Initiative Category: Education (au)

October here on campus is all about advising and looking toward the next step in education for our students. Our current students are picking their schedules for spring term and getting ready for registration. I want to take a moment to use this “advising” month to encourage you to think about your future and classes too!

Our Education Unit has always strived to encourage our students to become lifelong learners. It’s been wonderful to see this in practice! I have been able to see past students at conferences- both as participants and as speakers. However, my favorite way to engage with students again is as a graduate student. I love having past students in graduate courses – getting to see how far they have come and where they are going.

With that, I’d love to encourage you- our alum, our partners, and our friends- to consider joining us next fall for our graduate program. We have a graduate program that leads to a masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction as well as a sequence that leads to an English Language Learners (ESL) and/or Bilingual endorsement on your license.

The masters degree delves into cultural competence, communication and collaboration, technology, literacy in a multicultural context, children’s literature, behavior and the environment, diverse students, and a research project. It is 30 credit hours.

The ESL endorsement is 6 courses, 18 credits total. It can also be combined with some of the course classes of the graduate program to earn a degree (note the degree might require 2x per week).

Both of these programs can be completed in one year, only one night per week. If you want to learn more, reach out to the admissions representative at cynthia.coffey@trnty.edu

I really hope to have the privilege of seeing you continue in your learning.

Sara Baillie Gorman, EdD, BCBA
Professor of Education| Director of Education Operations

The Education office will be hosting an Open House! Come and meet us for a chance to win some great prizes!

Advising Day *New Format*

• Prior to your 1:1 Advising Day meeting, complete the module, specific to you, linked below. Be sure to complete the Quiz at the end. Advising Module
• Meet 1:1 with your Advisor, on our around Advising Day, as their appointment schedules permit. (Bring your course of study document and your proposed schedule for the spring semester to the meeting.)
• Drop in session for Cross-Advising and Q&A (8am – 10am in Education Conference Room) (optional) – Come prepared with any questions you may have regarding your Education program.
• Attend (1-hour) of the Connections Event (details below)

The Connections Event is Wednesday, October 25 from 1pm – 4pm. As Student Teachers, you are being given priority access to the following Mock Interview schedule (linked below). Be sure to sign up right away! The schedule will be sent to all other education majors tomorrow afternoon. I’ve also included a list of employers attending Connections. The attached pdf has hyperlinks to each employer’s website.

Event Schedule:

• 1:00 – 2:00 pm: Open Hours with Employers
• 2:00 – 3:00 pm: Mock Interviews and Open Hours with Employers
• 3:00 – 4:00 pm: Mock Interviews and Open Hours with Employers

Mock Interview

Reminder: all (Traditional) Junior and Senior education students are required to complete (2) 20-minute mock interviews. Adult undergraduate Junior and Senior students are highly encouraged to attend and sign up for mock interviews. Please be sure to schedule your Mock Interview by Monday, October 23rd at 5pm.

• Complimentary CEC Pre-Service Student Membership thru 12/31/2023
• Access to bi-weekly resources to support you in student teaching
• An online community where you can share questions and gain feedback from your peers
• Opportunity for your cooperating teacher and university faculty member to be provided the same resources, as well as talking points to discuss the resource with the student teacher
• Membership includes $1 Million Student Educator Professional Liability Insurance Policy

Fall 2023

• Oct 18: Thrive Department Open House Event
• Oct 25: Advising Day/Fall 2023 Connections Event
• Dec 11: Fall Education Commissioning & Celebration
• Spring 2024
• Jan 3: Adult Program Orientation
• Jan 8: Spring Student Teacher Orientation
• Mar 13: Advising Day
• Apr 23: Young Authors Reception
• Apr 24: Young Authors Festival
• April 29: Spring Education Commissioning & Celebration

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My name is Paige Rogers, and I am the Coordinator of Clinical Placements and Partnerships here in Trinity’s Education Department. I oversee all clinical experiences within our department, starting with students first observations in a classroom, through student teaching. I also work with local school districts, partnering to find creative ways to get our education students quality experience while benefitting our community.

