Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Awards
Edwina Klein
Portage Park State Pre-K
5330 West Berteau Avenue Chicago
State Pre-K
“Children do not learn alone—relationships are at the center of their learning,” says Edwina Klein, who has taught Prekindergarten in the Chicago Public Schools for twenty-five years. Klein teaches a culturally diverse population of “at-risk” three- and four-year-old children at Portage Park State Pre-K.
“Every day when Edwina greets each child and parent, she makes them feel special and welcome,” observes Jeria Iannotti, who has worked with Klein frequently over the years. “I’ve always been amazed at the way she handles so many details at the opening of class sessions,” says John Olivo, whose child was in Klein’s classroom last year. “It’s like watching a master juggler.”
“Edwina is forever implementing new techniques to motivate her students and inspire their parents,” says Bonnie Roelle, Manager of the North Area State Prekindergarten. Her students use journals every day. Graphing is used daily to develop math skills. But beyond specific activities, Klein looks to the children themselves for their learning. Klein utilizes every opportunity to create “teachable moments.”
“In her room, all learning taking place is experiential, yet nothing happens by chance,” says a recent visitor to her class. “Edwina is able to capture the right moments and find the right approaches to facilitate conversation with and learning for each child.”
Klein is also dedicated to a team approach. That dedication was reinforced recently when Klein was chosen to represent the Office of Early Childhood at a conference in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The Chicago Public Schools had no funding to send Klein’s teaching assistant with her. Yet Klein felt so strongly that she and her assistant are a team that she personally helped pay for her colleague to make the journey with her.
Klein is extremely dedicated to her profession. She participates and presents at a multitude of workshops and conferences. Her classroom has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); Klein received validator training and has conducted validation visits since then.
In the end, Klein believes that teaching is perhaps most about passion. “I look upon passion as a criterion for teaching, and passion as an indicator of quality; we need passion for the success of tomorrow’s children.” And what fuels Klein’s passion? “I most enjoy the connections with children and their families,” she exclaims. “I love the children and the children always reciprocate.”