Celebrating our PreK-12 Educators!

About the Fesitval

For the past 16 years the Ithaca community has hosted the Ithaca Loves Teachers Winter Recess Teacher Festival in February, with discounted lodging, dining and activities available to public school teachers, school district employees, teachers union retirees, homeschool teachers, student teachers, childcare workers and their guests. Teachers from all over the country come to this much anticipated event!

The Ithaca Loves Teachers Festival is a partnership between Visit Ithaca, Downtown Ithaca Alliance and Tompkins Chamber.

Previous Workshops Offered

Racism, Anti-Racism, and Us: Teaching with Stamped in Tompkins County

Hosted by Dr. Sara Levy, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Education 

February 15th, 2021

What does it mean to be an anti-racist educator? How can we work to support our students in their anti-racist work? How can the book Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You serve as a resource in these efforts? We will use these questions to guide our work in this interactive workshop. 

1.5 hours CTLE credit

Using LGBTQIA Literature to Promote Allyship and Co-conspiracy

Hosted by Kimberly Slusser, Coordinator of Field Experiences in the Department of Education

February 25th, 2021

In this session we’ll examine ways we model or promote allyship and co-conspiracy within our learning environments and explore how use of LGBTQIA texts can help exemplify ally behavior, as well as illustrate the impacts of ally behavior and antagonist behavior. Participants will also engage in conversation about ways to move our learners and communities from allyship to co-conspiracy (as defined by Bettina Love), through literature.   

1.5 hours CTLE credit

Cultivating an Asset-Based Approach in Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Hosted by Dr. Shuzhan Li, Assistant Professor in the Department of Education

February 17th, 2021

This interactive workshop introduces the framework of Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) as a lens for teachers of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners to disrupt deficit orientations and identify cultural strengths within CLD communities. Participants will utilize the CCW framework in analyzing multimodal materials and collaboratively imagine ways to incorporate CCW in practice. 

1.5 hours CTLE credit

Educational History in Ithaca, NY: Access, Equity & Inequity

Hosted by Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell, Assistant Professor in the Department of Education

February 18th, 2021

This workshop will use Ithaca, NY as a case study to explore the educational history of a school district.  There will be an intentional focus on inclusion and exclusion of students as well as the history of equity in both the local case study as well as larger state-wide practices, policies, and legislation. 

1.5 hours CTLE credit

Professional Development for Teachers: Analyze personal aspects that influence anxiety to help your students

Hosted by Dr. Laura Campbell Carapella, Associate Professor of Health Promotion and Physical Education

February 19th, 2021

Enjoy a discussion and self- analysis of judgement, guilt, ego, validation, and authenticity. Apply hands-on activities in the classroom to engage students in transformational learning and a reduction of anxiety. 

1.5 hours CTLE credit