Starting in the fall of 2021, we revised our education program regarding field experience. We now have several courses that have syllabi which are designed to blend theory and practice as our students prepare for the education field – in practice, fieldwork that is designed around coursework. This is an important change to our program and our student outcomes. It gets students a wider variety of experience – different grade levels, subjects, and focuses – as well as support from their peers and professors to walk through their observations and learnings.

This year alone, we have:

• Made around 250 field experience placements
• Placed around 70 student teachers at over 50 different schools
• Partnered with over 30 private and public schools for field experience placements, including districts in Palos Heights, Tinley Park, Bolingbrook, Worth, Harvey, Oak Lawn, Cicero, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Chicago, and more!

Christine Scholma, Associate Professor of Special Education, was invited to develop a pre-conference workshop based on her recent dissertation research for the 24th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability, and Developmental Disabilities on January 18, 2023. Alongside Dr. Deborah Schadler from Gwynedd Mercy University, Scholma’s presentation, “You Belong Here! Sense of Belonging for Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Postsecondary Education,” engaged participants in thinking about what it means to belong through interactive and discussion based activities. Then, Scholma and Schadler presented an emergent model for belonging that focuses on a campus culture of inclusion and a broad range of supports to help students with ID experience belonging through friendships, involvement, and pursuit of life goals.

Additionally, on January 20, in her role as the Presentation Chair for the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award, Scholma joined the Dolly Gray Chair, Tina Taylor from Brigham Young University, to present on using discernment when choosing texts depicting ability based diversity. Their presentation, “Beyond Banning Books: What to Respect and What to Reject” shared research from the 2020-2022 Dolly Gray Award period and outlined a process for reviewing literature containing characters with disabilities. Participants had the opportunity to use the rating scale to evaluate picture books including characters with disabilities to determine if the book would be a good choice to use with students.

Well done, Dr. Scholma!

Advising Day and our Spring 2023 Connections Event are both held on Wednesday, March 15th.

Education students will be expected to attend the following:

• Your Specific Group Advising Session
• Your advisor meeting with your Advisor

Registration:  https://www.trnty.edu/event/advising-day-connections-2023/

Laura Martin grew up on the border of Indiana and Illinois and attended Highland Christian School for both elementary and middle school. She won the Young Authors competition in the third grade and attended the Young Authors Festival at Trinity Christian College. The event was the first time she ever realized that she could make writing a career. She is the first Young Authors attendee to return as a published author.

Laura believes in chasing her dreams and she brought that philosophy to her classroom for six years as a seventh grade English teacher. Edge of Extinction – The Ark Plan is Laura’s first novel – and a dream come true. She has written and published four children’s novels since then. When she isn’t writing stories, she can be found in the Indianapolis area with her dashing husband, Josh, her four adorable kids and an opinionated bulldog.

FTA is partnering up with STAC and the Serve Team to bring students to Feed My Starving Children on Wednesday, February 15th from 11:30am – 1:15pm. Transportation is provided, but limited. This is another opportunity for EDUC 215 students to get service hours. Be sure to sign-up with the link below or in the bio of futureteacherassociation on Instagram.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1e1gwJ1-K5TyAb-e5UUlN6j5Z2EGjRT96OuWl5ODSANc/edit?usp=sharing

This is an amazing opportunity so take advantage of it!

For future events follow  https://www.instagram.com/futureteacherassociation/ on Instagram.

Are you looking for a Full-time, Part-time, Internship, Volunteer, or Summer Job?  Take a look at our systems linked below for access to job opportunities!

Spring 2023

Mar 15: Advising Day/Spring 2023 Connections Education Event

Apr 25: Young Authors Reception

Apr 26: Young Authors Festival

May 1: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

Welcome back, Education students. We hope you enjoyed your winter break. The Education Unit has an exciting semester planned and we’re happy to have you back. Please be sure to review all information below and add the important dates to your planners.

We wish you much success this semester and throughout 2023!

-The Education Unit

The 240 Tutoring Gives Back scholarship will award $1,000 to one teacher candidate. All current Education students can apply.

