Chicago GEAR UP Summer Programs 2009

Read what Alicia Gee, a GEAR UP teacher had to say about how a strategy that she learned through GEAR UP professional development has helped her help her students.

Alicia Gee, a GEAR UP teacher says “One of the most beneficial strategies I’ve learned from GEAR UP is Mind Mapping. I have often said that teaching 100+ students a year with the same traditional methods can sometimes feel like trying to take a pair of size 6 shoes and demand that each student wear them. Mind Mapping is a wonderful way to discuss themes, teach organizational skills, explore texts, and implement brainstorming.”

"GEAR UP should be praised, once again, for reiterating what research has shown for years; if our students are to be successful, we must continue to provide strategies that will allow them to activate their Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Programs such as GEAR UP are fundamental in providing teachers with the resources and skills they need to survive in a demanding school setting."