CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Helping early career teachers improve their instructional practices while fostering skills and relationships that promote professional development are the foci of the Illinois New Teacher Collaborative’s upcoming Induction and Mentoring Conference.
“Fostering Inquiry and Leadership” is the theme of the conference, Feb. 21-22 at the iHotel and Conference Center, 1900 S. First St., Champaign.
INTC is a statewide partnership of individuals and groups interested in supporting new teachers’ development and enhancing their abilities to promote student learning in Illinois schools. INTC is sponsored by the U. of I. College of Education and the State Farm Companies Foundation.
About 180 participants – including new teachers, experienced educators who work as mentors, program coordinators and higher education personnel – are expected to attend, learn from each other and share best practices in teacher retention and professional development.
“Our theme this year reflects INTC’s new focus – encouraging school districts to work collaboratively with new teachers to support their development and giving beginning teachers a voice in that process,” said Annie Insana, the director of INTC.
The conference will feature four Edchat sessions, in which speakers will share their stories about professionalism and advocacy of early career teachers. The speakers include Betsy Alderman, a mathematics teacher at Centennial High School, Champaign, and the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2017 Early Career Educator; Dean Cantu, a professor and chair of the department of teacher education at Bradley University; Sandra Osorio, a faculty member of Illinois State University’s School of Teaching and Learning; and Sharon Roth, the division director of professional development at the National Council of Teachers of English.
Registration and more information about the conference and INTC are available online.
