Scenes from the Colleges
NATIONAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
NLU IS HELPING NEW TEACHERS THRIVE—AND STAY—THROUGH FREE SUPPORT AND PAID CERTIFICATION PATHWAYS.
N LU’s National College of Education (NCE) remains at the forefront of educating teachers, principals, administrators and educators who will go on to impact children in schools across the country. Last year, NCE launched a new Teacher Induction Program to support NLU alumni who are in the first or second year of teaching, and to provide them with knowledge, skills and tools to be successful in their classrooms. The goal of the Program is to increase teacher retention, which is particularly important, as data show that 44% of teachers leave the profession within their first five years. The Program offers monthly virtual discussion groups — facilitated by NLU faculty — that cover topics from classroom management and parent engagement, to coping with stress. In addition, participants have access to online modules on teaching pedagogy and receive continuing education credits that count towards maintaining their teacher license. This combination of training and peer support is invaluable in helping new teachers find their footing in the profession and in their classrooms. Thanks to private funding, the Program is offered free of charge to participants, and is also expanding to offer one-on-one coaching and site visits with NLU faculty and staff, and small-group discussions around special topics. Notably,
after completing the program, 100% of participants from the past year responded that they were likely or very likely to remain in the teaching profession for at least five years. In addition, NCE’s alternative certification and residency programs are paving the way to place more qualified educators in schools, while making the process of becoming a teacher more affordable and attainable. More than 90% of schools in Illinois face a serious teacher shortage. These programs offer paid paths that allow participants to work in schools while obtaining their Professional Educator License (PEL), which is a requirement for those who wish to teach in public schools. Alternative certification candidates start in the summer with intensive education courses before they begin working as the teacher-of-record in the fall with support from NLU and an experienced mentor. This path is designed to be completed in two years. NCE’s one-year, intensive teacher residency program offers paraprofessionals and school community members the opportunity to learn alongside a mentor teacher four days a week while simultaneously completing coursework to earn a graduate degree and an Illinois teacher’s license.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE AND OTHER OFFERINGS FROM NCE, VISIT WWW.NL.EDU/NATIONAL-COLLEGE-OF-EDUCATION
14 | View | National Louis University
Powered by FlippingBook