Candidates should apply at https://r1gr.scholarship.app.

You will need to provide:

-If they have taken their certification exams, we want to know how they prepared for the exams. (Essay)

-If they have not taken the exams, we want to know how they intend to prepare. (Essay)

-Proof of enrollment in the field of Education.

To learn more about 240 Tutoring, please visit https://www.240tutoring.com/about/. You can also access their free student resources at https://www.240tutoring.com/resources/.

Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.

Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.

Bethsham Association seeks Trinity Students!

Bethsham is offering opportunities to volunteer, intern, and/or work during the Spring semester. Bethshan’s staff, interns, and volunteers provide support to people who have disabilities and come alongside them in ways that help them lead full and meaningful lives.

If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.

We’d love to hear from you.

Spring 2023

Mar 15: Advising Day/Spring 2023 Connections Education Event

Apr 25: Young Authors Reception

Apr 26: Young Authors Festival

May 1: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

As an associate professor in Trinity’s Education Unit, I have the wonderful opportunity to work with students across our undergraduate, adult, and graduate programs. One of my favorite activities is to guide our education graduate students as they engage in research.

Throughout the fall semester, our current master’s students have been working diligently on their thesis research projects. Within the thesis process, students develop a research question that they are interested in exploring, plan the research methodology, and complete the study with the support of faculty advisors. In Spring 2023, students will collect data on their topics, analyze the results, and present their thesis projects. On April 20th, 2023 the graduate students will be presenting their research as a part of our campus-wide OPUS Celebration of Scholarship: https://www.trnty.edu/opus/

This year we have the following projects to share with you!

Britta Slager (master’s student in our Curriculum and Instruction: General program) is interested in exploring educator perceptions of grading practices with a focus on how educators approach missing and incomplete work in the grade book. She will be recruiting participants to complete her brief survey or to engage in an interview on this topic this spring. Look out for a link to participate in an upcoming newsletter.

Nicole Carella (master’s student in our Behavior Intervention Specialist program) is conducting a study to examine the efficacy of a staff training model called Behavior Skills Training to teach paraprofessionals how to accurately take data in the classroom setting.

Katherine Johnson (master’s student in our Behavior Intervention Specialist program) is examining the impact of a group contingency intervention for elementary students to address student noise levels in the cafeteria.

Alexis Kelley (master’s student in our Behavior Intervention Specialist program) is seeking to extend the current research base on the behavioral intervention, the Good Behavior Game, by implementing this in a high school setting.

Sara Saleh (master’s student in our Behavior Intervention Specialist program) is addressing the topic of college study skills as she examines the efficacy of a modified version of an intervention to improve terminology fluency entitled: Say All Fast one Minute Each Day Shuffle (SAFMEDS).

Karen O’Connor, PhD, BCBA

Associate Professor of Education

The Education Unit wrapped up our final two professional development sessions of the Fall semester:

Tired Teachers in Trying Times: Ways to Address Exhaustion presented by Dr. Latonia Winston, Director of Learning & Teaching Success on November 16th
and
Creating a Collaborative Relationship with Families presented by Dr. Lyudmyla Ivanyuk, Assistant Professor of Education on December 7th.

These sessions were well received by education professionals and alumni from a variety of partnering school districts.  Please stay tuned as we announce our Spring Professional Development Series session dates.

Meet class of 2021 Trinity Education alum, Moira Garvey. Moira has spent the last year and a half employed at Lincoln-Way East High School as a Special Services teacher. This year she has had the opportunity of teaching a vocational class to a small self-contained group of students. Part of her curriculum is getting out and exploring the community. With that, she decided to take her students on a trip to Trinity to see what options they can pursue after they graduate high school. Leah Wideman, Assistant Director of Alumni and Family Engagement, and fellow ’21 alumnus, provided Moira and her class an amazing tour and her students enjoyed and benefitted from the experience!

