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CTI Presents Bright New Ideas for Teaching About Energy

September 19, 2014 – 8:20 pm

CHARLOTTE – Sept. 18, 2014 – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teachers will share bright new ideas for teaching and learning about energy, at a Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) event for the public on Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the EnergyExplorium at McGuire Nuclear Station in Huntersville.

This “Teachers As Scholars” program features CMS teachers 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 during a long-term CTI seminar. CTI Seminar Leader Susan Trammell, professor of physics and optical science at UNC Charlotte, will also share her energy expertise at the free Sept. 30 event.

Sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy, the program 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.  Space is limited, so registration at www.charlotteteachers.org is recommended.

Featured topics and teachers include:
• The Nature of Energy: How to Use and Store It to Power our Everyday Lives – Trammell
• Energy in Our World – Cindy Woolery, Science, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School
• Cruising Continents and an Awesome Asthenosphere: How Convection and Geothermal Energy Fuel Earth’s Ever Changing Surface! – Julie Ruziska Tiddy, Science, Carmel Middle School
• Mama Did Not Take the Kodachrome Away But Charge-Coupled Devices Did – Deb Semmler, Physics, East Mecklenburg High School

The event is an outgrowth of an intensive, seven-month-long  CTI seminar Trammell led for CMS teachers in grades K-12, where they explored various forms of energy, the science behind its generation and conservation, as well as costs, benefits and concerns. CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan said, “One of CTI’s strategic goals is to provide opportunities to showcase CMS teachers’ innovative scholarship created in CTI seminars to a wider community audience. This partnership with Piedmont Natural Gas, Duke Energy and the EnergyExplorium will serve as an important step in fulfilling this goal.”

Thirteen sets of extensive, energy-related curriculum units for grades K-12 were developed by teachers in Trammell’s seminar, designed specifically for their own students. “We hope these units inspire other teachers to share their creativity with colleagues in an effort to benefit more students in more classrooms across the district,” Gartlan said. All 13 are published on the CTI and Yale National Initiative websites.

Trammell’s seminar was one of eight CTI conducted in 2013 on a wide range of topics for a total of 97 CMS teachers from all grade levels and subject areas, led by Davidson College and UNC Charlotte faculty. The units developed in all eight seminars are posted online. Currently CTI is offering another eight seminars for 2014. For more information visit: www.charlotteteachers.org.

About Charlotte Teachers Institute

The Charlotte Teachers Institute is an educational partnership among Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), Davidson College and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte initiated to strengthen teaching and learning in CMS. An affiliate of the Yale National Initiative at Yale University, CTI provides intensive, seven-month-long seminars led by Davidson and UNC Charlotte faculty where CMS teachers learn new content, work collaboratively with other district teachers, and develop curriculum units for their own classrooms. Teachers serve as leaders in the institute and choose seminar topics they deem most important and engaging for current CMS teachers and their students. Since CTI’s inception in 2009, more than 350 CMS teachers with over 70,000 students have participated in CTI seminars. CTI also reaches out to the larger community with public events such as Teachers As Scholars and the popular Exploding Canons cultural collaboration series.

CTI is made possible by a joint commitment of resources from all three Institute partners, with additional support from Piedmont Natural Gas, Duke Energy, Wells Fargo and the Belk Foundation. The institute is housed at UNC Charlotte within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. In 2013, CTI and its partners were recognized by the Council of Great City Schools with the Shirley S. Schwartz Urban Education Impact Award.

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

Save the Date for Exploding Canons: Under the Lake on Oct. 21

August 28, 2014 – 10:31 pm

11_17underthelakeREGISTER NOW!

Save the Date for CTI’s Exploding Canons: Under The Lake event on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 5:30-8 p.m. at Davidson College’s Lilly Gallery (Chambers Building), sponsored by Duke Energy. This installment of CTI’s flagship speakers series explores the changing social and physical landscapes of Lake Norman and its profound effects on our region, with a diverse group topics and experts including:

  • Lake Norman: Powering the Region — Steve Jester, Vice President of Water Strategy, Hydro Licensing and Lake Services, Duke Energy
  • Stories from Under the Lake — Jan Blodgett, College Archivist, Davidson College
  • Making Room for Nature in Man-Made Environments — Rebecca McKee, Davidson Impact Fellow, Catawba Lands Conservancy
  • From River People to Lake People: Place & Identity in the Lake Norman Area — Jeff Michael, Director, UNC Charlotte Urban Institute
  • Lake Norman: A Catalyst for Growth — William J. “Bill” McCoy, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, UNC Charlotte

David Martin, professor of economics and environmental studies at Davidson, will serve as moderator.

