Our History
In 1995 founder and executive director Aleta Margolis decided to act on what she calls a "divine dissatisfaction" with the state of teaching and learning. As a professor at American University she launched the first Inspired Teaching Institute to fundamentally change the way participating teachers viewed their role in the classroom, altering their practice so it became more student-centered, intellectually challenging, and academically successful.
Since that time Center for Inspired Teaching has worked with over 5000 educators from nearly every school in the District of Columbia, improving instruction for more than 125,000 students. The organization has also instituted partnerships with over 3-dozen schools.
Click on each school year below to learn more about our accomplishments.
Select a Year
- 2006 - 2007
The Inspired Teaching School Partnership Program, now our fastest growing program, continues to show great results for students and their teachers. Brearn Wright, principal at Clark Elementary, a new partner for Inspired Teaching, says, “The professional development, the lesson study, and the staff retreats from Center for Inspired Teaching remind our teachers that they are indeed the experts when it comes to moving all of our students toward high achievement."
In an effort to enable more teachers, principals, and parents to become Inspired Teachers, we launch a series of web-based communications tools including a redesigned website, podcasts, blogs, online teacher-resources, and e-newsletters. We also spread our message through media spots on WAMU 88.5 FM and in The Washington Post.
We begin a multi-year partnership with American University in which we teach first year teachers to build their students' motivation and achievement through the principles of Inspired Teaching.
Our annual Chocolate Inspiration Celebration is held at the Embassy of Finland. While attendees indulge in chocolate desserts made by the best chefs in the region, they are asked to help Inspired Teaching change the conversation about school:"When you talk with your friends about your children's experience in school, instead of asking, 'How is your child doing in school?' ask 'How is school inspiring your child?'" - 2005 - 2006
Inspired Teaching’s partner school Tyler Elementary, once the lowest performing school in DC, is heralded as one of the city’s rising stars. The school receives accolades for improving student achievement and for the highest increase in student attendance in the city. And, most importantly, Principal Michelle Pierre-Farid points out, “Our children really are happier!”
The Washingtonian recognizes our executive director, Aleta Margolis, as a Powerful Woman to Watch. This recognition brings well-deserved attention to Inspired Teachers everywhere.
Demand for our school partnerships increases; and we double the number of schools we serve. In response to the growing volume of requests for our programs, Inspired Teaching doubles our full-time staff and inaugurates a course to train Inspired Teaching alumni to serve as facilitators.
On the day before school begins, we hold our first annual Inspired Teaching Alumni Conference, bringing together Inspired Teachers from the past 11 years. Teachers prepare to take on their roles as change makers in their classrooms, schools, and communities—working toward our ultimate goal of ensuring an Inspired Teacher for every student. - 2004 - 2005
We have trained 4,000 teachers, improving instruction for more than 100,000 students. Over 300 foundations, corporations, and individuals have invested in Inspired Teaching’s potential to transform the way children are educated.
Inspired Teaching adds intensive school partnerships to its education reform activities, and creates a replicable model for school-wide success. At our first partner school, John Tyler Elementary, we hold overnight retreats for the faculty and staff, lead monthly lesson studies, provide mentoring and workshops for teachers, and publish the school’s first-ever student-written literary magazine—all toward the goal of creating a positive school culture and bringing about high student achievement.
We participate in the DC Education Compact, a year-long initiative that brings together city leaders to create systemic improvements in the DC Public Schools.
Thanks to an overwhelming response from principals, Inspired Teaching formalizes and expands our school partnership initiative to create more “Inspired Teaching Schools.”
We are invited to bring Inspired Teaching to India. Armed with Inspired Teaching’s
approach, Inspired Mentor Judy White travels to Bhuj, Kutch to train teachers who will, in turn, teach artisans at the Kala Raksha Vidyalaya School. - 2003 - 2004
Maria Carmen Schulze, Ashoka Fellow from La Paz, Bolivia, is a guest participant in our Workshop in the Art of Teaching and takes Inspired Teaching’s approach with her as she returns to her work educating thousands of children living in the streets of Bolivia.
We publish our first course catalog, featuring new Saturday workshops, new Advanced Seminars in topics ranging from literacy to math instruction to the art of discipline, as well as our ongoing programs: the Mentoring and Teacher Empowerment Program and the Workshop in the Art of Teaching.
Our Professional Development Academy continues to grow, including training for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Temple Sinai Nursery School, and the creation of a long-term partnership with New Leaders for New Schools.
Hope Magazine publishes a feature article about our work to change the way children are educated by re-training their teachers to be more engaging and effective. - 2002 - 2003
The DC Public Schools engage in a contract with Inspired Teaching as a major provider of mentoring services to new teachers throughout the city.
We run a Saturday conference for DC Teaching Fellows and offer support classes for teachers seeking certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
Inspired Teaching is featured in a Christian Science Monitor article, “Education Innovators Make Their Mark” and Aleta is featured on Washingtonpost.com in an article highlighting area social entrepreneurs.
We experience the greatest response for the Workshop in the Art of Teaching in our history, with three teachers applying for every available slot. According to one teacher, “The Workshop in the Art of Teaching has opened my eyes to a whole new world of how to approach education.” - 2001 - 2002
This year’s Workshop in the Art of Teaching marks the introduction of Inspired Teaching’s “Five Principles,” the rigorous step-by-step process for teachers through which they examine and improve their teaching strategies.
