SXU's School of Education receives $226,000 grant to train Chicago Public School teachers

Illinois Board of Higher Education grant will fund "Developing 21st Century Critical Thinking Skills" program

Chicago (June 21, 2012) The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) recently awarded Saint Xavier University’s School of Education with a $226,000 grant to train Chicago Public School elementary teachers to more effectively teach critical thinking skills.

The IBHE grant will fund the “Developing 21st Century Critical Thinking Skills” program, which focuses on educating teachers to develop young children’s cognitive skills such as self-regulation, attention, reasoning, problem solving and fine motor skills. Additionally, it trains teachers to assess the development of cognitive concepts in content-area instruction.

“It is crucial that teachers understand how important it is for students in the 21st century to learn how to think critically and become accomplished learners in math, science, literacy, and all subjects that impact their lives,” said SXU School of Education Dean Beverly Gulley.

SXU faculty members, led by Assistant Professor and Project Director Mary Bell, will mentor teachers at Blaine Elementary School, DeWitt Clinton Elementary School, and Joseph Stockton Elementary School. The training will primarily focus on kindergarten through second grade teachers.

“This program will be excellent in terms of serving the larger educational community and improving its quality, providing valuable experience and information to our faculty, and strengthening our ties with the Chicago Public School system,” Bell said.

This is SXU’s third year of participation in this three-year program. The first year focused on math, the second year focused on literacy, and this year will focus on science.

For more information, please contact the School of Education at (773) 298-3200.

-SXU-

Click here to like SXU Media Relations on Facebook!

Media Contact:
Karla Thomas, Executive Director of Media Relations
(773) 298-3937 or kthomas@sxu.edu