COD's Teacher Prep Program names District 2's Project CARE its Program of Choice

This fall, Project CARE will begin its partnership with College of DuPage's Teacher Preparation Program, which recently designated Project CARE as its Program of Choice.

Over the past twenty years, Bensenville School District 2's Project CARE has grown from a dozen mentors helping students with their reading skills to more than 300 mentors working with students in every subject area at Blackhawk Middle School, W.A. Johnson School and Tioga School. Mentors commit to at least one hour per week in one classroom.

Now, Project CARE will gain dozens more mentors from COD.

All students in the Teacher Preparation Program are required to complete 20 field hours in local classrooms. In the past, students could choose to participate at any school. Now, the program has designated Project CARE as its Program of Choice, strongly encouraging their students to complete their hours at District 2, where they can get hands-on teaching experience.

"It's a one stop shop," said Shannon Brown, Assistant Professor of Education. She and the program's other full-time faculty member, April Zawlicki, were drawn to the program for the unique opportunity it affords students, including the chance to participate and teach in a diverse district with a large percentage of native Spanish speakers, as well as its logistical advantages.

Previously, Brown and Zawlocki had to call every school that students chose to complete field hours at, resulting in hundreds of calls to verify each program. Now, they will be able to streamline the process by focusing on one district with its own program coordinators and advisors.

Brown estimated that they currently have as many as 150 students completing their field hours out of approximately 300 students in the entire program. She noted that the program has grown by about 100 students since the previous year.