John W. Fritsche, Ed.D.

Professor and Chairman
Department of Education
Director, Teacher Education Programs
Certification Officer

Education: Concordia University, River Forest Illinois, B.A. 1967; University of Illinois-Springfield, M.A. 1986; Illinois State University-Normal, Ed.D. 1989.

Courses: Introduction to Teaching; Curriculum Instruction and Assessment; Professional Seminars

Achievements: Fulbright Senior Scholar to Cyprus 2002

Research Interest: Curriculum theory; learning styles and brain research

Teaching was the only career Professor John W. Fritsche, Ed.D., considered.

"I entered college in the 60s when the emphasis was on helping people, not making a lot of money," says Fritsche, whose three older sisters also chose careers in education. "Teaching was a good fit for me because I love to learn. I don't think you can be a good teacher without being a continuous learner."

Fritsche began his career by teaching language arts, science and art at elementary schools in Wisconsin and Ohio. In 1977, he moved to Jacksonville where for nearly a decade he taught and served as principal of Salem Lutheran Church and School. After earning advanced degrees, Fritsche moved into higher education. He was an instructor at Bradley University's College of Education and Health Sciences in Peoria before joining Illinois College in 1989.

Both faculty and enrollment have grown during Fritsche's tenure. He expanded field-based programs and introduced the teacher work sample (TWS), an increasingly popular instruction tool for student teachers. The TWS helps students assess the success of their teaching, measure the progress of their pupils and make changes necessary for improvement.

"The program allows for a lot of reflection, which I believe is critical in the formation of good teachers," Fritsche says.

In 1998, Fritsche received The Ambassador Award from the Illinois College Alumni Association for his help in establishing an alternative high school known as the Educational Support Program Alternative Resource Center. The center, based in Jacksonville, serves 20 communities and 12 school districts. Illinois College utilizes the center as a major training ground for its secondary education teacher candidates.

Fritsche took a leave from the education department in 2002 to become a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Cyprus where he designed programs for improving the instruction of English for the Greek and Turkish schools on the island. His paper on teaching cooperative skills in high school mathematics classes was translated into Greek. Following his Fulbright, Fritsche was invited to return to Cyprus by the Cyprus Fulbright Commission to deliver a bi-communal lecture entitled, "Liberating Learning in the 21st Century: New Insights About Learning and Forgetting," for the 2002 International Education Week. Fritsche is co-author of the book, "Turning Points in Middle Schools: Strategic Transitions for Educators," published in 1996.

"My advice to students is don't take the easy way out," Fritsche says. "Children are natural learners and you have to figure out how to capitalize on those natural inclinations. Listening isn't learning and teaching isn't telling."

   

 

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