As a Special Education major in clinical placements, Courtney James noticed something about students with autism and their devices for augmentative and alternative communication. They weren’t using them – at least not to initiate dialogue, James says, or not at all. Most
Read more‘A positive influence’: Laura Hedin ready to retire, continue impacting teachers
Teaching, at least in the classroom sense, wasn’t Laura Hedin’s intention. She liked the humanities and contemplated a career in creative writing, “but my dad kept telling me I’d never make any money.” Plan B: Her older sister, Teresa, worked as a
Read moreCOE alumna Molly Kettelhut receives Rockford-area 2024 Golden Apple award
Molly Kettelhut spent her childhood dreaming of one thing. “I wanted to teach for my whole life. I went through a short period where I wanted to do something else, but then I quickly realized – like I always had known –
Read moreSEED receives $2.5 million grant, will provide financial assistance to train 80 Visual Disabilities professionals with social justice focus
Blindness and visual disabilities do not discriminate. Anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or creed, can face a lifetime of limited vision or no sight at all. For some, it begins at birth. For others, it can come with age,
Read moreEarly Childhood Education 2+2 to debut in Fall 2024 at McHenry County College
The NIU College of Education has added another “2+2” agreement to create a seamless transfer pathway for community college students. Beginning next fall, Early Childhood Education will become of five NIU majors being offered at the University Center at McHenry County College,
Read moreCOE enrollment remains consistent
Enrollment in the College of Education is mostly steady this fall and, in some areas, beating averages. Rising numbers were recorded in 10 undergraduate programs and 18 graduate programs, including a 108% growth in the Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (with a
Read moreHope (Bess) Wilson named SEED chair
Hope (Bess) Wilson is the new chair of the Department of Special and Early Education. She comes to NIU from the University of North Florida, where she had taught since 2012 and most recently served as a professor in the Department of
Read moreIllinois Tutoring Initiative team extols first year of work to erase COVID deficits
Growing up as one of two girls among nine children, Diana Vroman understood that her big family was “pretty spread out with the resources.” School was different, however. “I really depended on the resources that I got from my instructors and educators
Read moreShifting the tone: PPABB scholars lead workshop on managing school bullying
Five NIU students receiving specialized, cross-disciplinary preparation to deal with bullying in schools recently applied their new knowledge with current paraprofessionals in DeKalb’s District 428. Chelsea Cluchey, Quinn Galindo, Catie McGinnis, Bailey Schejbal and Gretta Ward designed and delivered the interactive April
Read moreCOE graduate students honored
The NIU Graduate School celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of several students this spring. Students were nominated for recognition by their academic departments, are fellowship recipients or are dissertation and thesis prize winners. Recipients of the 2022-2023 awards included 17 from the College
Read morePhoto Gallery: New Teacher Send-off
The NIU College of Education recognized spring graduates of licensure programs May 12 during the New Teacher Send-off event in Cavan Auditorium. NIU alumna Kimberly Radostits, the 2022 Illinois Teacher of the Year and a 2023 National Teacher of the Year finalist,
Read moreNIU PLEDGE, Elgin Community College add 18 elementary teachers to pipeline
The numbers tell an amazing story. Eighteen B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education majors started the third cohort of the College of Education’s PLEDGE (Partnering to Lead and Empower District-Grown Educators) program with Elgin Community College in the fall semester of 2021. All 18
Read more