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A group of Loyola's TLLSC students look at an aquarium in awe.

Loyola CITE Partnership

Loyola CITE Partnership

Cultural Institutions in Teacher Education (CITE)

Local museums and other informal learning institutions – including their education staff, collections, programming and pedagogical approaches – have been integrated as mutually beneficial partners in the Teaching, Learning and Leading with Schools & Communities (TLLSC) initial teacher preparation program.

Formed in 2013 around the goal of creating a space for open communication about our work as teacher educators, including challenges and opportunities that arise and how we might support and learn from one another, the CITE partnership group currently consists of 14 educators from six local cultural institutions, university faculty and students. This leadership group supports TLLSC learning experiences for teacher candidates across all program areas, as well as engages in ongoing research about the group and its multifaceted teacher education efforts.

TLLSC recognizes that the successful development of future teachers requires an all hands-on-deck partnership approach with those constituents vested in the learning, achievement, and success of PK-12 students. Local schools, communities and cultural institutions become sites for teacher candidate learning experiences as school professionals, museum educators, and community leaders share the responsibility of preparing teachers.

Teacher candidates engage in a wide range of learning experiences across varied authentic contexts, developing the professional knowledge, skills and dispositions required to make a positive impact on youth and their communities.

Broader Impacts

For Teacher Candidates

• Expand perspective on where teaching and learning occur.

• Develop a greater appreciation for museums’ collections, spaces, education materials, personnel.

• Learn to transfer pedagogical approaches and other elements of free-choice learning to the classroom.

• Utilize cultural institutions and their educational resources during preparation program and in future classrooms.

• Develop professional collaborations with museum educators and other cultural institution staff.

For PK-12 Students and Partner Schools

• Increase collaboration with museums and museum educators.

• Gain awareness about and access to museum collections, spaces, education materials, personnel.

• Integrate museum resources into instructional plans with teacher candidates and cooperating teachers collaboratively delivering instruction.

For Cultural Institutions

• Build sustained relationships with beginning teachers during their four-year preparation.

• Develop collaborations among partner schools, teachers, and university instructors.

• Deepen relationships and network with other local cultural institutions.

• Refine educational materials and programs with input from candidates, university instructors.

• Stay informed of current needs of schools and classroom teachers.

A student observes an exhibit at Shedd Aquarium.
Loyola CITE Partnership

Preparing Future Teachers for Success

Loyola prioritizes education that centers around students and puts their needs first. By weaving transformative, real-life experiences into learning curriculums, the School of Education provides unparalleled hands-on learning opportunities that promote a better understanding of course materials, creativity in the classroom, collaboration, and self-confidence in leadership as future educators.

Read More

For more information about the CITE partnership: 
LoyolaCITE@luc.edu | Loyola Partner Info Sheet

A student shows classmates an exciting find at Shedd Aquairum.
A student observes butterflies at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
Students look excitedly at the fish in Shedd Aquarium.
A student studies a squirrel at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
A student observes a learning tool at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
A student gazes up at a shark swimming overhead at Shedd Aquarium.
A student takes notes inside an exhibit at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
A student admires Shedd Aquairum.

For more information about the CITE partnership: 
LoyolaCITE@luc.edu | Loyola Partner Info Sheet