“To current and future education students at Trinity, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try new things. Get as creative as you can with your lessons and seek all opportunities to provide your students with real world experiences.”               – Moira Garvey

Student Teaching with Chicago Semester

Will you be student teaching in fall 2023 or spring 2024?  Have you considered student teaching in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) like Healy Elementary or Senn High school, or a private Christian school like Daystar Academy?

These options and many more are available through Trinity’s Chicago Semester program.  If you choose to student teach in CPS you will automatically be invited to participate in professional development opportunities, attend job fairs, and be updated about job openings in the district. As a Chicago Semester student you will live in an apartment in the Gold Coast neighborhood, student teach in the city, and enjoy the experiential city learning and arts events that Chicago Semester is known for. You might even qualify to receive a City Fellows stipend!

For fall 2023 or spring 2024 student teachers, you must first complete the Trinity Application for Off-Campus Study which is due by February 1.  Return it to Maria Hodapp, Director of Off-Campus Programs: maria.hodapp@trnty.edu

If you have another year or two before student teaching, just tuck this idea away for now, and keep in touch with Maria Hodapp next year, or with any questions that you have in the meantime.

To learn more, visit Chicago Semester.

Mokena Junior High School – Long-Term Substitute Teacher 6th Grade ELA

Mokena Junior High has an immediate opening for a 6th grade teacher, with ELA endorsement.

If interested in learning more or applying, please visit: https://mokena159.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=387

Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School – Temporary teaching position (Math)

Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School has an immediate opening for a temporary (Math) teaching position.

To learn more or to apply, please send your resume to Sean McNichols at smcnichols@d123.org.

If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.

We’d love to hear from you.

Jan 4: Adult Program Orientation

Jan 9: Spring 2023 Student Teaching Orientation

Mar 15: Advising Day/Spring 2022 Connections Education Event

Apr 25: Young Authors Reception

Apr 26: Young Authors Festival

May 1: Education Commissioning & Celebration (new date)

For Young Authors’ Festival this year, our featured guest is writer Laura Martin. Laura is an amazing story teller who has had nearly ten books published so far. Imagine a future world in which civilization has collapsed and humans survive underground, hiding from the dinosaurs that roam the surface world. Or imagine a mandatory government camp where kids are trying to manage superpowers like the ability to turn invisible, or the ability to float above the ground. Or a world where two kids (who don’t like each other very much) must travel through time to fix glitches in history. Or imagine a family that makes its living by pulling off hoaxes – making people believe that Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and other mythological creatures are real. Laura Martin has written abut all of these situations in chapter books for upper elementary and middle grades that will have students reading on the edge of their seats some of the time, and at other times, will have them laughing out loud.

And even more amazing, Laura is the first guest author or illustrator at Young Authors who was once a Trinity Young Author herself. When she was in elementary school her story was selected and she came to Trinity for the festival.

As usual, the festival will also feature Trinity education students leading small groups in writing workshops as well as the TrinProv Team turning children’s stories into small plays. And, of course, the students will enjoy learning from Laura Martin what it takes to become an author.

Young Authors takes place on the evening of April 25 when all children are invited to hear Laura speak and enjoy some improv as well. On April 26 the students whose work has been selected by the teachers will enjoy a morning of writing activities just for them – which will also give Trinity students a chance to interact with the budding writers. Don’t miss it!

Dr. William Boerman-Cornell
Professor of Education

As our Professional Development Series continues, we were excited to welcome 20 alumni and educator professionals, who attended our second workshop of the Fall 2022 Series.

Dr. Syreetha Yokley, Assistant Professor of Special Education, presented Minding Your Mental Work: Strategies for Destressing While You Teach (1 hour session)

“I was excited to offer my Professional Development session for helping teachers to de-stress while teaching.  As a former secondary education teacher, I have experienced the day-to-day stressors that we often ignore because we do not want to acknowledge when we are mentally or physically fatigued or don’t want others to notice that our mental health might be suffering.  I believe that presenting some simple strategies for alleviating teaching stress was well-received and hope that those who attended will find those strategies useful in their everyday teaching practice..” – Dr. Yokley

Next session: Nov 16 │3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Workshop III: Tired Teachers in Trying Times: Ways to Address Exhaustion presented by Dr. Latonia Winston, Director of Learning & Teaching Success

Ridge Lawn is currently looking for to fill several positions.

