NIU student Karen Graden, working in Marion Beguin’s kindergarten class.
Wright makes sure that teachers and soon-to-be teachers are state of the art instructors.
Wright School GOAL 3:
Teacher candidates study in a real-life setting where they can practice professional skills.
Wright’s unique setup gives future teachers early exposure to the realities of schools and provides Wright students with additional individual attention where it matters most – in the classroom. District 428 and NIU believe that spending an extended time in classrooms early in their academic programs allows clinical students to see how students progress in acquiring literacy and other skills.
“The clinical piece is where our students have an opportunity to observe the theory being implemented,” said Margaret Bridge, NIU College of Education’s director of clinical experiences. Under the guidance of professional and experienced supervisors, students receive immediate feedback and opportunities to grow and strengthen their skills, she added.
Last year, 32 junior-level NIU students worked in classrooms each morning for nine weeks, as opposed to the usual 3 week cycle, and took their semester-long university courses at Wright each afternoon. They were involved in the entire school experience, including open houses, parent-teacher conferences, and after school programming.
