Educator Spotlight: Jeannette Borjon, Minooka District 201
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
April Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the April 2024 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
April is National Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month
In April and every day, we #LoveOurLanguages! This April, in honor of Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, the IRC is introducing our month-long #LoveOurLanguages campaign, a jam-packed month of content, resources [...]
Educator Spotlight: Alise Gaughan, CCSD 15
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
March Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the March 2024 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school community. [...]
February Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the February 2024 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
January Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the January 2024 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
December Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the December 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
November Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the November 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school [...]
Supporting Students, Staff & Communities Amidst Devastating Violence in Israel & Gaza
On behalf of the Illinois Resource Center, our thoughts are with all of the members of our school communities impacted by the devastating violence over the past few weeks in [...]
October Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the October 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
Educator Spotlight: Sara Giannopoulos, J.S. Morton High School
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
September Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the September 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school [...]
Educator Spotlight: Alma Ocampo-Nuñez, Chicago Public Schools
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
Protecting & Affirming the Freedom to Read in Illinois and Beyond
In June of 2023, amidst a wave of book censorship impacting schools and libraries across the country, primarily targeting books with culturally responsive or LGBTQ+ content, Governor Pritzker signed the [...]
August Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the August 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school community. [...]
July Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the July 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school community. [...]
Reading is Fundamental! Exploring the Joy of Literacy Through Drag Story Hours
This post is part of our ongoing "Language and Culture Lenses" series, where the IRC team discusses trends in education impacting our communities through language and cultural lenses, and [...]
June Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the June 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school community. [...]
Educator Spotlight: Janice Campbell, Mendota High School District #280
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
Keeping a Critical Eye On… Science of Reading
This post is part of our ongoing "Language and Culture Lenses" series, where the IRC team discusses trends in education impacting our communities through language and cultural lenses, and how [...]
IRC Specialist Carly Spina Participating in IEA-NEA Educator Voice Academy Panel
At the IRC, it's always exciting when we get to share our knowledge with other collaborative partners. The Illinois Education Association is launching new working groups called Educator Voice Academies, [...]
Illinois Resource Center, Partners Provide Computer Literacy Courses for Local Immigrant Parents
Virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the inequities families face around access to and understanding of technology. Three Illinois organizations, with support from a local college, are working [...]
May Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the May 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom [...]
Educator Spotlight: Nicole Lynch, Diamond Lake SD 76
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
April Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the April 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly post from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school [...]
Educator Spotlight: Kimberly Taber, Bloomington District 87
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
March Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the March 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
February Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the February 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
Educator Spotlight: Brenda Mendoza, Aurora SD 129
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
December Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the first 2023 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
Educator Spotlight: Liz Reyes, Elmhurst CUSD 205
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
December Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the December 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school community. [...]
Meet Our Featured Speakers for Multilingual Illinois 2022!
At the 2022 Multilingual Illinois Virtual Conference, you'll hear from diverse thought leaders in your field, with more than 100 live and pre-recorded relevant, informative and engaging presentations that can [...]
We’re Hiring! Join Our Team!
Looking for a new position supporting Illinois educators? Work with us at the IRC! We're seeking a qualified Courses Administrative Assistant to join our (hybrid) team. A full description, along [...]
Educator Spotlight: Shelley Lumas, East St. Louis School District 189
Over the past few months, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
November Resource Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the November 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school [...]
October Roundup: Readings & Resources For Educators
Welcome to the October 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school community. [...]
Inaugural CSEL Cohort Members Reflect on The Experience
Teaching remotely during a global pandemic is a challenge for any educator, but teaching the youngest learners is a particularly big adjustment. But Cecilia Villegas, a bilingual kindergarten teacher in [...]
September Roundup: Readings & Resources For Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the September 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
Milagros Otero, Chicago Public Schools
Over the past few weeks, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
Educator Spotlight: Veronica Garcia-Martinez, DeKalb Community School District
Over the past few weeks, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
Educator Spotlight: Julie McGovern, La Grange District 105
Over the past few weeks, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and [...]
IRC Stands With NEA in Support of the Social Security Fairness Act & Social Security 2100 Act
At the IRC, our mission is to equip teachers with resources and development to empower their students to succeed. As such, it is important to us to advocate for teachers [...]
Educator Spotlight: Janet Keyworth, Chicago Public Schools
Over the past few weeks, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
Educator Spotlight: Yesenia Reyes, Chicago Public Schools
Over the past few weeks, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
July Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the July 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school community. [...]
Educator Spotlight: Amy Harder, Arlington Heights School District 25
Over the past few weeks, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual students who are going above and beyond, and now, [...]
Educator Spotlight: Teresa Borowicz, North Palos School District 117
Educator Spotlight: Teresa Borowicz, North Palos School District 117 Over the past few weeks, the IRC has asked members of our community to nominate Illinois teachers working with multicultural, multilingual [...]
June Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the June 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
May Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the May 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly series from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school [...]
PD Workshop Preview: “Incorporating Heritage Language(s) When You are Monolingual: Yes, You Can!” with Carly Spina
Throughout the year, the Illinois Resource Center offers informative, relevant and FREE workshops for educators across the state to receive free professional development credit hours. We'll be giving you a [...]
April Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the April 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
March Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the March 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school [...]
February Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Dear Friends, Welcome to the February 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly newsletter from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or [...]
