April 23, 2015

(Photo: Center for Inspired Teaching)

Center for Inspired Teaching announced today that it has been awarded a Good Neighbor grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation in support of the Inspired Teacher Certification Program and its inquiry-based summer school model. A state accredited, 24-month residency program, the Inspired Teacher Certification Program prepares new teachers for successful and sustainable careers as educators and changemakers in Washington, DC.

According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, 50% of new teachers in the United States leave education within five years. In contrast, 93% of all Inspired Teacher Certification Program alumni are still working in the field of education with 75% of program alumni still teaching in DC public and public charter schools.

Support from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation will directly fund Inspired Teaching’s summer school model, taught by teachers who have just completed their first year in the Inspired Teacher Certification Program. These teachers immerse students in inquiry-based instruction through thematic units that incorporate all academic subjects. Through the lens of these broader themes, students explore and learn academic content that has been thoughtfully connected to the communities in which they live. Summer school culminates with a “Celebration of Learning” during which students display and explain creative projects demonstrating mastery of standards.

“Inspired Teaching is delighted to partner with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation,” said Monisha Karnani, Director of Teacher Preparation Initiatives at Inspired Teaching. “With the Foundation’s support, Inspired Teaching will provide students academic instruction that prepares them for the upcoming academic year, while cultivating their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This inquiry-based curriculum provides students high-quality classroom instruction based on investigations into real-world issues.”

“Center for Inspired Teaching offers a unique approach in education through programs that spark students’ creative thinking, get them excited to learn by solving problems, and expand students’ imagination, knowledge, and talents,” said Harold O. Levy, Executive Director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We are excited to support Inspired Teaching’s work helping students strive for academic excellence.”

A full press release may be found here.