DePaul University is a private Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, DePaul is the largest Catholic university in terms of enrollment in North America. Following in the footsteps of its founders, DePaul places special emphasis on recruiting first-generation students and others from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Office of Innovative Professional Learning (OIPL) within the College of Education at DePaul has supported K-12 educators with customized professional learning experiences. OIPL provides K-12 educators and others with learning that extends the mission of DePaul to support development of social justice, civic action, and educator effectiveness through innovative models of learning that support educators and K-12 students in becoming positive agents of change in the world. The Office of Innovative Professional Learning (OIPL) in partnership with the Barat Education Foundation (BEF) has supported this work with grants through the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program. The innovative and distinctive programs developed by OIPL and BEF have impacted thousands of educators and students with cutting edge models of civic engagement and transformative personal and professional learning aimed at building connection and community.
RISE: Educator and Empowerment Program using Primary Sources
In response to the need to support the emotional well-being and professional success of educators in the classroom, DePaul University in partnership with Barat Education Foundation developed the RISE: Educator and Empowerment Program using Primary Sources. The program consists of five learning modules focused on supporting educators in using Primary Sources as the key to inspire purpose and meaning in their teaching and to expanding excellence in the classroom.
The program materials consist of the following that can be used by any educator:
Professional Learning guide
PowerPoint Slides to guide learning.
The RISE: Educator and Empowerment Program using Primary Sources consists of the following modules:
- Module 1 – Using Primary Sources for Reigniting Purpose in Teaching
- Module 2 – Using Primary Sources for Inquiry and Self-awareness
- Module 3 – Using Primary Sources for Courageous Conversations
- Module 4 – Using Primary Sources to Build Empathy
- Module 5 – Using Primary Sources for Finding Purpose
Module 1: Using Primary Sources for Reigniting Purpose in Teaching
The RISE TPS Library of Congress Equity and Empowerment Program utilizes Primary Sources from the Library of Congress with the RISE Framework to provide teachers and students with experiences that will inspire, encourage, energize and pivot teachers and students to well-being.
In this module teachers are provided with strategies and tools to use primary sources to re-create feelings of inspired vision, passion and energy about teaching, use primary sources to provide new insights on how to increase your well-being and the well-being of those they teach and finally how to use primary sources and RISE framework to provide you new tools to support teachers’ true potential. This module is divided into three parts as outline below:
Part 1 – INSPIRE – Teachers explore their unique purpose and vision for their work and impact using primary sources.
Part 2 – ILLUMINATE – Teachers will examine stress, neuroscience, psychology and use primary sources to create vision.
Part 3 – INFORM – Provide teachers with practical tools to use to navigate ongoing uncertainty using primary sources
The lesson plan of the module will use primary sources and RISE framework to provide students with new tools to support their true potential and find their purpose. Students will have the following learning experiences:
Students will use the hero's journey story template to allow them to use the truth to revise what they perceive to be the negative stories of their lives. This lesson is designed to help students look back on a story of their young lives and times they have courageously continued forward with life despite the difficult experience. This serves as evidence they are heroic.
Letter (Calling) to You: During this exercise teachers help students to create a calm, purposeful and meaningful connection to their calling and their values so they can live and work with peace and creativity.
Module 2: Using Primary Sources for Inquiry and Self-awareness
The RISE TPS Library of Congress Equity and Empowerment Program utilizes Primary Sources from the Library of Congress with the RISE Framework to provide teachers and students with effective strategies that lead to racial equity in schools.
In this module teachers are provided with 4 practical strategies to teach as a racial equity ally in the virtual or traditional classroom using inquiry and the Library of Congress primary sources. Teachers will learn how to use primary sources to truly rise up for racial equity in their classrooms and schools. Through inquiry and reflection teachers will come to know and understand what it means to be an educator ally for racial equity who uses inquiry and self-awareness to support systemic change using primary sources.
Module 3: Using Primary Sources for Courageous Conversations
The RISE TPS Library of Congress Equity and Empowerment Program utilizes Primary Sources from the Library of Congress with the RISE Framework to provide teachers and students a way to heal from the impact of systemic racism.
In this module teachers are provided with support in healing during challenging times of uncertainty, change, and systemic racism. Teachers will be provided with strategies to Primary Sources from the Library of Congress as a way to operationalize equity. Teachers will be inspired with meaning, purpose, and processes to make a difference in the hearts and lives of students.
Module 4: Using Primary Sources to Build Empathy
The RISE TPS Library of Congress Equity and Empowerment Program utilizes Primary Sources from the Library of Congress with the RISE Framework to provide teachers and students with ways to examine their teaching and their lives for how they show up in their communities allies for others and as persons who foster and cultivate empathy.
In this module teachers are provided with tools to bring together the reflection, inquiry, and self-awareness of RISE with the final session of empathy. Teachers will examine the power of empathy in their lives, their teaching, and their work as racial equity allies. This module teachers are provided with 4 practical strategies to teach empathy as a skill essential to racial equity by using inquiry and the Library of Congress primary sources. Teachers will also be provided with 5 elements of creating a developmental relationship with students.
Module 5: Using Primary Sources for Finding Purpose
The RISE TPS Library of Congress Equity and Empowerment Program utilizes Primary Sources from the Library of Congress with the RISE Framework to provide teachers and students with the necessary tools to live in their purpose, discover their passion and to have courage to engage in dialogue that truly matters in schools.
In this module teachers are provided with tools to examine the challenges facing educators and TPS partners in this current climate, examine the unique role of teacher and TPS partner in today’s world, experience the RISE TPS framework as a way to rediscover our purpose and passion and engage in dialogue around how best to navigate this changing landscape of schools in America.