The original “Under the Lake” project began with Davidson College archivist Jan Blodgett who collected oral histories and stories about the people connected to Lake Norman to mark its 50th anniversary. Lake Norman was created in 1963 with construction of Cowans Ford Dam, a Duke Power hydroelectric project initiated to provide power, flood control and recreation along the Catawba River, and today also helps cool the McGuire Nuclear Station in Huntersville.

The event opens with a reception at 5:30 pm, followed by the speakers’ presentations and panel discussion from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The program is free and open to the public. Please REGISTER HERE in advance.

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CTI News News

Belk Foundation Awards Fifth Grant to CTI

August 27, 2014 – 9:20 pm

The Belk Foundation recently awarded Charlotte Teachers (CTI) Institute a grant for the fifth consecutive year, this time for $25,000 to support seminars serving over 100 teachers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). CTI is an innovative, educational partnership among UNC Charlotte, Davidson College and CMS designed to strengthen teaching and learning in CMS by cultivating content knowledge, creativity, leadership skills and collaboration among teachers.

“Retaining excellent educators in North Carolina is a top priority for The Belk Foundation. We hear from teachers that being a part of a supportive professional community keeps them energized and moving forward. We’re fortunate to have Charlotte Teachers Institute fostering that kind of engagement for our teachers,” said Katie B. Morris, board chair of The Belk Foundation.

“If we want every child to have the education she deserves, we must provide all students with high quality teachers. Charlotte Teachers Institute treats teachers like the professionals they are, encouraging them to grow and improve their craft, all for the goal of student learning,” said Johanna Anderson, executive director of The Belk Foundation.

CTI Director Scott Gartlan noted research indicates the single most important school-based factor in student performance is teacher quality. He said CTI strengthens teaching and learning in CMS public schools by improving teachers’ engagement and effectiveness in the classroom and by helping the district retain high quality teachers. CTI offers eight long-term, interdisciplinary seminars on a variety of academic topics, led by faculty from Davidson College and UNC Charlotte. This year, four seminars groups meet regularly at Discovery Place, one at the Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and the others at Davidson College and UNC Charlotte.

Gartlan stated research studies concur that high quality professional development programs feature seven dimensions: a focus on content and pedagogy linked to content; active teacher learning with feedback on teaching strategies and practices; teacher leadership; extended duration; collective participation by teachers from the same school, grade, or subject; alignment with state and local standards; and ongoing evaluation. “CTI fosters all seven of these dimensions, and, with the support of The Belk Foundation, CTI will continue to excel by retaining high quality teachers in CMS,” Gartlan said.

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Duke Energy Supports CTI Energy Seminar and Special Events

August 27, 2014 – 2:13 pm

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.

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2014 CTI Teachers As Scholars: The Nature of Energy

August 14, 2014 – 7:51 pm

8.5_11natureenergyCTI Fellows Share New Curricula on Energy Science

REGISTER NOW

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.

Featured topics and teachers include:

  • The Nature of Energy: How to Use and Store It to Power our Everyday Lives – Trammell
  • Energy in Our World – Cindy Woolery, Science, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School
  • Cruising Continents and an Awesome Asthenosphere: How Convection and Geothermal Energy Fuel Earth’s Ever Changing Surface! – Julie Ruziska Tiddy, Science, Carmel Middle School
  • Mama Did Not Take the Kodachrome Away But Charge-Coupled Devices Did – Deb Semmler, Physics, East Mecklenburg High School

Read the Press Release

View all 13 curriculum units developed by CTI Fellows in The Nature of Energy seminar.

