Informing the environments where young learners thrive
Helping schools prepare for their youngest students.
As more communities recognize the impact of early education in children’s long-term success, there is a growing movement to expand elementary schools to reach our youngest learners. We work with school leaders and educators to share our approach to early learning and build their capacity to design, implement and lead pre-K through second grade programs grounded in research, science, and relationships.
VOCEL Leaders
VOCEL has designed programs to support elementary school principals, assistant principals and other early childhood administrators, including a learning cohort (formerly known as the BELL fellowship), book studies, and self-guided learning modules.
The learning cohort was designed in partnership with the The Chicago Public Education Fund and Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Early Childhood Education. The learning cohort is a professional development that engages a cohort of leaders leaders to build their vision for early learning excellence. Through a combination of group training, thought partnership, and ready-to-use resources, VOCEL supports administrators to lead exemplary programs within the early years at their schools. We provide targeted support that serves as a bridge, connecting excellence in pre-k to strong practices throughout the elementary building.
The VOCEL Leaders team engages leaders in cycles for improvement focused on child development/pedagogy, vision for early learning excellence, or leadership/coaching capacity. Currently, VOCEL Leaders supports principals, assistant principals, and teacher leaders in a diverse cohort of schools across Chicagoland, including center-based administrators.
VOCEL Leaders also conducts group learning through workshops and book studies, as well as supporting leaders in their own asynchronous, self-guided learning journey. Click below to find out more.
VOCEL Educators
VOCEL has designed programs to support Pre-K-second grade teachers, teacher assistants, and other early childhood staff, including a learning community (formerly known as the EETC fellowship), professional development workshops, and other learning opportunities.
VOCEL’s learning community, designed in partnership with A Better Chicago, supports pre-K through second grade teachers learn developmentally appropriate practices and implementation on mental health supports, play based learning, and social emotional learning. Together with a community of support in the cohort, they will create action plans to implement key priorities for improvement at their schools.
This learning community will help those teacher leaders translate their knowledge, visions and goals to action with the support of a coach and peer group ready to help one another – and one another’s students – thrive!