As a new group of NIU College of Education licensure majors prepared to graduate and become professionals in the classroom, a seasoned veteran advised them to pack well for the journey ahead.
Their luggage, said Dominique Yackley, must include “exuberance.”
“If you are not engaged in your own instruction, neither will your students. Students will be inattentive, bored and create chaos,” said Yackley, who teaches fifth grade at DeKalb’s Founders Elementary School. “Be creative, be brave and be innovative. Think outside all the boxes. As a matter of fact, break the box down and recycle it. Break down walls and barriers that hinder youth.”
Confidence, courage, fortitude, culture, compassion, collaboration and community also are necessary, she said.
“Students know when you have confusion on your face and lies on your tongue,” she said. “You must know your content and be willing to vulnerable in allowing your students to teach you. You must know your students – and yourself and your biases. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses in best practice.”
Yackley is a double-alumna who earned her B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education (with a minor in Family and Child Studies) in 2013 and completed her M.S.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction: Curriculum and Cultural Pedagogies in Social Justice in 2022.
Her keynote address at May 10’s New Teacher Send-off complimented the graduates on their “passion for shaping young minds” and honored their “perseverance, commitment and the transformative power that education holds.”
“Remember, teaching is not merely a profession. It is a calling – a vocation that requires heart, soul and an unwavering belief in the potential of every student, no matter their background,” said Yackley, who in 2023 earned statewide recognition from Golden Apple.
“As educators, you are not just bearers of information,” she added. “You are architects of futures and illustrators of experiences. In your hands lies the immense responsibility of molding the next generation. You are the guides who will illuminate the path to knowledge, the mentors who will instill values and the champions who will inspire greatness.”
She also challenged her audience “to foster inclusivity, encourage diversity and inspire resilience.”
“Embrace the diversity of thought, culture and backgrounds that your students bring,” she said. “Recognize the unique potential in each individual, for it is through recognizing and nurturing these differences that we truly cultivate a society that values and celebrates diversity.”
Bill Pitney, acting dean of the College of Education, reaffirmed to the graduates the potential Yackley saluted in her words.
“This is an exciting time for you. You are about to embark on an extremely rewarding – if not the most rewarding – career,” Pitney said.
“But it’s not without its challenges, right?” he added. “I want to remind you to remember who you are, remember your mission and, importantly, remember your purpose as an educator. Every time you walk into that classroom, it’s an opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of the students and the families we serve. Always keep that in mind.”
Pitney closed with a favorite quote from Seattle, a Native American chief: “When you know who you are – when your mission is clear and you burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will – no cold can touch your heart. No deluge can dampen your purpose.”