– FMLA Kindergarten Teacher – through March 2023  (*potential to start as early as November or could be a December/January start)

– Elementary Special Education Teacher

– Substitute teachers

– Paraprofessionals

To apply, please visit:

Chicago Ridge School District 127.5

Ridge Lawn is currently looking for to fill several positions.

– FMLA Kindergarten Teacher – through March 2023  (*potential to start as early as November or could be a December/January start)

– Elementary Special Education Teacher

– Substitute teachers

– Paraprofessionals

To apply, please visit:

Chicago Ridge School District 127.5

Alliance Academy International (AAI) is seeking a kindergarten teacher.

Starting January 2023, at their
location in Quito, Ecuador. AAI seeks to recruit and retain professionals who are passionate and
committed equally to:
• Maturing in their spiritual ministry,
• Continually developing in their professional proficiency,
• Fostering their community role,
All in the context of a Christian international school serving a highly-diverse constituency.

To learn more:
Please contact Recruitment and Alumni
Relations Coordinator Ellen Evans at eevans@alliance.k12.ec. Serious applicants should please send a
prepared resume to Ms. Evens.

Middle School Writing Mentor

Calvin Christian School in South Holland is looking for a middle grades or English Education major to mentor their middle school student NANOWRIMO group.  NANWRIMO stands for National Novel Writing Month.  Students will be trying to write an entire novel in a month. (though there is some flexibility there).

Contact:
Principal Randy Moes at rmoes@calvinschool.org with any questions or to apply.

Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.

Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.

If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.

We’d love to hear from you.

2022 – 2023

Dec 9: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

Jan 4: Adult Program Orientation

Jan 9: Spring 2023 Student Teaching Orientation

Mar 15: Advising Day/Spring 2022 Connections Education Event

Apr 25: Young Authors Reception

Apr 26: Young Authors Festival

April 28: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

The pandemic made many of us realize human connection is vital to our success and to our life overall.  We need connections.  During the pandemic I often heard people ask, “when can we return to normal?”  I never wanted ‘normal.’   I wanted an improvement. I hoped the pandemic would help all humans see the blessings and gifts of the world in a new way.  I was ready for a new phase.  The pandemic gave us the gift of time away for us to focus and prioritize what is important- to re-connect with ourselves.

As Trinity revitalizes into our next phase, we are also focused on connections as well. We have a new schedule for our traditional students that allows space on Wednesdays for connections. Some students are connecting to their faith. Some students are connecting to their body and health. Some students are connecting to partners for career growth opportunities. One student in class was telling me about a week ago about her new paid opportunity at a local Special Education Cooperative. She was able to take advantage of a Wednesday Opportunity and was hired as an aide for her Wednesdays. She is able to get to know a new school environment and was talking about how this experience is helping to shape what type of school and job she wants after graduation.

In just a couple of weeks we will host the Connections event. All of our students- traditional, adult, and graduate- are invited to connect with partners in the field, learn about job opportunities, engage in mock interviews, and overall network and connect. I know I can’t wait for the day and to see even more connections happen.

A good friend always says that you are never too busy for what is important. Continue making connections- trust me, it’s worth it. I can’t wait to continue to hear about where these opportunities bring our students next.

Dr. Sara Baillie Gorman, EdD, BCBA
Director of Education Operations │ Professor of Education

The Education Unit is excited to offer our Fall 2022 Professional Development (4 Session) Series.  On Wednesday, Sept 21st we welcomed 16 professionals in K – 12 education (both Christian and Public) to our first session of the semester.

Dr. Michael Dieter, Assistant Professor,  Department of Education, presented Building Relationships With Students Through Asset-Based Language  (BIPs) (1 hour session)

“Through our group discussions participants showed the value they place on building positive relationships with their students.” – Dr. Dieter

Next session: Oct 19 │3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Workshop II: Minding Your Mental Work: Strategies for Destressing While You Teach presented by Dr. Syreetha Yokley, Assistant Professor of Special Education.

