Who is eligible to apply for a TNLI Fellowship?

What is Action Research?

What are the benefits of being a TNLI Fellow?

Will I get graduate credit from my TNLI Fellowship?

What are the responsibilities of a TNLI Fellow?

What are Character Education TNLI Fellowships?

How can I apply for a Character Education TNLI Fellowship?

What should I expect from the application & selection process?

Who is eligible to apply for a TNLI Fellowship?

Any Chicago Public School teacher - including ALL educators working under the CFE umbrella, i.e. City of Chicago charter, contract, & magnet teachers, as well as those working in traditional neighborhood schools - who works over 60% of the time with students in PreK through 8th Grades.  There are no requirements regarding number of years spent teaching or number of years employed by CPS.

What is Action Research?

Action research is a process that teachers can use on an on-going basis to analyze the effectiveness of their instruction through data collection, evaluation, and reflection. The results of a teacher's research can have an impact on a classroom, the school, or an entire district.

What are the benefits of being a TNLI Fellow?

• Receive a $1,250 stipend ($1,450 with a Character Education Bonus; see below for details).
• Receive up to 68 CPDUs.
• Receive on-going instruction by a University professor on how to conduct action research.
• Conduct an action research project that will inform your own practice as well as educational policies on a school and district-wide basis.
• Be recognized as a teacher leader.
• Represent teachers nationwide as spokespersons for education policy issues.
• Increase knowledge of major challenges facing the teaching profession through readings and discussions with leading education policy experts.
• Become members of an online community of teacher leaders.

Will I get graduate credit from my TNLI Fellowship?

TNLI Fellows do not currently receive graduate credit for their work in the TNLI Fellowship Program, but we are working with National Louis University staff to try and work something out for the 2010-11 Fellowship cycle.  Please check the CFE Grants website periodically for updates.

What are the responsibilities of a TNLI Fellow?

• Attend 11 four hour meetings and two individual conferences throughout the school year (attendance is required but every effort will be made to coordinate meeting dates with schedules of participating fellows).
• Devote a considerable amount of time outside of meetings collecting and analyzing data.
• Complete and be prepared to discuss approximately one assigned reading per meeting to support research efforts.
• Write a 10-15 page research paper detailing findings from your action research project.
• Write a two-page summary of research findings including policy implications and recommendations.
• Maintain weekly communication with TNLI Fellows and ensure access to the necessary computer equipment and internet connections.
• Present your research findings and policy recommendations at CFE's Creative Classrooms Workshop.
• Identify at least one additional venue for publicizing your research and policy recommendations.
• Participate regularly in local and national listserv communication.
• Participate on local advisory boards, panels, and task forces related to your action research topic.

What are Character Education TNLI Fellowships?

CFE will award a limited number of Character Education Bonuses to teachers willing to focus their action research on Character Education issues. Teachers who are awarded Character Education Bonuses will receive an extra $200 at the end of the school year. Other benefits and responsibilities remain the same.

How can I apply for a Character Education TNLI Fellowship?

On the application, check the box indicating that you would like to be considered for the Character Education TNLI Fellowship and answer any additional required questions. Teachers who receive Character Education TNLI Fellowships will be awarded $1,450. If you apply for but do not win a Character Education Bonus, you will still be considered for a $1,250 TNLI Fellowship.

What should I expect from the application & selection process?

The TNLI application will be available in by the second week of May; the deadline is Friday, June 14, 2010. All applicants will be notified of their status within one month of the deadline. At that time, selected applicants will move to the next phase of the application process, which is when the personal interviews are conducted. Please mail completed applications, required attachments, and additional copies to: Chicago Foundation for Education, 400 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 720, Chicago, IL 60611; fax 312.670.2029. Feel free to contact Sarah Rossi at 312.670.2037 if you have any further questions.  If you would like to find out more about the Teachers Network Leadership Institute (TNLI) Program, please visit the national TNLI website at: www.TeachersNetwork.org