paula Connolly. “Enriching the education of K-12 students by serving as a resource for teachers is one of three strategic objectives that inform all that we do at the Harvey B. Gantt Center. This partnership with Charlotte Teachers Institute supports our objectives and will also allow us to increase access to traveling exhibitions and our permanent collection, particularly the John & Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art. As a result of this collaboration, the Fellows have become an extension of our small staff and will help expand our reach exponentially,” said Harvey B. Gantt Center President and CEO David R. Taylor.

Two seminars take place at Davidson College (The Art of Fiction: Close Analysis, Style and the Novel led by Davidson’s Associate Professor of English Maria Fackler, and Human Agency led by Davidson Associate Professor of Philosophy Meghan Griffith). Heroes, Rebels and Rock Stars: Cultural Icons in Modern Europe led by UNC Charlotte Associate Professor of History Heather Perry meets on UNC Charlotte’s main campus.

CTI Fellows from all eight seminars began with an orientation at Discovery Place in April and will continue to meet in their individual seminar groups through November 2014. Gartlan noted that all 104 Fellows (13 teachers in each of the eight seminars) and the seminar leaders receive free Discovery Place and Gantt Center memberships to further their independent research and cultural connections in the community.

About Charlotte Teachers Institute

An affiliate of the Yale National Initiative at Yale University, CTI provides high quality teacher professional development led by expert university and college faculty. Programs include seven-month long, content-rich seminars and special events for teachers, as well as community presentations such as the popular Exploding Canons cultural collaboration series. CTI and its partners were recognized by the Council of Great City Schools with its 2013 Shirley S. Schwartz Urban Education Impact Award.

2014 CTI Fellows (by seminar) include:

Artificial Intelligence
Lisa Ashworth, Barringer Academic Center
Angela Bates, CATO Middle College High School
Aletha Bland, West Mecklenburg High School
Kara Boneillo, Reedy Creek Elementary School
Phil Carver, James Martin Middle School
Stephanie Coggins, Bailey Middle School
Katelyn Gardepe, David Cox Road Elementary School
Matthew Kelly, Independence High School
Aaron Kollar, Piedmont Open IB Middle School
Stephanie Misko, W.A. Hough High School
Tracey Surrett, Irwin Academic Center
Jill Ward, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School
Lana Withrow, Barringer Academic Center

Heroes, Rebels and Rock Stars: Cultural Icons in Modern Europe
Amanda Armstrong, Carmel Middle School
Miranda Bellamy, James Martin Middle School
Mawuena Dabla-Egui, Harding University High School
Jennifer Dalesandro, Bain Elementary School
Kathryn Heinen, East Mecklenburg High School
Holly Lambert, Lincoln Heights Academy
Elizabeth Lasure, Mallard Creek High School
Joshua Lemere, Barringer Academic Center
Archie Livingston, Jr., Alexander Graham Middle School
Christina Sissoko, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School
Mary Tew, Davidson Elementary School
Roshan Varghese, Butler High School

Brooke Wilson, West Mecklenburg High School

Human Agency
Morgan Andrews, W.A. Hough High School
Sean “Brad” Baker, W.A. Hough High School

Cassandra Black, Ashley Park Elementary School
Laura Champury, Francis Bradley Middle School
Constance Danna, Lebanon Road Elementary School
Lewis Davidson, Mallard Creek High School
Lisa Hagen, North Mecklenburg High School
Torrieann Dooley Kennedy, David Cox Road Elementary School
Amy LaLonde, Tuckaseegee Elementary School
Kendra McCall, Reedy Creek Elementary School
Erin Muffler, Barringer Academic Center
Heather Nash, East Mecklenburg High School
Hannah Wenger, Harding University High School

Intersections of Science, Technology and Culture
Rosa Bockian, Collinswood Language Academy
Stefanie Carter-Dodson, Southwest Middle School
Georgina Fiorentino, Reedy Creek Elementary School
Tavia Highsmith, Albemarle Road Middle School
Michele Lemere, Garinger High School
Christian Lott, West Mecklenburg High School
Melanie Mowry, Francis Bradley Middle School
Wendy Potter, Butler High School
Kari Rhoades, Mallard Creek High School
Debra Semmler, East Mecklenburg High School
Jennifer Thompson, James Martin Middle School
Michelle Tufano, W. A. Hough High School

