KENNETH FRANK JERICH
Professor of Curriculum & Instruction
Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Dr. Kenneth F. Jerich received his bachelor's degree in 1969 from Morehead State University, a master's degree in 1973 from Western Carolina University, an advanced (certificate) specialist degree in 1984, as well as a doctoral degree in teacher education in 1987 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Dr. Jerich's areas of specialization include teacher education, curriculum and instruction, supervision of instruction, secondary education, postsecondary education, faculty development, music education, teacher evaluation, program evaluation and post-doctoral work in the field of evaluation.

This is his third decade in the professional field of education. After 12 years as a public school teacher in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida, Dr. Jerich has spent the last nineteen plus years, of a 24 year career in higher education, at Illinois State University, Normal.  He holds the academic rank of Professor for Curriculum and Instruction in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, at Illinois State University (ISU).  He was chosen as one of the first faculty associates as The Center Associate for Individual Consultation and Mentoring with ISU’s Center For The Advancement Of Teaching.

Dr. Jerich's scholarly manuscripts exceed 150 that include publications in postsecondary (higher) education, teacher education, and supervision. He is the co-editor of the 1995 book, The Teaching Assistantship: Engaging The Disciplines, published by the University of Illinois Conferences and Institutes Press; has written several book chapters and articles in national publications, and authored the 1996 book chapter, "Supervision for Teacher Growth in Reflective, Issues-Centered Teaching Practice," Handbook on Teaching Social Issues, published by The National Council For The Social Studies, Washington, DC.

His articles appear in such national peer reviewed journals as The Journal for Graduate Teaching Assistant Development, Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, The Journal of Cooperation and Collaboration in College Teaching, The International Journal of Technology Studies, Journal of Staff Development, and Action in Teacher Education.  He also authored the 1995 Instructor's Manual With Test Items for, Teaching: Theory Into Practice, Allyn & Bacon Publishing Company.  Dr. Jerich has presented over 100 peer-reviewed scholarly papers in postsecondary (higher) education, teacher education, supervision and evaluation at international, national, regional and state professional meetings which include The International Annual Conference on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, The Council of Educational Facility Planners, International, the American Educational Research Association, the Association of Teacher Educators, the National Middle School Association, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum, and the National Council of States on Inservice Education.

His teaching responsibilities include the following doctoral and master's degree courses in Postsecondary Education and Teacher Education:  Advanced Principles and Practices in Supervision, Curriculum and Instructional Patterns in Higher Education, Improvement of Instructional Practice in Post-Secondary Education, Curriculum Evaluation in Postsecondary Education, Supervision of Instruction, Principles of Curriculum Design, the Design and Evaluation of Educational Experiences, and the Instructional Improvement of Graduate Teaching Assistants (ISU's Internship in College Teaching Program).  His undergraduate teaching responsibilities include two courses, that is, Secondary School Organization and Curriculum and Professional Education Secondary Teaching Methods.  Dr. Jerich has supervised student teachers in middle school level teacher education at Illinois State University.  He received the 1998 Outstanding Teacher Award from the ISU chapter of the National Panhellenic Association (an unsolicited teacher award).

Since 1993, Dr. Jerich is the Associate Editor for the Journal for Graduate Teaching Assistant Development, a national peer reviewed journal published by New Forums Press, Incorporated.  He is in his seventh year as a member of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Board of Examiners (NCATE BOE).  He has served on the on the Executive Boards for the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum and the American Educational Research Association’s Division K: Teaching and Teacher Education.  As well, Dr. Jerich as a member of the Mentoring Committee for AERA's Division K:  Teacher and Education.  Furthermore, he serves as an Educational Analyst for the United States Department of Education.  He served for six years on the Board of Directors for the Association of Illinois High Schools.  Moreover, he serves as a curriculum and research consultant for Synergistic Systems Inc., a technology classroom for middle school (level) education, Pittsburg, KS and served as liaison officer for Synergistic Systems for the year long Evaluation Project commissioned by the company and conducted by the University of Illinois College of Education Research Office.

As well, Dr. Jerich served for nine years (three-three year terms) as a Senator (representing the curriculum and instruction department) on the Academic Senate at Illinois State University. Dr. Jerich has twice served as the Illinois State University Member on the Faculty Advisory Council (FAC) for the Illinois Board of Higher Education, where is was elected as its Vice Chair.  He currently serves as ISU's Alternate Member on the FAC.  He serves as a member of the Visiting Professor Series for the Central Illinois Higher Education Consortium.  He also serves and/or served on various university, college and department level committees such as University Academic Planning, Academic Senate Faculty Affairs, Administrative Affairs, and Rules, Council on Teacher Education, College Curriculum, and Departmental Curriculum. He served as secretary and member for the ISU Council on Teacher Education.

In 1993, Dr. Jerich and Mr. Steven Destri, Social Studies teacher from Parkside Middle School, Normal, Illinois, received the National Research Award of Excellence, from the Institute For Educational Research, for its "Action Research in Schools Program." The Awards for Action Research in Schools program is dedicated to honoring research conducted by educators and schools nationally. The research study "Collaboration between Teacher Educator and Practitioner: Teaching History for Understanding in the Junior High School Classroom" was originally presented at the 1993 national American Educational Research Association meeting (AERA). This action research project was replicated in the Fall of 1993 with Mr. Tom Eder, then Social Studies teacher at Normal Community High School, Normal, Illinois.  Mr. Eder is currently the Principal of Normal West Community High School. The paper, "Teacher as Researcher: Reflecting Upon Teaching For Understanding in the High School Social Studies Classroom" was presented at the 1994 national AERA meeting. With his colleague, Professor Dent Rhodes, they provided an innovative on-site experience for the preparation of future secondary high school teachers hosted by Normal West Community High School, Normal Illinois under the leadership of Dr. Jerry Crabtree, past Principal, Normal West Community High School and a cadre leadership team of teachers representing the faculty at Normal West Community High School.

Currently, Dr. Jerich's leadership efforts include serving as the Coordinator for Induction and Mentoring in the College of Education at Illinois State University.  He also serves as Chair of the COE Induction and Mentoring Steering Committee.  As well, he serves on the Illinois State Board of Education's Illinois New Teacher Collaborative (INTC) Partnership Board with emphasis on the Higher Education Strand of the INTC Partnership Board.

Dr. Jerich’s ISU Professional Website URL is: http://people.coe.ilstu.edu/kfjerich/

October, 2007