Kayla Krasnik ’28
The Center for Teaching and Learning is a staple program at the Episcopal Academy that was established by Dr. T.J. Locke, Greville Haslam Head of School, in 2017. The CTL is composed of EA faculty members who are dedicated to gathering, analyzing, and implementing research that will benefit teaching at EA. Buckley Executive Director Justin Cerenzia was hired at the start of the 2023-2024 school year and led the charge to create new initiatives that bring teachers together and share new information. Other prominent faculty members involved with the CTL include Andrew Shimrock, Upper School World Language teacher, and Dr. Allison Schultz, Middle School Math teacher.
New information and research surrounding teaching methods in schools can be extremely helpful in improving the learning experiences of students. While new research is helpful, it is not easy to implement. Teachers are very busy in their day-to-day lives with classes, grading assignments, dealing with student behavior, and meeting with students, so there is not always time to learn from new developments in the field. The CTL helps to convey new information to the EA faculty in a way that is easy to understand and apply in the classroom setting.
The impact of the CTL is not always visible, but crucial to the development and improvement of education in the EA community. An influential role that the CTL plays is through the programming for professional development during delayed openings and faculty in-service days, which centers around the study of pedagogy and practice. Along with professional development days, the CTL also manages the new employee onboarding process, helping to integrate new employees into the EA community. One way this is accomplished is through “Lunch and Learns,” where new and old members of the EA faculty are invited to eat lunch with 3-4 Upper School students. It’s where ideas, experiences, and advice are shared to help improve the teaching and learning experience. Another effort for frequent communication is the weekly newsletters, sent out on Wednesdays, titled “What Do You Need,” which include new research, articles, and helpful tips.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Rohr
This year, to engage students with the program’s mission, the CTL launched the Student Advisory Board to help students understand the process from research to application and to bring fresh perspectives. The Student Advisory Board is composed of eighteen students across the Upper School. Board members participate in a program to learn about effective teaching and learning methods based on research, and to see them in practice through shadowing experiences. In addition, they had conversations with their peers to understand what exemplary teaching and learning look like from the student perspective, aside from their own. Ultimately, the purpose of the program is for students to get a glimpse behind the ever-evolving teaching landscape and how faculty keep up to date with it. Most importantly, students should be able to communicate their learning with a greater audience. Students in the EA community should care about the CTL because it is important for students to be involved and to collaborate with the program to have a say in their own learning.
The CTL is a very useful program at EA that both faculty and students should take advantage of to improve the educational experience at EA. For students, the new advisory board is the most direct way to get involved and communicate ideas and information for consideration. Outside of the established times and specific programs, all students and faculty can approach the CTL office with their experiences and insights, as this newer center is always looking to improve and support the academic community to the fullest.