Richard Whitehead, Northwest School of the Arts

Metamorphosis: Transformative Experiences
Cynthia Benes, Harding University High School
Sheena Burrus, Clear Creek Elementary School
Caitlin Cook, Bain Elementary School
Mary Fabian, CATO Middle College High School
Nikki Guevara, Bain Elementary School
Maebeth Hill, North Mecklenburg High School
Janet Raybon, Myers Park High School
Julie Ruziska Tiddy, Carmel Middle School
Rima Solh, Eastway Middle School
Rochelle Stanley, Garinger High School
Alan Vitale, W.A. Hough High School
Connie Wood, East Mecklenburg High School
Cynthia Woolery, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School

The Art of Fiction: Close Analysis, Style and the Novel
Angela Burke, Vance High School
Calen Clifton, Martin Luther King Middle School
Tiffany Craig, Allenbrook Elementary School
Kayla D’Allura, Collinswood Language Academy
Alexandra Edwards, Bailey Middle School
Angelina McCurry, Alexander Graham Middle School
Jennifer Ladanyi, Bailey Middle School
Courtney McNair, Butler High School
Megan Shellenberger, W.A. Hough High School
Elizabeth Smiley, Torrence Creek Elementary School
Amy Stokes, Lebanon Road Elementary School
Christina Varney, Stoney Creek Elementary School

The Global Energy Challenge
Gloria Brinkman, North Mecklenburg High School
Jeanne Cooper, Mallard Creek High School
NaToya Dingle, Coulwood Middle School
DeNise Gerst, Barringer Academic Center
Melanie Kirschner, Albemarle Road Elementary School
Lisa Lewis, Collinswood Language Academy
Robin Mitchell, Randolph Middle School
Delanie Reavis-Bey, Crestdale Middle School
Adora Reid, James Martin Middle School
Jacquelyn Smith, W.A. Hough High School
Kory Trosclair, Bailey Middle School
Rachel Varghese, Butler High School
Alicia Waters, Grand Oak Elementary School

Visual Storytelling in Children’s and YA Literature
Angela Boyce-Thornton, Ashley Park PreK-8 School

Justine Busto, East Mecklenburg High School
Brandy Daniels, Irwin Academic Center
Deborah Ferris, Hopewell High School
Miesha Gadsden, Lansdowne Elementary School
Mary Catherine, Grant David Cox Road Elementary School
Danielle Gregory, Albemarle Road Elementary School
Tara Lee, Bailey Middle School
Ebone Lockett, West Mecklenburg High School
Delee Marciano, Randolph Middle School
Kimberly Palmer,Ridge Road Middle School
Teresa Strohl, Barringer Academic Center
Barbara Wesselman, Northwest School of the Arts

For more information, contact CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan, 704-687-0078, scott.gartlan@uncc.edu

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools media contact: Tahira Stalberte, 980-343-0954 tahira.stalberte@cms.k12.nc.us

Davidson College Public Relations media contact: Bill Giduz, 704-894-2244, bigiduz@davidson.edu

UNC Charlotte Public Relations media contact: Buffie Stephens, 704-687-5830, BuffieStephens@uncc.edu

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CTI Presents Exploding Canons: Sports by the Numbers October 22, 2013

September 5, 2013 – 10:29 pm

Charlotte Teachers Institute Tackles “Sports by the Numbers” October 22

Ever wondered whether your favorite team should punt or go for it – or who’s really Number 1? CTI will tackle these tough questions and more as we explore the intersection of sports and math in the next installment of our flagship speakers series “Exploding Canons” on Tuesday, October 22. The event takes place from 5:30 to 8 pm at UNC Charlotte’s EPIC Building, next to the new Jerry Richardson Football Stadium on the university’s main campus.

In “Exploding Canons: Sports by the Numbers,” faculty from Davidson College, UNC Charlotte and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools along with professional sports statisticians will offer a variety of perspectives on how numbers and data are used in sports performance, development, analysis and decision-making – by athletes, coaches, teams, economists, teachers and everyday people. Sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas with additional support from the Charlotte Bobcats, the event is free and open to the public. All attendees will receive special ticket offers from the Charlotte Bobcats and the Charlotte Checkers.

The event begins with a reception and local sports expo in the EPIC atrium at 5:30 p.m., followed by the panel discussion from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Siemens Energy Lecture Hall (EPIC G256). Space is limited, so pre-registration is recommended. CMS teachers and administrators from all grade levels and subject areas are especially encouraged to attend.

