For students with disabilities, life naturally goes on after school ends. To help facilitate that, their IEPs (individualized education programs) are required by federal law to include a coordinated set of activities, measurable post-secondary employment goals and annual updates based on age-appropriate
Read moreTorch lit, stoked, passed: Surbers retire from leadership of principal preparation
Wedding invitations. Birth announcements. Helpful conversations on choosing the perfect mother-of-the-groom dress. For Jim and Becky Surber, the longtime and now-retired coordinators of the NIU College of Education’s M.S.Ed. in Educational Administration – known colloquially as “principal preparation” – these little slices
Read moreCongratulations!
Congratulations to these members of the NIU College of Education family! Pi-Sui Hsu (PI) and Tom Smith (co-PI) of the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment have been awarded a new National Science Foundation grant titled “Co-constructing Strategies to Enhance Support and
Read moreMicro-moments, major impact: Summit shows teachers how to instill resilience
Ariella Cole hasn’t started teaching yet. Cole is among the 20 paraeducators currently pursuing NIU bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education through the RISE (Rockford Inspiring School and Community Excellence) initiative. But she’s a behavioral intervention specialist who already works in District 205
Read moreDouble-alum Maurice McDavid readies Mitchell Elementary School for launch
DeKalb grew Maurice McDavid from the ground up. Born and raised in the Barb City, he called the Eden’s Garden neighborhood home. He spent kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary School, transferred to Tyler for first- and second-grades and completed third- and fourth-grades at
Read morePLEDGE-ECC celebrates new graduates, program’s alumni roster surpasses 100
Olivia Warren had never really considered becoming a teacher. A part-time job as an elementary school cafeteria/recess aide changed that. “I was interested in going into social work because I really like the mental health aspect,” Warren says. “Then, I started working
Read moreNew Teacher Send-off urges graduates to believe ‘that every student can learn’
For the NIU College of Education’s spring group of educator licensure graduates, part of their professional mission was made clear May 9 during the New Teacher Send-off. Rachael Mahmood, the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year and a 2016 alumna of the
Read moreCollege hosts Celebration of Excellence
Applause sounded frequently May 2 during the College of Education’s annual Celebration of Excellence. Updates from Acting Dean Bill Pitney included the outlook for enrollment: The numbers are positive on several fronts, he said. “We are trending in the right direction, so
Read moreBSAM-ITTE alum Ray Schaefer donates 14 virtual reality headsets to alma mater
A 2023 alumnus of the College of Education’s B.S.A.M. in Instructional Technology degree has honored his alma mater with a gift of Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headsets and a large cleaning unit. The donation from Ray Schaefer, who works in global
Read moreCAHE students return from Bucerías trip with hearts of humanity, compassion
During Kristin Lee’s 13 years as a bilingual special education teacher, she shepherded multiple high school groups on global trips. Her chance this spring to flip the script was not one she could pass up. “I’m a huge world traveler. I love
Read moreProject FLEX basketball tourney hosts youth from five juvenile justice centers
Three dozen youth in the secure custody of the State of Illinois showed off their hoops skills this spring during the inaugural “FLEX Lloyd Tournament of Champions” basketball tournament at Northern Illinois University’s Anderson Hall. And, between the whistles, they enjoyed another
Read moreGood dog! Visual Disabilities students visit The Seeing Eye, Inc. in New Jersey
Orientation and Mobility majors in NIU’s Visual Disabilities program traveled to Morristown, New Jersey, in April to visit The Seeing Eye, Inc. The philanthropic organization strives to enhance the independence, dignity and self-confidence of people who are blind or visually disabled. Its
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