REGISTER NOW

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CTI News News

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, 2nd 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 (2nd 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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CTI Fellows Named Teachers of the Year

June 26, 2014 – 7:10 pm

by Matthew Strohl, CTI Summer Intern

Each year, Charlotte-Mecklenburg teachers are recognized for their outstanding achievements. This year is no different, with a plethora of teachers that have gone far and beyond for their students. Schools nominate teachers that have shown unparalleled ability to be considered for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Teacher of the Year award. This award is given out on two levels: each CMS school nominates a teacher to receive a school-level award, and then the county selects a teacher from those to receive the county-wide award. Not only is winning these awards a great honor, but even being considered for one shows prowess and determination to help students succeed. Teachers from all over CMS take part in Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) seminars each year. From these teachers, there is a constant chance for there to be a few Teacher of the Year nominees. This year is no different; from the 98 teachers that completed seminars last year, five of them received Teacher of the Year awards from their schools. Two of these CTI fellows were also finalists for the county-wide award. “Charlotte Teachers Institute prides itself in helping teachers enhance their skills both within the classroom and without,” said CTI director Scott Gartlan. The five CTI fellows that received awards are Brad Baker, 10th grade civics and economics teacher from William A. Hough High School; Lyndsay Burns, 4th grade teacher from David Cox Elementary; Tara Lee, 7th grade language arts teacher from Bailey Middle School; Jashonai Payne, 5th grade teacher from Clear Creek Elementary; and Emily Wegener, Specialized Academic Curriculum (SAC) teacher from Albemarle Road Elementary. These five teachers of the year had plenty of positive feedback for CTI in regards to its influence on their achievements. “CTI sparked my love for learning and made my lessons more engaging and exciting for my students,” said Lee. “This created a productive learning environment which led to being recognized by my colleagues.” Wegener, one of two CMS-wide Teacher of the Year award finalists that were CTI fellows, stated “CTI gave me the level of professionalism and depth of discussion that I was looking for.” Sean “Brad” Baker was the other finalist. ”CTI is great because you are getting quality detail and education in your seminar leader and having detailed professional discussions between educators,” said Baker. “I have worked hard to improve myself every year as a teacher and CTI has helped in that process. “It meant so much that my kids and my type of teaching were valued by my coworkers,” stated Wegener about her award. “I loved that I was getting a ‘normal’ teacher award, even though my area of teaching is not that normal at all!” Both Baker and Wegener’s accomplishments are incredibly notable and reflect their success with the help of CTI. Baker and Wegener, alongside Payne, Lee and Burns, are incredible teachers that show exceptional promise in their respective academic fields.

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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 News Press Releases

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

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.

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 News News

Discovery Place and Gantt Center to Host 2014 CTI Seminars

March 14, 2014 – 5:05 pm

The Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) is proud to announce two new cultural partnerships aimed at enhancing teachers’ experiences in the 7-monthlong seminars.  Discovery Place and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture will host five CTI seminars in 2014.  “We are beyond excited to have the opportunity to work with icons of the scientific and cultural scene in the greater Charlotte community,” said Scott Gartlan, CTI Executive Director.  “These partnerships will provide full access for our teachers to explore artifacts in innovative ways to improve their curriculum.”  Teachers, known as “Fellows,” participating in 5 seminars (listed below) will meet together for each of the 12 seminar meetings at either Discovery Place or the Gantt Center from April through November 2014.  Additionally, all 104 Fellows (13 teachers in each of the eight seminars) will receive a free yearly membership to Discovery Place, Discovery Place Kids, Charlotte Nature Museum and the new Education Studio in the STEM Center for Professional Development.  Click here to learn more about all eight 2014 CTI Seminars.

Discovery Place Seminars

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • The Global Energy Challenge
  • Metamorphosis:  Transformative Experiences
  • Intersections of Science, Technology and Culture

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture Seminar

  • Visual Storytelling in Children’s and Young Adult Literature

Discovery Place’s website Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture’s website

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CTI News News

CTI Recognizes CMS Classroom Teachers as Leaders

February 20, 2014 – 9:07 pm

Charlotte Teachers Institute Recognizes CMS Classroom Teachers as Leaders

CHARLOTTE – Feb. 24, 2014 – Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) recently announced leaders who will guide its 2014 seminar season. These educators, K-12 through the university level, represent the inclusive and creative focus that distinguishes this unique professional development initiative. Fifty-four CMS Teachers and eight UNC Charlotte and Davidson College Faculty will lead the 2014 CTI Seminars.

“Our teacher leaders from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and our faculty leaders from UNC Charlotte and Davidson College are the lifeblood of our work,” said Scott Gartlan, CTI executive director. “They offer a depth and breadth of experience and knowledge that is critical to our efforts to strengthen teaching in CMS.”

CTI is a partnership of UNC Charlotte, Davidson College and CMS working to cultivate content knowledge, creativity, leadership skills and collaboration within and among CMS teachers.