Great opportunity to gain Trinity Wednesday Experience.

Classroom Helper 

Chicago Southwest Christian (Tinley Park) – PAID Math Tutors needed on Wednesdays

Tutors are primarily needed for Math, Pre-Algebra and Algebra.  It would be every other week from 1:15 – 2:30 PM.  This is a paid position.

To apply, please email:

Philip Siemer, (psiemer@swchristian.org)
Principal, Southwest Chicago Christian Schools
Tinley Park Campus   www.swchristian.org

Wednesday Career Day Visits
Join us on a visit to the sites below to learn about their organizations, initiatives, employment opportunities, and to engage with their teachers and students.

Visit Agenda: 
– Welcome presentation from Administration
– Site/Campus Tour
– Classroom Observation or Meet and Greet
– Q&A with teachers and staff

We will be taking the Trinity bus to the Career Visits. Registration is limited.

Nov 2nd (8:30 AM – 1:00 PM)
Career Day Visit (Chicago West Side Christian School)

Nov 9th (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Career Day Visit (Bethshan)

Please contact education@trnty.edu with any questions.

Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.

Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.

If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.

We’d love to hear from you.

2022 – 2023

Oct 26: Advising Day/Fall 2022 Connections Education Event

Nov 2nd: Career Day Visit (Chicago West Side Christian School)

Nov 9th – Career Day Visit (Bethshan)

Dec 9: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

Jan 4: Adult Program Orientation

Jan 9: Spring 2023 Student Teaching Orientation

Mar 15: Advising Day/Spring 2022 Connections Education Event

Apr 25: Young Authors Reception

Apr 26: Young Authors Festival

April 28: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

The start of the school year is such an exciting time! Harry K. Wong, an award-winning teacher, a new teacher advocate, and the co-author of First Days of School has often said, “The most important day of a person’s education is the first day of school, not graduation day.”  I like to think this is true for the first day of school…every year.

To our graduate students, I hope your classes are off to a great start and that you are managing your schedule. Most of you are teaching full time and also enrolled in one of our graduate programs as a student. I know from experience this can be very hard to manage. You’ve got this.

To our undergraduate traditional and adult students, I hope you have had the chance to get into or continue your work at a school to start your field experience hours. Field experience is our signature pedagogy. There is no better way for you to learn about student engagement, assessment, curriculum, differentiation, and so much more than from those that model these things day and in and day out in their teaching practices.

To our student teachers, I hope your experiences in your placements so far have been positive and encouraging. I know you may feel overwhelmed, but enjoy this time and soak it all in. There may not be another time in the trajectory of your career in the field of education where you can learn the art of teaching from someone else so intimately and closely.

To our alumni, thanks for representing Trinity’s teacher education program so well. We are thankful for you and are confident you are serving with excellence in education in your classrooms, schools, districts, offices, or wherever you are.

Have a wonderful school year!

Dr. Kelly Lenarz, Ed.D.
Dean of Education │ Associate Professor

On Monday, August 22, 2022, we welcomed nearly 30 student teachers to campus for their Fall 2022 Student Teaching Orientation.  The students were also able to connect with their college supervisors for a brief meet and greet.

We are confident that these students will make a tremendous impact in the classrooms this fall and we look forward to celebrating their experiences.

Great opportunity to gain Trinity Wednesday Experience.

Classroom Helper 

Southwest Cook County Cooperative Association for Special Education (SWCCCASE) has partnered with Trinity Christian College to offer paid Classroom Helper positions.

This position is part -time, 4 hours (10 am – 2 pm), $15/hr.  Students will choose the day(s) they are able to work.

Apply online at https://bit.ly/3RqSNXV (under Employment- Support Staff/Classroom Helper).

Please email Diane Gallik, Administrator at dgallik@swcccase.org.

Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.

Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.

If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.

We’d love to hear from you.

