Program Information

TAS Overview

Chicago Teachers as Scholars (TAS) offers a series of intellectually stimulating, content-based seminars led by scholars from area universities and colleges. Participants can expect engaging discussions on a broad range of topics with the seminar leaders and other participants. Seminar topics focus predominantly on the humanities, as related to the Newberry's collection, although science, math, and current events are also incorporated into the seminar schedule.

During the 2009-10 program year, nearly 200 teachers from 54 Chicago public schools attended TAS seminars. Participants in the thirteen seminars examined such diverse topics as the American literary renaissance, the Seven Deadly Sins, national identity in the Caribbean, teaching the American Civil War, social, political, and economic exchange between Asia and Europe during the 16th -19th centuries, Burnham's 1919 Plan of Chicago, an examination of the early professional life and presidency of Abraham Lincoln, Shakespeare's The Tempest and water as a focal point of social conflict and negotion in the development of Chicago.

Seminar Format

Seminars take place over a one or two-day period during the week and are held at The Newberry Library. Seminars begin at 9:00 am and run until 3:00 pm each day. Participants receive up to 5 CPDUs credit hours per seminar day towards their State of Illinois certification renewal.

Program Costs

All program costs affiliated with participation in TAS, including program materials, meals, and seminar readings, are covered by grants and private donations. Principals are asked to cover the cost of substitute teacher coverage for the first day of the first participant from each school; TAS covers all remaining substitute teacher fees.

Acknowledgments

The Newberry Library and the Chicago Public Schools are grateful to the Polk Bros. Foundation for a major grant that enables Chicago Teachers as Scholars to help enhance public education by offering high-quality professional development programs for CPS teachers. A thanks is also owed to the Albert Pick, Jr. Fund for its continual support of TAS. Again, the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Chicago provided partial funding for the Latin American civilization-based seminars.