Five weeks to be a teacher?

Eleni Katsarou, clinical professor and director of elementary education in curriculum and instruction, talks about the shortage of recruits applying for Teach for America on the April 15 PBS Newshour.

“In the end I’m really interested in people and what we do with our short time here on earth. I’m interested in the human soul.”

Luis Alberto Urrea, professor of English and distinguished professor of liberal arts and sciences, on the fundamental theme of his work as an author and poet, April 16 Chicago Tribune

“When your larger message is, you only need five weeks to become a teacher, it demeans, it reduces, it oversimplifies what it is that teachers ought to be doing and what they do.”

Eleni Katsarou, clinical professor and director of elementary education in curriculum and instruction, on the shortage of recruits applying for Teach for America, April 15 PBS Newshour

“After studying this for awhile, I’m not sure if you can say that TIF causes economic development, or that TIF causes appreciation. I think what it does do is that it accelerates [development]. That vacant parcel most likely would have been developed sometime in the future, but with TIF, it increases the probability that it’s developed more quickly.”

Rachel Weber, associate professor of urban planning and policy, on the effects of tax increment financing (TIF) on school funding, property taxes and development in Chicago, April 10 Chicago Magazine