Innovation in NCE's Teacher Preparation Programs

Our National College of Education Teacher Preparation program works towards innovation and hands-on experiences for our students to prepare them for their first year in the classroom and beyond. With a variety of licensure and degree options in early childhood, elementary, middle grades, secondary and special education. Our programs do more than fulfill requirements for the initial Professional Educator License (PEL) in Illinois–they provide an essential foundation for aspiring educators to learn the art and the science of teaching.

Read more below to learn about the latest Teacher Preparation initiatives: 

• NCE and UGC teacher preparation students now have access to the U.S. Department of Education’s Experimental Sites Initiative. This has made $96,285.00 of work study money available to 80 student teachers for the 2021-2022 academic year!
• 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 their graduate studies. Currently we’re working with district partners, such as Chicago Public Schools and North Chicago School District 187. 
• Our unique Year-Long Internship model allows M.A.T. candidates to be hired as full-time, paid teaching assistants and gain a full academic year of classroom experience in tandem with the second year of their MAT program's coursework. Participation has increased 137% from last fiscal year to this year!
• In our two-year alternative certification program, NCE partners with Teach for America to provide extended, hands-on classroom experience and preparation for aspiring early childhood teachers to serve in high-need Chicago schools. 
• Teacher Preparation recently launched an accelerated early childhood program track. This opportunity is meant to specifically support those educators working in community-based organizations or independent school settings who want to continue their professional development and success as educators in and beyond the classroom.

In addition to these initiatives, for the last two years, NCE has been working to implement innovations of teaching practices in a partnership with Deans for Impact. The project includes three other initial teacher preparation programs across the country to integrate theory and best practices in learning sciences to improve K-12 student learning outcomes. During the first two years of the project, a team of faculty from Elementary and Special Education collaborated to integrate these innovations into planned program updates in methods and practicum courses. The next step is to evaluate the impact of this coursework on teacher candidates’ use of these practices during their student teaching experience.

One of the most important components of the work is that the teaching practices were chosen for evidence in improved educational outcomes for diverse students- continuing the NCE work in promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles in education. As a primary emphasis of this coming academic year is implementing Illinois Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards, our work with DFI is well-aligned with larger outcomes for the college and our graduate students.

For further information about the project, please refer to the project website or contact the NCE project manager Dr. Kathy Pluymert kpluymert@nl.edu