Illinois Resource Center Announces Groundbreaking New Computer Science Initiative for Bilingual Educators
The Illinois Resource Center is proud to announce an exciting new computer science professional development program for motivated teachers who serve English learner students in Illinois. This is the [...]
January Roundup: Readings & Resources for Educators
Welcome to the January 2022 edition of the Resource Roundup, a monthly series from the IRC, packed with readings, recommendations and resources you can use in your classroom or school [...]
Ask the Specialists: Welcoming Newcomer Students
Welcome to Ask the Specialists, a new monthly series from the IRC where educators can submit their questions about multilingual and multicultural learning, and our knowledgeable Education Specialists will share [...]
IRC Education Specialist Carly Spina Celebrates Book Launch
The IRC would like to congratulate Education Specialist Carly Spina on the release of her new book, Moving Beyond for Multilingual Learners, available now from EduMatch Publishing. In her new [...]
IRC’s Silvia V. Rogel Named to State Education Equity Committee
The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning and the Illinois Resource Center are proud to announce that our own Silvia V. Rogel, Director of Strategic Partnerships and External Affairs for [...]
A year ago, Covid-19 changed our lives.
A year ago, Covid-19 changed our lives. Just about everything was done remotely from home. It was surreal. Remote teaching and learning has not been kind to many students, parents, [...]
Equity Impact Assessment Toolkit
Research and Toolkit Components Government Alliance for Racial Equity Toolkit RELN DARE Tool CUE Equity Impact Analysis Tool Seattle Public Schools Equity Impact Toolkit EAWG Glossary Peralta Online Equity Toolkit [...]
Statement on Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala Issues Statement on Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards SPRINGFIELD – State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala issued the following statement [...]
ISBE delays start of 2021 spring assessment window to March 15
ACCESS test for English Learners pushed from possible start date of Jan. 4 to no sooner than March 15 SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced today that [...]
New standards to help support our students’ cultures, languages & learning styles
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING AND LEADING STANDARDS ENSURE EDUCATORS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS CAN TEACH ILLINOIS’ INCREASINGLY DIVERSE STUDENTS SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education today adopted new Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading [...]
I Already Miss #MultilingualIL
by Olivia Mulcahy Every bilingual or ESL teacher I know in Illinois looks forward to the winter. Or at least, we all look forward to one special week in [...]
Veronica Rodriguez, Illinois 2021 Bilingual Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Veronica Rodriguez, a multilingual teacher at Juliette Low Elementary School in Community Consolidated School District 59, (Elk Grove Village), who was recently named by ISBE as the 2021 [...]
Interim Exclusion Guidance Decision Tree for COVID-19 Symptomatic Individuals
IDPH has created this guidance document to help educators navigate the world of Covid-19: COVID-19 INTERIM EXCLUSION GUIDANCE Decision Tree for Symptomatic Individuals in Pre-K, K-12 Schools and Day Care [...]
New Illinois Virtual Instructional Coach & Building Mentor Program
The Illinois State Board of Education has announced the llinois Virtual Instructional Coach and Building Mentor Program to support beginning teachers in these challenging circumstances. The Illinois State Board of [...]
ISBE Enacts Emergency Rules For Licensure of Bilingual Educators
ISBE has fielded numerous questions regarding lack of licensed bilingual education teachers for the upcoming school year. Individuals’ inability to receive licensure has centered around that fact that many licensure [...]
2020 CENSUS: MAKE EVERYONE COUNT
The 2020 Census self-response deadline has been extended to Oct. 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; starting Aug. 11, Census Bureau enumerators will be deployed in the field to conduct [...]
In Memoriam – Zoila Garcia
The Illinois Resource Center is saddened to hear of the passing of long-time IRC supporter, Zoila Garcia. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family. Zoila Garcia, a passionate proponent [...]
New to Teaching English Learners? Start here!
by Maggie Essig This blog entry was originally published by Maggie Essig on her blog, maggieessig.com/blog. Lately I've been seeing posts on social media from teachers looking for resources for teaching [...]
Developing Language Skills from a Distance
by Maggie Essig This blog entry was originally published by Maggie Essig on her blog, maggieessig.com/blog. When I was in the classroom, my district went on strike. I didn’t see [...]
Take Care. That is the Curriculum.
by Olivia Mulcahy This blog entry was originally published by Olivia Mulcahy on her blog, claimed.blog. A while ago I wrote about how we might reimagine homework as the task of taking [...]
NEWSCAST Feb 2020
The latest commentary from your most trusted professional learning organization By S. Rogel Annual Statewide ESSA Conference The annual ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) was held in Chicago [...]
Host a Census Night at Your School
Billions of dollars in federal funding are at stake for Illinois in the 2020 Census. Schools can play a critical role in ensuring every Illinois resident is counted. Here’s how [...]
4 Experiences 21st Century Learners Need: Lessons from a Robot Vacuum
by Rachell Anderson I recently purchased a robot vacuum, and I cannot speak more highly of it! I was sick of the constant layer of dust on the wood floors, [...]
Why I Love Testing
by Olivia Mulcahy Wait…What? For real. I love testing because… I know what is expected of me and have already shown myself that I am ready for the test. My [...]
EL Lens on the ISTE Standards for Students
by Maggie Essig As part of becoming a ISTE Certified Educator, I have spent the past few months diving into the ISTE Standards for Students and Educators. Specifically, I have [...]
