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Lisa Blatner (2006)

It Has Made a Difference

It was last January, cold and cloudy, when she clicked on the “submit” button. She had just electronically sent her initial application to the Chicago Public Schools Summer Teaching Residency and Internship Program. After an extensive selection process, Lisa Blatner was on the list of 100 teacher education students who were chosen to be a part of this unique program. Many students from colleges and universities in a four-state region had applied. Lisa is a Special Education major from Sugar Grove, Illinois, and a graduate of Aurora Central Catholic High School.
Lisa found her assignment as a teaching assistant for the six-week summer program at Claremont Math and Science Academy (a self-contained classroom for students in grades 4-8) to be motivating and exciting. The program provided housing (dormitories on state university campuses in the city) and transportation to and from the school.
Professional development for the teaching assistants was scheduled for each afternoon and all day on Fridays. The topics focused on urban education, poverty, social justice, and classroom management. Inspiring seminars were presented by many well-known speakers such as Esme Raji Codell, Anita Kishel, Jonathan Kozol, Dr. Allen Medler, and Dr. Harry Wong. Outstanding educational workshop sessions were held at the following locations: Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, Cultural Center, Art Institute, Spertus Museum, DuSable Museum, and Freedom Museum. Lisa participated in reflective sessions focusing on student motivation and teaching reading skills. In addition, tours were taken in various neighborhoods such as Pilsen, Chinatown, and Bronzeville.
Lisa believes that she received many teaching ideas/tools for her future classroom. The program required all teaching assistants to begin a portfolio of the summer experience: “We created our own classroom management plans. The program was fantastic. It was unforgettable! It has made a difference for me. Now, I can make a difference for others.”