Imagine Chicago, DePaul, 6 museums, 7 schools — Bingo!Maudlyne IhejirikaIn a school nature center created with the help of the Chicago Botanic Garden, there are "red, purple, yellow flowers," a "green corn stalk," and "brown wood chips," report the kindergartners of Room 106 in Suder Elementary School on the Near West Side. You can take their word or see for yourself in "Our Nature Center Color Book," which last year's Room 106 inhabitants left behind for this year's class.
"It's reality-based learning," explains Jana Baskins, their teacher. "Kindergartners have to learn colors. Well, there's a lot of ways to do that. We can do color worksheets, or we... > Read More |
|
National Annenberg sifts through dataCindy RichardsWhen former ambassador and media magnate Walter Annenberg plopped $500 million on the table to strengthen school improvement efforts across the nation, he challenged other donors to "feel an obligation to join this crusade for the betterment of our country." With three-quarters of the money going into challenge grants requiring a 2-for-1 local match—hence, the name Annenberg Challenge—the philanthropist's largesse generated more than $1 billion for reform programs. Today, Annenberg programs are working in nearly 2,700 schools in 300 school districts.
Judging the impact of such a... > Read More |
|
18 leaders get a liftCindy RichardsIn winding down, the Chicago Annenberg Challenge is shifting gears a bit to sustain and strengthen reform efforts at schools that have shown special promise.
On Feb. 4, the challenge announced a "Breakthrough School Initiative'' to give $113,000 to each of 18 schools that have been part of Annenberg-funded networks. These schools are "making greater progress toward whole-school change than others,'' the Challenge explained. Each school is to use some of its money to share its knowledge and expertise with other schools in its network and beyond.
The schools and their plans... > Read More |
|
Annenberg looks for lessons as program winds downCindy RichardsTime. Size. Isolation. Those three little words embody the ambitious agenda of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a $49.2 million venture into school reform in Chicago.
If teachers had more time ...
If the size of schools and classes were reduced...
If teachers and principals didn't feel so isolated...
If then, what? Would good teachers stay? Would public schools be more effective? Would test scores rise?
Chicago got a chance to find out when Walter Annenberg, a former ambassador to Great Britain who made his money in publishing, topped off his long... > Read More |
|
New foundation sets $10 million grants goalCatalyst StaffThe Chicago Annenberg Challenge will close up shop in June 2001, but its efforts to improve public education will live on through a new community foundation, which will be formally introduced to the city this month. In development for 18 months, the Chicago Public Education Fund is scheduled to announce its first round of grants March 28.
The Chicago Annenberg Challenge spawned the fund and became its first donor in June 1998 when it committed to donate $2 million in seed money. Chicago Tribune Charities became the second lead donor when it added another $500,000 to the pot.... > Read More |
|
