WE SEE THE TEACHER IN YOU

No Matter Your Starting Point, We can Help you Become a Teacher.

Imagine using your skills and experiences to inspire young minds. Whether you are a community leader, healthcare worker, entrepreneur, coach, paraprofessional, or in any other field, your background brings valuable perspectives to teaching.

As a teacher, you can positively impact students, helping shape future generations.

Line drawing of a flying paper airplane with a curlicue path.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Whether you’ve decided to become a teacher, are considering it, or just gathering information, we’re here to help. Please share where you are in your journey and we will help you with your next steps.

Take the Next Step

Benefits of
becoming a teacher

The reasons and benefits of becoming a teacher are personal and unique to each individual. The following are a few examples of what has been shared with us:

The fulfillment of positively impacting the lives of students, their families, and communities
Being an educator who "looks like their students"
Career growth
Leadership opportunities
Consistent pay
Pension benefits
Healthcare coverage
Summers off or flexible summer schedules

Start Now

Teacher Rita is a Black woman with kind eyes. She holds a folder and stands in front of a hot pink graphic letter O.

Grow Your Own Illinois

GYO-IL is a long-standing non--profit organization which recruits and supports racially diverse and community-connected individuals to become licensed teachers.

Beyond administering regional GYO programs, we are collaborating with 22 universities and community colleges to recruit future educators for Illinois.

OUR CAMPAIGN

The “We See the Teacher in You” campaign is intended to inspire and support African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino/a/e, and other underrepresented individuals into teacher licensure programs and pathways in Illinois.

Our goal is to connect you with a higher education advisor at one of our partner institutions who can help you start your journey to become a licensed teacher.

Our Partners

We partner with 22 universities and community colleges in Illinois with teacher licensure programs and pathways, including bilingual and special education.

Complete our Inquiry Form and we’ll match you with our partners based on your answers.

Please note that this process does not guarantee admission into a teacher preparation program or a regional GYO program and does not constitute a promise or commitment of financial assistance.

Hear the stories

Learn more

Teacher Destiny stands proudly in front of a graphic background with a thick purple stripe and pink and yellow lines.

Your teaching journey

Complete the Inquiry Form to connect with an advisor. Filling out this form isn't a commitment-it's a way for us to match you with a knowledgeable advisor who can answer your questions and support you as you explore whether teaching is the right path for you. Remember, no matter your starting point, we can help you become a licensed teacher.

You can also learn more about our partners by visiting their websites using the links provided below.

Inquiry Form

We congratulate you on this significant step! Complete this form to be matched with an advisor who can guide you through the process of becoming a teacher.