Our Story:
Be the Change Collaborative is a non-profit organization committed to working with educators to transform classroom experiences for our students. In 2009, a group of six educators who were graduates of the University of Chicago Urban Teacher Education Program and teaching in classrooms across the south side of Chicago came together to develop a plan for a charter school. The focus of B
e the Change Charter School’s mission centered around a project-based and interdisciplinary curriculum that would prepare students to be active citizens of their community and world. Over the course of five years, the organization has become more focused in its vision, gathered the support of many educators and community members, and raised funds for its efforts in submitting a charter proposal to Chicago Public Schools. While the platform for our work may no longer be a school, BCC has re-imagined itself as an organization dedicated to fostering a community of teachers who create and implement interdisciplinary curricular units in classrooms across Chicago. Learn more about the Interdisciplinary Learning Fellowship Program on our website! BCC will also maintain a database of interdisciplinary units created by our fellows and organize a citywide celebration of interdisciplinary learning every spring for students, families, and teachers. We envision a true collaborative in which teachers across Chicago and from diverse backgrounds work together and become agents of change within their classrooms and schools. Be the Change Collaborative is led by co-founders and coaches, Jeannie Kim and Sonia Wang, and has a governing board comprised of six members from various civic, educational, and community sectors. We are passionate about the impact that interdisciplinary teaching and learning can have on not only what students learn but how and why they learn, use their voice, and take action in today’s world.