One CTI Fellow and CMS Teacher will represent the Institute at the Yale National Initiative (YNI), of which CTI is an affiliate. Torrieann Dooley, David Cox Road Elementary School second-grade teacher and CTI Local Steering Committee member, will return to the YNI National Steering Committee as a teacher representative.  Ms. Dooley will work with other teachers from across the country, including 16 school districts in nine states to plan the summer intensive sessions at Yale University in July.

Gartlan also announced leaders for CTI’s 2014 Local Steering Committee, drawn from CMS’ teaching force. “Classroom teachers are the driving force,” he said. “Teachers shape the direction of our programs and set goals based on their needs in the classroom.”

New members of the steering committee are: Gloria Brinkman, visual art, North Mecklenburg High School; Alexandra Edwards, social studies, Bailey Middle School; and Miesha Gadsden, 3rd grade, Lansdowne Elementary School.

Returning Local Steering Committee members in addition to Ms. Dooley are: Matthew Kelly, Spanish, Independence High; Beth Lasure, visual arts, Mallard Creek High; Deb Semmler, physics, East Mecklenburg High; Barbara Wesselman, apparel/costume design, Northwest School of the Arts; and Cindy Woolery, science, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary..

CTI’s upcoming round of eight seminars for 2014 will be led by university faculty seminar leaders and CMS teacher seminar coordinators:

  • “Artificial Intelligence” – Raghuram Ramanujan, Davidson College assistant professor of mathematics and computer science; Phil Carver, James Martin Middle School eighth grade science teacher
  • “The Global Energy Challenge” – Durwin R. Striplin, Davidson College professor of chemistry; DeNise Gerst, Barringer Academic Center K-5 science teacher
  • “Metamorphosis:  Transformative Experiences” – Amy Ringwood, UNC Charlotte associate professor of biology; Mary Fabian, Cato Middle College science teacher
  • “Intersections of Science, Technology, and Culture” – Alan Rauch, UNC Charlotte professor of English; Jennifer Thompson, James Martin Middle School seventh grade science teacher
  • “Human Agency” – Meghan Griffith, Davidson College associate professor of philosophy; Susan Jones, Steele Creek Elementary School first grade teacher
  • “The Art of Fiction: Close Analysis, Style, and the Novel” – Maria Fackler, Davidson College associate professor of English; Jennifer Ladanyi, Bailey Middle School seventh grade language arts teacher.
  • “Visual Storytelling in Children’s and Young Adult Literature at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture” – Paula T. Connolly, UNC Charlotte associate professor of English; Teresa Strohl, Barringer Academic Center K-5 visual arts teacher
  • “Heroes, Rebels and Rock Stars: Cultural Icons in Modern Europe” – Heather Perry, UNC Charlotte associate professor of history; Roshan Varghese, Butler High School history teacher

CTI also introduced a full cadre of school contacts. These school contacts are essential to the success of the initiative, acting as advocates and liaisons within each of the schools, Gartlan said. The contacts can be found on the website:  http://charlotteteachers.org/2013/02/cti-recognizes-cms-classroom-teachers-as-leaders/ .

