About me
My name is Karīna Čunčuls (Chunculs), and I serve as an EL Instructional Design and Development Specialist with the Office of Multilingual and Multicultural Education at Chicago Public Schools. As a bilingual speaker of Latvian and English raised in the Chicago area, I developed a deep appreciation for language and identity through my experiences attending both American schools and Latvian Saturday and summer schools. These early experiences shaped my passion for culture, multilingualism, and the ways in which identity is formed and supported through education.I earned my undergraduate degree in Political Science and Spanish (minor) from Illinois State University and went on to receive a Master’s in Early Childhood and Bilingual Education from Erikson Institute. Over the past 12 years, I have worked as an early childhood educator, including the last 7 years teaching Pre-K at Velma Thomas Early Childhood Center. At Velma Thomas, I deepened my commitment to linguistically and culturally responsive teaching. My work centers on validating and supporting children’s identities, honoring their home languages, and fostering inclusive learning environments where every child feels seen, valued, and empowered.