Program topics and featured speakers include:

Who’s Number 1? How to Create Predictive Sports Rankings — Tim Chartier, associate professor of mathematics, Davidson College
Using Math to Run Lightning Fast: Usain Bolt by the Numbers — Sharonda LeBlanc, postdoctoral fellow in mechanical engineering, UNC Charlotte, and West Charlotte High School track and field coach
The Hot-Hand Phenomenon: Is It Real? — Michael Pillsbury, secondary math specialist, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Thinking Like a Statistician in the Huddle, the Dugout and on the Bench — Jason W. Rosenfeld, manager of basketball analytics, Charlotte Bobcats
Sports Economics: Using Sports Data to Understand the World — Fred Smith, professor and chair of economics, Davidson College

Brian Ralph, vice president of enrollment management at Queens University of Charlotte, will serve as moderator.

Community partners featured during the opening reception’s Sports Expo include: the Charlotte Bobcats, Charlotte Checkers, Charlotte Knights, NASCAR Hall of Fame, as well as UNC Charlotte, Davidson College and Queens University athletic programs.

Event directions and parking information.

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Belk Foundation Awards $50,000 to CTI

September 5, 2013 – 9:57 pm

The Belk Foundation has awarded CTI $50,000 to support teacher professional development.

“We know that teachers are the single most important in-school factor to improving student achievement,” said Katie Morris, Board Chair of The Belk Foundation. “More is expected of teachers than ever before and we believe in supporting them as much as we can.”

The Belk Foundation has supported CTI since 2010 to help grow the institute’s intensive, long-term seminar program for CMS teachers and expand its evaluation efforts. In announcing this most recent grant, Belk Foundation Executive Director Johanna Anderson applauded CTI Fellows and faculty. “The Belk Foundation is inspired by the passionate educators involved in Charlotte Teachers Institute, from the CMS teachers to the Davidson College and UNC Charlotte professors,” Anderson said. “They are clearly committed to improving their craft.”

Read the full press release

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CTI Seminar Leader Tim Chartier in the News

September 5, 2013 – 8:00 pm

CTI Seminar Leader Tim Chartier is the focus of recent stories on national public radio stations and the Charlotte Observer featuring his entertaining Mime-matics shows. An associate professor of mathematics at Davidson College, Tim is currently leading CTI’s “Math and Sports” seminar, which was the inspiration for CTI’s upcoming Exploding Canons: Sports by the Numbers event Tuesday, Oct. 22, at UNC Charlotte. He’s also been featured in national news outlets such as the LA Times for his March Mathness insights into NCAA basketball bracketology.

Tim led other CTI math seminars in 2012 (“Entertaining with Math”) and 2011 (“Math Through Pop Culture”). For more information about Tim’s innovative adventures in math, visit his website and read his columns in the Huffington Post.

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CTI Comments on Belk Foundation’s Teacher PD Support

September 5, 2013 – 7:16 pm

The Belk Foundation, a longtime CTI supporter, is continuing its commitment to improving education and the professional development of teachers. Check out this Charlotte Observer article highlighting The Belk Foundation’s new educational funding strategy featuring comments from CTI Director Scott Gartlan and CTI Fellow Jashonai Payne.

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CTI Director Interviewed ‘In-Depth’ on News 14 TV

September 5, 2013 – 6:15 pm

CTI Director Scott Gartlan appeared on News 14 Carolina’s “In-Depth” program this summer in a special feature about Charlotte Teachers Institute. Click the photo to view the show.

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July 30, 2013

July 30, 2013 – 7:21 pm

Link to CTI Insights newsletter archive

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CTI Featured on WFAE 90.7 ‘Charlotte Talks’

June 26, 2013 – 2:59 pm

WFAE 90.7 Radio’s “Charlotte Talks” June 24 show featured Charlotte Teachers Institute in a lively, hour-long interview with four CTI leaders: CTI Fellow/Steering Committee Member Beth Lasure, visual arts teacher at Mallard Creek High School; CTI Seminar Leader Ann Fox, professor of English at Davidson College; CTI Seminar Leader Susan Trammell, associate professor of physics at UNC Charlotte; and CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan.

Topics included CTI’s innovative model of long-term, content-rich professional development; its growth in popularity (55% increase in applicants over the last two years); how teachers and faculty collaborate to produce new curriculum for CMS students; the program’s benefits for CMS teachers, their students, and the Davidson College and UNC Charlotte faculty involved in CTI; teacher eligibility and the application process; how seminar topics are selected and developed; and CTI’s relationships among its educational partners (CMS, Davidson College, UNC Charlotte and Yale University).

Listen now at WFAE.org

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