Plainfield East High School humanities division social studies teacher Kady Fairfield Meneses will participate in the prestigious Transatlantic Educators Dialogue (TED) Program at the University of Illinois.
The TED Program is a unique opportunity for educators in the United States and Europe to come together online for shared exploration and examination of various educational topics.
Such topics include global collaboration, supporting diverse learning needs, parental involvement, and technology in the classroom.
Fairfield Meneses will spend the next 10 weeks in a peer learning network, building global competency skills.
Fairfield Meneses said this professional development opportunity fuels her passion of lifelong learning.
“I love learning through conversation and the TED program is the perfect platform to build community with other educators,” Fairfield Meneses said.
Fairfield Meneses was chosen to represent the teaching profession as one of 41 educators from 19 states and 16 European countries.
“Throughout my career, I’ve reflected on how I can improve the delivery of my content to meet the changing needs of my students,” she said. “By networking with a global community of educators, I hope to gain even more inspiration to try new ways of making my content relatable and accessible to all my students.”
Starting this week, Fairfield Meneses and her peers will immerse themselves in online coursework, group discussions and reflection.
“My goal is to create online classroom exchanges that allow my students to engage in global citizenship,” she said.
Fairfield Meneses wants her students to connect with humanity in the spirit of curiosity and not judgment.
Upon completion, Fairfield Meneses can collaborate with international colleagues in extension projects through the TED Fellows program.
“We are excited and very proud that Kady has been given this outstanding opportunity,” Plainfield East High School Assistant Principal of Student Services Heather Boswell said.
Fairfield Meneses has worked in District 202 for 11 years and been teaching for 16 years.