Congratulations on your decision to pursue a teaching degree and license through the National College of Education at NLU. There are a few things we want you to know about your journey. Teaching is a very complicated profession. Good teachers need to be fully present, physically, and emotionally, in order to meet the needs of all their students. Good teachers view their work as a calling or vocation and not just a job. They are thinking about their students, the families they serve, and the content they teach and are always looking for ways to engage their students so learning happens. Great teachers are good communicators and have the ability to share sensitive or difficult information in a respectful way. These characteristics of good teachers are just a snapshot of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that you will need to become a good teacher. Here is what we already know about you. You are adult learners with full time jobs, families, and other obligations. So be sure that you can commit to graduate education and balance your other responsibilities. With the exception of emergencies that arise, there will be times when you will need to decide to do coursework rather than a more preferred activity. And you might find it helpful to build a support network through family and friends so you can meet program responsibilities. Your faculty are committed to your growth and development in this program. Here are some things you should know. You can expect: 1. High academic expectations through a rigorous curriculum that makes you think, analyze and look at the education field through a culturally sustaining lens using multiple perspectives. 2. Feedback from your instructors on the quality of your work and levels of engagement in each course. You will need to be present in your classes, whether on campus or online, stay current with the course content, complete assignments on time and engage in group work to demonstrate that you can collaborate with other professionals to complete a project. 3. Support from the faculty if you are not meeting course expectations or struggling in the field. Instructors are concerned with your learning as what you learn will have direct application to your work as a teacher in the field. You are encouraged to communicate with your instructors about issues that may be keeping you from performing at expectation, questions or concerns you have with the content, organization of the class or the assignments. They will, however, hold you to high standards. 4. To spend time in a classroom. Make this a priority when planning for each term. If you have difficulty finding a place to complete your hours, work with your instructor. 5. State licensure requirements that include maintaining a 2.75 GPA and earning a “B” or better in all methods courses. The State will not accept grades below “C-” on any course required for licensure. There is a required Illinois Content Exam that you must pass in order to move into Practicum II. Study materials are available for these. Start early in your program. Faculty will keep you informed of any other licensure requirements that you must meet. We wish the very best as you embark on this journey with us and are here to support, encourage and prepare you for the very best profession in the world. Welcome to Graduate School. The Early Childhood MAT Faculty Co-Chairs Dr. Ayn Keneman and Dr. Xiaoli Wen
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