Building a caring, cooperative classroom

James Bellanca Chief Executive Officer Jim Bellanca has more than 40 years of experience as a classroom teacher, alternative school director, professional developer for educators, and intermediate service center consultant. He has published more than 60 books and articles, including bestsellers: Professional Development for Change: Blue Prints for Achievement in the Cooperative Classroom (with Robin Fogarty), Multiple Assessments for Multiple Intelligences, What is it About Me You Can’t Teach? (with Eleanor Rodriguez), and The Graphic Organizer. Fueled by has passion and commitment to providing professional learning opportunities for educators, Bellanca founded the International Renewal Institute (iRi) in 1970. To complement iRi’s mission of providing world-class teacher training programs and materials, he then launched Skylight (later sold to Pearson Education), the first publishing company dedicated to providing educators with professional development materials that focus on innovative instructional strategies. Bellanca also designed two alternative school programs, an intermediate service center that pioneered practical professional development programs, a state-wide, strategy-based set of courses for teachers, Illinois largest and most dynamic field-based Master’s Degree Program for teachers with three University partners, and a not-for-profit service agency dedicated to the development of a 21st Century Enriched Learning School model based on full integration of the Feuerstein Method across all curricular areas and instruction. Bellanca is known for his cutting-edge program design and implementation of research-rich, standards-aligned professional learning programs for educators. He has worked with educational leaders in Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and other school districts around to country to design programs that promote Critical Thinking and Collaboration as a means to increase academic performance among all children, including high-risk student populations. Bellanca has a special interest in designing classroom strategies, professional learning programs, and enriched learning environments which promote the Critical Thinking skills required to prepare students for the academic rigor and workplace demands of the 21st century.