We bring our training to principals through the DC Public Schools Superintendent’s Conference/Principals’ Institute.
Parent groups, including the Center for Creative Change and Parents for Excellent Neighborhood Schools, seek our expertise in helping them understand what qualities make a school a great place for children to learn.
Women of Washington selects Inspired Teaching to participate in their Nonprofit Alliance.
At our model summer school students experience the freedom and responsibility of creating their school rules—with a focus on Community, Self-Governance, Creativity, and Jali—a Swahili word meaning to respect, honor, and have concern for others. The program’s innovative and highly effective model is featured on Channel 7, ABC News.
We teach “The Art of Discipline” through the Coalition of Essential Schools University. Teachers learn to work with students as partners in learning, not adversaries. - 2000 - 2001
Inspired Teaching receives international recognition when Aleta is awarded a Fellowship from Ashoka: Innovators for the Public in recognition of Inspired Teaching’s work to change the way children are educated and our potential to have national and international impact on the way teachers teach and children learn.
The Mentoring and Teacher Empowerment Program takes off, adding in-classroom support to our offerings for teachers and their students.
We reach educators nationwide through presentations at conferences and panels including: International Education Summit; Northern Virginia Private School Association; Association of Childhood Educators International; the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Advisory Board Foundation.
Aleta serves on DC Mayor Anthony Williams’ Advisory Committee on Board of Education Appointments.
New partners in our Professional Development Academy include the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation; The Washington Opera; American University’s Washington College of Law; Young Playwrights Theatre; and the New Community After School and Advocacy Program. - 1999 - 2000
Inspired Teaching calls together community leaders for a year-long forum to explore the role of school environment in preventing, or encouraging, youth violence.
Students and parents ask us to offer a summer program for children. Workshop in the Art of Teaching alumni ask for a chance to keep working with Inspired Teaching, and take the techniques they learned to a higher level. These conversations spark the creation of Summer STEP: Student and Teacher Enrichment Project, a five week intensive model school where students—and their teachers—challenge themselves to learn at their fullest potential. The program runs for five years.
Fox-5 runs a feature story on Summer STEP, calling the program a model of student directed learning and innovative teaching.
We form the Teacher Advisory Board comprised of alumni Inspired Teachers whose feedback and advice shape our work. - 1998 - 1999
The Workshop in the Art of Teaching doubles to include two two-week sessions, plus monthly follow-ups during the school year. NBC-4 runs a feature story on the program; Susan Kidd reports, “The teachers say it’s among the best classes they have ever taken and it will change the way they teach when they return to their classrooms. The teachers say they’re rejuvenated and ready to face all challenges
when they return to their classes.”
Our Professional Development Academy grows, adding The Folger Shakespeare Library, the Washington Ballet, Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School, CentroNía, Heads Up, U Street Theatre Foundation, and the DC Public Schools’ Professional Development Institutes to the list of organizations for which we provide training and support.
The Common Denominator runs a feature story on Inspired Teaching entitled, “This Academic Program Makes Teaching an Art.”
We produce our first literary magazine, You and Me and Words, written entirely by students at Anthony Bowen Elementary. - 1997 - 1998
The Professional Development Academy is launched, providing specialized training to schools and community organizations throughout the region. Our first project is a two week intensive training for faculty and staff preparing to open the Maya Angelou Public Charter School.
A dozen local foundations invest in Inspired Teaching’s programs.
Center for Inspired Teaching has its first paid(!) employee; Aleta leaves American
University to become Inspired Teaching’s full-time executive director. Soon
thereafter, Kate Keplinger joins us as our full-time Director of Programs.
Inspired Teaching is invited to present at national education conferences including the National Staff Development Council, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the Rotary International Conference on Children.
We create and teach a two-semester course for Teach For America DC corps members. - 1996 - 1997
Aleta Margolis and Oran Sandel, artistic director of the Living Stage Theater Company, create and launch the Workshop in the Art of Teaching. We barely cover expenses, but have such a strong response from teachers that we vow to hold follow-up sessions during the school year and continue the program next summer.
The Washington Post runs a feature story on the Workshop in the Art of Teaching entitled, “The Revolution in the Classroom.”
Inspired Teaching is invited to Quantico, Virginia to train instructors at The Basic School at the U.S. Marine Corps University.
Reading Works!, a tutoring program based in Inspired Teaching techniques, begins for students at Anthony Bowen Elementary in Southwest, DC. The program runs for
six years.
Inspired Teaching holds its first fundraiser at the Childe Harold restaurant. It’s so successful that, soon afterwards… We purchase our first computer!
Inspired Teaching moves its headquarters from the living room in Aleta’s apartment to 2025 I Street, NW, our first real home! - 1995 - 1996
Determined to change the way children are educated based on her experience as a public school teacher, Aleta Margolis convenes a dozen DC teachers for a workshop designed to improve the way teachers teach. Center for Inspired Teaching is born.
Aleta works with For Love of Children and American University to bring together
university students studying to be teachers and elementary school students. Together we begin to reinvent the teaching process.
March 14, 1996: Center for Inspired Teaching incorporates!
Inspired Teaching receives its first grants: $1500 from the Gannett Foundation and
$2500 from Mickey and Brenda Nocera.
