Curriculum & Instruction at Illinois

10/24/2025

Are Illinois Social Studies Educators Prepared to Teach Inclusive Topics? by Sharita Forrest, Illinois News Bureau / Oct 22, 2025 As of the 2022-23 academic year, Illinois schools were required to adopt new learning standards for social science education in kindergarten-12th grades. Asif Wilson is...

10/24/2025

Congrats to two of our own!

As we engage in this relaunch of our organization (now an assembly under NCTE), we’d like to introduce (or re-introduce) you to our current board members: Idalia Nunez, Roberta Price-Gardner, Stephanie Toliver, Melissa Garcia Vega, Kelly Johnston, and Tran Templeton!

10/22/2025

First EJP Student Admitted into University of Illinois by Brian Dolinar, Education Justice Project / Oct 20, 2025 Mike Pierce is the first Education Justice Project student admitted into the University of Illinois since the program began in 2008. He received a bachelor's degree while incarcerated at...

09/17/2025

Architecture at Illinois is hosting an exhibit about the 2013 Chicago school closures in the atrium of Temple Hoyne Buell Hall that features a building-sized map and an interactive teacher's desk created by Asif Wilson. The exhibit invites you to listen to oral histories of community members affected by school closures.

More info and RSVP for a screening of the documentary Beyond Closure: https://bit.ly/46ombHv

07/31/2025

DEADLINE TOMORROW AUGUST 1ST
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This AmeriCorps Vista job posting closes tomorrow! Illinois Civics in the Classroom is an initiative aimed at supporting low-income communities by engaging youth in civic action. "Our aim is to equip rural, suburban, and urban middle and high school-aged students for not only the challenges of today, but tomorrow."

Learn more and apply here: https://tinyurl.com/IllinoisCivics

06/27/2025

Big congratulations to Dr. Stephanie Toliver on being elected as a Trustee for the Research Foundation of the National Council of Teachers of English! 🎉✨

We can’t wait to see all the amazing ways Dr. Toliver will shape the future of English education. We look forward to this next chapter of service, impact, and advocacy.
🔶🔷📚

06/14/2025

Many congratulations to C&I Assistant Professor Dr. Giselle Martinez Negrette! Dr. Martinez Negrette is the recipient of a 2025 National Academy of Education (NAEd)/ Spencer Fellowship. Each year, 35 outstanding doctoral researchers are granted this prestigious award. The NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship is designed to support emerging scholars from diverse academic and professional backgrounds who are conducting research aimed at advancing education. It funds dissertation projects that offer fresh, meaningful perspectives on the development, theory, analysis, or practice of both formal and informal education. 🔶📚🔷

Dr. Giselle Martinez Negrette is an Assistant Professor with expertise in bilingual/ESL (English as a second language) education, sociolinguistics, and educational policy studies. She employs qualitative methods to study the complex processes that emergent bilinguals engage in as they use language to enact and negotiate their identities and relationships. Through her research, she aims to shed light on the ways in which language practices and interactions may be shaped by social constructions from a very early age.

05/15/2025

We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible recipients of the 2025 Department of Curriculum and Education Conference Travel Awards! These exceptional individuals have made significant strides in the field of education and learning, and we're proud to have supported their journeys to share their groundbreaking research on national and international stages.

Congratulations to each of the awardees for your dedication and passion for improving education. Your innovative ideas and research will continue to foster the growth of students and educators! Here’s to your continued success and impact in the world of education. 🎓📚

05/14/2025

Celebrating Dr. Stephanie Sanders-Smith! 🌟🎉

We are thrilled to recognize Dr. Stephanie Sanders-Smith, Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, who was a keynote speaker at the 2025 International Symposium & Master Workshop on Aesthetics Education for Young Children in Taiwan! Held at the National University of Tainan, this prestigious event is part of Taiwan’s Early Childhood Aesthetics Education Cornerstone Project, an initiative commissioned by the Ministry of Education (MOE). The symposium, themed “Bridging Children’s Social-Emotional Learning through Aesthetic Education,” emphasized the transformative power of aesthetics in nurturing children's social and emotional well-being. Congratulations, Dr. Sanders-Smith, on this remarkable achievement and your dedication to fostering a brighter future for young minds! 🔶📚🔷

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/SandersSmith

05/06/2025

Congrats to doctoral student Nicholas Leonardi, who was named a 2025 SKAIDS Scholar! A recognition of his dedication in science education. SKAIDS fosters the professional development of science education doctoral students by pairing them with experienced faculty mentors. This year, the Abell Institute will take place at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. 🎉🔬