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 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 moreECACE students build associate degrees into B.S. in Early Childhood Education
Soraya Rodriguez-Juarez is a Head Start teacher for the City of Rockford, where she lives. Yet neither the 50 miles between her hometown and Elgin Community College, nor the hourlong, one-way commute in heavy tollway traffic, is deterring her from the pursuit
Read moreThree additional 2+2 agreements signed with Waubonsee Community College
Three more NIU College of Education bachelor’s degree programs are now available in a seamless 2+2 format to Waubonsee Community College students. Early Childhood Education, Special Education and Kinesiology have joined Elementary Education, Physical Education and Sport Management on the menu of
Read moreMessage from the Chair
Spring greetings from the Department of Special and Early Education! It is hard to believe that commencement is just around the corner. As a magnificent thunderstorm brews outside my window, I am reminded that spring brings change – change for flora; change
Read moreU-46 paraprofessionals ‘leap’ to begin journey to Special Education degrees
Thirty-five paraprofessionals from School District U-46 have begun their employer-paid pursuit of NIU bachelor’s degrees in Special Education. Part of the College of Education’s PLEDGE-Partnering to Lead and Empower District-Grown Educators initiative, the new Licensed Educator Accelerated Pathway (LEAP) program provides a
Read moreMessage from the Chair
Season’s Greetings to all our Special and Early Education alums and supporters! The 2021-2022 academic year has launched with many changes for SEED. Although a few of these changes are sad—for example, the retirements of Barb Amberg (undergraduate advisor), Valerie Sawyer (clinical
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 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 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 moreCongratulations!
Congratulations to these members of the NIU College of Education family! Dean Laurie Elish-Piper, Professor Emeritus Jerry Johns and NIU College of Education alumna Susan Lenski are recipients of the 2020 Diane Lapp & James Flood Professional Collaborator Award from the International
Read moreAll-College Meeting goes virtual, shares optimism for a ‘modified’ fall semester
Laurie Elish-Piper opened Tuesday’s All-College Meeting by quickly acknowledging the elephant in the virtual room. COVID-19 continues to impact the world, and returning to a new semester of teaching and learning will bring “challenges and situations that are quite different than what
Read more