Press Release

THE ILLINOIS HUMANITIES COUNCIL EXPLORES GERMAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS THROUGH TWO TEACHER PROGRAMS


12 Illinois K-12 teachers were awarded full scholarships to attend a week-long seminar in Germany and 14 German Teachers attended Illinois Humanities Council Teacher Seminars in Illinois

CHICAGO—This summer, The Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) once again German and Illinois educators together through its established True Learning, True Teaching seminars. From July 25 – 30, 14 German teachers from Hamburg and Berlin attended the IHC’s True Leaning, True Teaching seminars at Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois. Participants selected one of two seminar topics: “Changing Places: The Literature of Globalization,” led by University of Illinois professor, Zohreh Sullivan, or “I Will Be Heard! The Antislavery Movement in the U.S. and the Midwest,” led by Bradley University professor, Stacey Robertson. Then, from August 14-22, 11 Illinois teachers traveled to Boppard, Germany, to meet with their counterparts in the state of Rhineland Pfalz and discuss the topic: “The German-American Cultural, Economic and Political Relationship – Growing Together or Drifting Apart?” AmerikaHaus in Frankfurt and AtlantischeAkademie in Boppard were cosponsors of this event, along with the Illinois Humanities Council. This is the fourth year of teacher exchanges between the IHC and the Rhineland Palatinate.

The following Illinois teachers attended this seminar in Germany:


  • Robert Bartlett, J. Sterling Morton High School (Berwyn)
  • Maureen Boor, Christopher School (Chicago)
  • Carol Burkhead-Fox, Central Junior High School (Belleville)
  • Janet Humphrey, St. Rose Elementary (St. Rose)
  • Alice Chase-Sieth, Ames Middle School (Chicago)
  • Christopher Hunger, Fry School (Burbank)
  • Megan Lantz, Pioneer Elementary School (West Chicago)
  • Beatrice Quatroke, Portage Park School (Chicago)
  • Joan Reed, Fairmont School (Lockport)
  • Virginia Shorey, Greene Elementary School (Chicago)
  • Pat Williams, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School (Oak Park)

Established in 1996, the IHC’s True Learning, True Teaching program offers committed teachers an environment where they can concentrate on three R’s of their own: Reflection, Renewal, and Reinvigoration. These free, weeklong seminars allow teachers who are interested in learning for learning’s sake to be stimulated intellectually and to be immersed in intellectual exploration with other Illinois teachers. Tuition and program materials are provided by the IHC. The German exchange program grew out of the success of the Illinois Humanities Council’s True Learning, True Teaching program.

For further information about the Illinois Humanities Council, please call 312.422.5580 or visit our website at www.prairie.org.

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