  • Jennifer Aldridge, North Mecklenburg High School
  • Gifty Allen, West Charlotte High School
  • Lisa Ashworth, Barringer Academic Center
  • Tamara Babulski, Independence High School
  • Lucy Beaube, Barringer Academic Center
  • Bonnie Bosworth, Mallard Creek High School
  • Gloria Brinkman, North Mecklenburg High School
  • Sheena Burrus, Clear Creek Elementary School
  • Stefanie Carter-Dodson, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
  • Phil Carver, James Martin Middle School
  • Calen Clifton, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
  • Madalina Corneanu, Harding University High School
  • Jennifer Dalesandro, Bain Elementary School
  • Lew Davidson, Mallard Creek High School
  • Barbara Devine, Whitewater Academy
  • Torrieann Dooley, David Cox Road Elementary School
  • Alexandra Edwards, Bailey Middle School
  • Torrie Edwards, W.A. Hough High School
  • Lindsey Elkins, Providence High School
  • Mary Fabian, Cato Middle College High School
  • Nicole Fraser, Davidson Elementary School
  • Dawn Franchina, West Charlotte High School
  • Miesha Gadsden, Lansdowne Elementary School
  • DeNise Gerst, Barringer Academic Center
  • Jedidiah Gist-Anderson, West Charlotte High School
  • Cynthia Hicks, Steele Creek Elementary School
  • Ana Hummel, North Mecklenburg High School
  • Marva Hutchinson, Providence High School
  • Susan Jones, Steele Creek Elementary School
  • Deb Jung, Winding Springs
  • Matthew Kelly, Independence High School
  • Melanie Kirschner, Albemarle Road Elementary
  • Jennifer Ladanyi, Bailey Middle School
  • Beth Lasure, Mallard Creek High School
  • Tara Lee, Bailey Middle School
  • Angelina McCurry, Alexander Graham Middle School
  • Stephanie Misko, W. A. Hough High School
  • Jennifer Osburn, Myers Park High School
  • Jashonai Payne, Clear Creek Elementary School
  • Katelyn Quinn, Irwin Academic Center
  • Janet Raybon, Myers Park High School
  • Julie Ruziska Tiddy, Carmel Middle School
  • Deb Semmler, East Mecklenburg High School
  • Katherine Semmler, North Mecklenburg High School
  • Teresa Strohl, Barringer Academic Center
  • Jennifer Thompson, James Martin Middle School
  • Edwin Tranquilino, Harding University High School
  • Kory Trosclair, Bailey Middle School
  • Roshan Varghese, David W. Butler High School
  • Barbara Wesselman, Northwest School of the Arts
  • Lynne Wiesicke, Albemarle Road Elementary School
  • Megan Woazeah, Bradley Middle School
  • Tamara Wood, Albemarle Road Middle School
  • Cindy Woolery, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School

CTI will host an open house on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 5:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City at 320 E. 9th Street to introduce its 2014 educator leaders and its seminars. Details and registration information are available on the CTI website at www.charlotteteachers.org. Teacher applications to participate in the seminars are online and are due March 12.

About the Charlotte Teachers Institute

The Charlotte Teachers Institute is an educational partnership among Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Davidson College and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte that works to improve teaching in Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools. CTI and its partners were recognized by the Council of Great City Schools with its 2013 national Urban Education Impact award (see link at http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/News/Pages/CMSandUNCCwinnationalawardforCharlotteTeachersInstitute.aspx).

An affiliate of the Yale National Initiative at Yale University, CTI cultivates content-knowledge, creativity, leadership skills and collaboration within and among Charlotte’s public school teachers. Programs include long-term seminars and special events for teachers, as well as community presentations. CTI’s “Exploding Canons” and “Teachers as Scholars” events engage and educate CMS teachers and the community-at-large, as CTI and a variety of partnering organizations produce forums for examining popular topics through multi-disciplinary lenses.

CTI programs are made possible by a joint commitment of resources from all three Institute partners and through the generosity of private funding institutions such as the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Belk Foundation, Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation and the Wells Fargo. The institute is housed at UNC Charlotte within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Each year about 100 CMS teachers in grades K-12 are enrolled in CTI’s eight, multidisciplinary seminars that began in the spring and continue until December. The seminars’ weekly meetings recess during the summer, while teachers immerse themselves in reading and research related to curriculum units they are developing for their students. These curriculum units generate learning beyond each teacher’s classroom, as the final units are shared with teachers’ school colleagues and are also published on the CTI and Yale National Initiative websites, making them accessible to teachers worldwide. For more information visit the CTI website at www.charlotteteachers.org.

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For more information, contact CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan, 704-687-0078, info@charlotteteachers.org

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 University Communications media contact:  Buffie Stephens, 704-687-5830, BuffieStephens@uncc.edu

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CTI News News

CTI wins national award given by the Council for Great City Schools

February 19, 2014 – 5:53 pm

CTI received the Shirley S. Schwartz Urban Education Impact Award given by the Council for Great City Schools at their Annual Conference in November 2013. This award is given annual to recognize an outstanding partnership between a university and an urban school district that has had a significant, positive impact on student learning. CTI is a partnership among Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Davidson college and UNC Charlotte to strengthen teaching and learning in public schools. Read the press release.

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CTI News News

Davidson Faculty and CTI Fellows Celebrate Another Successful Year in 2013

January 7, 2014 – 8:32 pm

Bill Gudiz, Director of Media Relations at Davidson College, attended the 2013 Fellows Finale Celebration at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and highlighted Davidson’s strong commitment to public school teachers.  Click here to read the story.

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