Learn New Teaching Methods from Those Leading the Way

As part of its mission to provide teachers access to innovative resources, Golden Apple offers workshops and seminars that bring successful teaching methods alive. Building on more than 20 years of successful professional development programs, our workshops encourage teachers to attain ever-higher levels of excellence.

Current Offerings

Inquiry Science Support System Workshops

Golden Apple is partnering with 18 Chicago Public Schools to help improve student achievement in science by giving elementary school teachers the tools they need to make science exciting and engaging. The Inquiry Science Support System combines off-site and site-based learning and puts professional development in the hands of the teachers themselves. Teams of five teachers from each partner school will participate in a week-long, hands-on science workshop at the Museum of Science and Industry led by Golden Apple Award-winning science teachers. This "iTeam" then becomes the professional development unit for their school, sharing the knowledge and tools they gained during the workshop with their colleagues. Additional support is provided to the teams, in person and online.

For more information on the program, contact Penny Lundquist at 312-407-0005 or lundquist@goldenapple.org.

Teachers of Tomorrow

At the Teachers of Tomorrow workshop, Golden Apple offers new and prospective teachers the opporutnity to explore the profession and develop enhanced teaching skills. Participants learn about:

Benefits of teaching
Connecting with other teachers
Getting started
Scholarships
Building a caring classroom
Teaching in a school of need
Service learning
The future of teaching
...and much more

Hosted by Golden Apple Award-winning teachers, this free workshop is geared toward high school juniors, seniors and their parents, college freshmen and sophomores, and first and second year teachers. The date for the 2010 conference has not yet been confirmed. Check back in the summer of 2010 for more details.

CORE

CORE, the Center for Ongoing Renewal and Enrichment, provides professional development and personal mentoring for Golden Apple Scholars and their colleagues who have completed their student teaching. Up to 100 teachers attend the annual conference. CORE 2010 will be held July 27-30 at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. Check back for more information and to register for the 2010 CORE conference.

For more information on CORE, contact Sister Raeleen Sweeney, Scholars Program Assistant Director: CORE.

Previously Offered Workshops

Storytelling Workshop

Teachers from around the Chicago area come together at the Chicago History Museum and the National Museum of Mexican Art to learn how to create and tell stories within the context of Mexican culture and history. This two-week workshop is particularly recommended for teachers who work with students of Mexican heritage and want to use their students' cultural background to engage them in reading, writing, social studies and art, among other subjects. Click here for a fact sheet.

Note: This workshop will not be offered in Summer 2010

Digital Storytelling

The Digital Storytelling workshop teaches educators how to use digital storytelling techniques in their classrooms and how to adapt them to their schools' technological capacity. In this hands-on workshop teachers create digital stories that tell about their experiences as teachers. Stories are featured on Golden Apple's Teaching Excellence Network Web site. Click here to see last year's brochure.