Promise and Potential
Responding to the challenge to educate all students
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Promise and Potential is a partnership between Bloomington Junior High School and Illinois Wesleyan University designed to
Research tells us that the involvement of caring adults can make a significant difference in the lives of young people. This fact is the inspiration for matching BJHS students with IWU student mentors enrolled in the first two courses of the teacher education program (Educ 225 and 255), whom we call “Coaches.” Each Promise and Potential Coach works with one or two BJHS students twice a week for 45 minutes during the school day. Coaches spend additional time in their students' classrooms. IWU teacher education candidates’ participation in the partnership is integral to their education as teacher-scholars for social justice. Participating IWU coaches learn to understand, appreciate, and respond to students from diverse backgrounds. They develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to foster learning among all children regardless of culture, ethnicity, language, class, gender and/or ability. They also learn to communicate with parents about their students’ progress. Each semester Coaches make a meaningful difference in the lives of BJHS students. Upon graduation from IWU, our alumni are ready to transform the educational landscape as they bring their dispositions and skills to other students in other schools. |
Links Announcements The William T. Kemper Foundation-Commerce Bank, Trustee, and the Commerce Bancshares Foundation are supporting the Promise and Potential partnership with a $25,000 grant award in 2010. The award is being used to integrate technology in the school-based tutor-mentor program at Bloomington Junior High School. More Information |