Stephanie DeSpain can count herself among forward-thinking educators who were somewhat prepared to handle the sudden shift to remote learning in March 2020. An assistant professor of Early Childhood Education, DeSpain already had developed and was teaching some classes online in the
Read moreNIU distributing iBill currency readers to individuals with visual impairments
NIU is now a distribution center for free iBill currency readers that enable people with visual disabilities to sort their paper money. The designation from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing comes thanks to the work of
Read moreNIU, Elgin Community College partner for Special Education transfer pathway
Another bachelor’s degree pathway is now available for Elgin-area students who want to become NIU College of Education-graduated teachers without traveling to DeKalb. NIU and Elgin Community College will launch a cohort this fall in Special Education, the second such collaboration and
Read more‘ED Talks’ podcast series launches as new tool in undergraduate recruitment
Brittany Wereminski has a new tool in her work to bring students to the NIU College of Education. Jumping on a suggestion from Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education Chair Todd Gilson, Wereminski launched a series of podcasts titled “ED Talks.” “Todd
Read moreMessage from the Chair
Spring greetings from the Department of Special and Early Education! Many of you already know me, as I have been on the faculty in SEED since 2007. I assumed the role of chair in July 2020, and it has been both a
Read moreAlumni Accomplishments
Congratulations to these Department of Special and Early Education alumni! Kevin Baldus, M.S.Ed. Special Education, ’05, has been named interim Special Education director at Riverside-Brookfield High School, where he is also an instructional coach. Baldus began his career as a teacher at
Read moreCollege of Ed counts four alumni, one student among Golden Apple finalists
Five of the finalists for the prestigious 2021 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching and for Excellence in Leadership claim the NIU College of Education in their pedigrees. NIU alumni Maddi Bodine, Anne McNamara and Virginia Valdez are among the 32
Read moreSEED welcomes new faculty
NIU’s Department of Special and Early Education welcomed three new tenure-track faculty in fall 2020. Familiar face and SEED alumna Lydia Gerzel-Short is joined by Rachel Donegan and Molly Pasley, who also holds a degree from the NIU College of Education. Chair
Read moreBlack students share COE experiences, offer recommendations for improvement
Four Black students in the NIU College of Education joined the Jan. 7 spring all-college meeting to share their personal stories and offer guidance for how faculty and staff can better empower them during their academic journeys. The quartet included one undergraduate
Read moreSupporting students of color: Faculty share ideas to expand concept of equity
As the powerful messages from a panel of Black students concluded during the Jan. 7 all-college meeting, Dean Laurie Elish-Piper shifted the conversation to action. “I’ve asked each department to share an initiative that directly relates to supporting students of color, broadening
Read moreBest of both worlds: Educate U.S. takes virtual trip to Houston during pandemic
COVID-19 could not cancel the NIU College of Education’s January 2021 edition of Educate U.S. with the Houston Independent School District. Even as the pandemic did prevent travel to Texas for the 14 teacher-licensure candidates chosen to participate in the real-world learning,
Read moreSpecial Ed major’s honors project offers advice for teachers with COVID burnout
Lindsey Comeau was only 6 when she began volunteering for the National Association for Down Syndrome’s annual Bowl-A-Thon. The senior Special Education major from Romeoville drew her motivation from a family friend with Down Syndrome, eventually becoming a counselor at a Northern
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