Mayra Daniel considers herself among the fortunate ones. Born in Cuba, she spent her first 11 years in the Caribbean nation with an extended family that included great-grandparents who’d emigrated from Europe. “We left to escape the Castro regime. My father left
Read moreEnseño en Español: DeKalb, Elgin enrolls teachers in new NIU course on biliteracy
During her years as a Cuban living in rural Galesburg, Ill., Mayra Daniel impressed on her family the need for fluency in her native tongue of Spanish. But that language was rare in this community of 35,000 in Knox County. “Few spoke
Read moreEducate Global reaches Spain via Zoom, participants will join in online seminars
As the initial dust of COVID-19 settled in the spring, Laurie Elish-Piper and David Walker began mulling what the virus meant for the near future of the college’s signature hands-on learning programs. “It became pretty apparent that our entire Educate and Engage
Read moreKildeer partners with NIU to provide teachers tools for ELL success stories
As the demographics of Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96 began shifting within the last decade, administrators responded. The solution they implemented in 2017 continues to benefit not only the K-8 students of Buffalo Grove and Long Grove but also the
Read moreTeachers from Uruguay visit NIU, observe U.S. counterparts in DeKalb, Elgin schools
Valentina González and Analia Piantanida rarely see cultural diversity in the homogenous society of Uruguay, where both are English teachers in middle schools and high schools. Coming to Illinois as part of the NIU College of Education’s Uruguay Fulbright Teachers Program, however,
Read moreRochelle school leaders partner with NIU to identify, prepare, hire bilingual teachers
Jason Harper, superintendent of schools in nearby Rochelle, knows that the diversity of his community is evolving. Forty percent of the Hub City’s current population is Hispanic, a number that only will continue to rise in coming years. Harper also understands that
Read moreElementary Ed major Emily Soto earns place on Fulbright-Hays trip to Mexico
Emily Soto came to NIU from Dwight, Ill., to study business, which she did during her freshman and sophomore years. But she ultimately didn’t feel a passion for that career path, prompting her to enroll instead in the Department of Curriculum and
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