Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Awards
Joyce M. Acker
State Pre-K Demonstration
Center at Price School
(Chicago Public Schools)
4351 South Drexel Boulevard, Chicago
State Prekindergarten
As a founding staff member at the State Prekindergarten Demonstration Center, Joyce Acker helped to define her school as a center that provides culturally and linguistically diverse children with a model early childhood program. “Her classroom is a productive place where children learn to take risks and experience the intrinsic rewards of challenges well met,” says Ellen Lindsey, one of Acker’s colleagues.
Of the 17 children in Acker’s classroom, ten are Spanish speaking, while seven speak English. That fact presents a challenge for a teacher hoping to establish a sense of community, but it’s a challenge Acker takes on with enthusiasm. “She takes time to get to know each family, and to make them feel valued,” says Peter Brown, head teacher at the program.
A National Board Certified teacher, the highest credential a teacher can earn, Acker is constantly challenging herself to grow. “At the end of every year, I discard all my lesson plans so that I’m forced to treat each class as a new experience,” says Acker.
Acker extends learning beyond the walls of her classroom. She is a mentor to other teachers in her school. “One of my favorite images is seeing her in counsel with another teacher on the park bench outside her classroom,” says Brown. “Just as with the children, she provides a sense of calm, clarity of thought and humor.”
In addition, Acker shares her knowledge with other educators as conference co-chair for the Chicago Metro Association of Young Children and as a member of the early childhood faculty at Daley College.
But to parent TiChina Barrett, the most important thing about Joyce Acker is her attitude. “She loves her students,” gushes Barrett. “She has so much patience, kindness and gentleness for everyone she meets.” And that attitude pays off, making the challenges all worthwhile. “The ‘I can do it myself’ feeling I observe makes it wonderful to be a teacher,” says Acker. “I love to help children make discoveries and learn.”