2022 – 2023

Oct 26: Advising Day/Fall 2022 Connections Education Event

Dec 9: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

Jan 4: Adult Program Orientation

Jan 9: Spring 2023 Student Teaching Orientation

Mar 15: Advising Day/Spring 2022 Connections Education Event

Apr 25: Young Authors Reception

Apr 26: Young Authors Festival

April 28: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

And just like that, another year comes to a close! For me this school year was like no other as it represented my first as a part of the Trinity Christian College community. Over the course of this year one of the things that has struck me most about our department is how much joy there is for the vocation of teaching.

I’ve been fortunate to be able to see this joy in conducting more than 40 classroom observations this year. Each of you went above and beyond in welcoming students back to the classroom and navigating the challenges of making sure each child’s needs were met. Beyond the classroom, I’ve had the chance to witness the joy in collaborations between professors and students as we have:

• Revived clubs such as Best Buddies that provide an important service to the community.
• Provided professional development opportunities for K-12 partners.
• Established partnerships with multiple local K-12 schools that provide academic and extra-curricular support.
• Created and collaborated with other departments to provide on-campus learning events such as the Math Triathlon and Young Authors Festival.

These examples are a small sample of the great work that has been done this year and I look forward to the ways we will continue to grow and share our joy. I hope everyone has restful summer- you have earned it!

Michael A. Dieter, Ed.D. 

Assistant Professor | Department of Education

On May 5th, the Education Department recognized and celebrated 38 student teachers and 12 education licensure candidates during the Commissioning of Educations Ceremony and Luncheon.

“Commissioning is a special celebration for our students and a wonderful chance for our faculty and staff to wish them well as they enter the education profession. We truly hope and pray that all of our teacher candidates find joy and hope in their calling, and that they continue to grow and serve with excellence as they faithfully answer the call the Lord has placed on their lives.”                                                           -Dr. Lenarz

After a 2-year break due to Covid, the Education Department was delighted to host the Young Authors Reception & Festival on April 25 & 26.  Award-winning author, illustrator, and cartoonist Ben Hatke was featured at the Young Authors Reception. Ben delivered multiple workshops to the students, and graciously signed books for the Trinity community.   The event welcomed school partners, students, families, and volunteers to Trinity campus.  Over the course of 2 days, we were honored to collaborate with:

• 10 schools (Illinois & Indiana)
• 230+ elementary students
• 42 AMAZING Trinity student leaders
• 31 adult helpers
• 7 committee members

And through these collaboration, we hope to inspire the next era of Trinity students and future authors.

Meet Rapher Ryan, a current Student Teacher at West Aurora High School.

When Professor Cerney went to see Rapher for an observation, he sent us this email. “I went to see Rapher for one of his observations. For his Adapted PE class, Rapher and his cooperating teacher set up a Mario Kart themed game.  Most importantly, Rapher and his cooperating teacher dressed up to get the kids even more excited! The students went crazy for this lesson and I will be honest, this made my entire week! It’s so great that we have students like Rapher representing Trinity!”

When asked what he enjoyed most about this experience, Rapher replied, “I most enjoyed being able to connect with my students. Throughout my time teaching, I made it a point to make sure my students felt successful and supported. Students would talk to me about extracurricular activities, jobs, and hobbies they enjoyed which allowed me to support them outside of the classroom.

We love to see the amazing impact that Trinity students are having in their student teaching experiences! Please share your experience with education@trnty.edu.

Our first year of ECHO at Trinity has come to a conclusion. We were able to meet 16 times virtually to learn about Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom. We are reviewing the data and hope to have ECHO Education at Trinity again in the fall. If you have any topics you would be interested in hearing about, please let us know at ECHO@trnty.edu.

Our Professional Development Series wrapped up with a final session, hosted by Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, Professor of Education. Bill presented Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion (1 hour session) on April 27.

“It was enjoyable to have an interactive session. The Trinity teacher community has a lot of experience and it was fun to not only present some new information and research about teaching with discussion, but also to hear some of the approaches that Trinity teachers have developed on their own. The TEACH sessions are developing into an important way to keep the Trinity Educaiton community connected..” – Dr. Boerman-Cornell

Please stay tuned as we announce our next TEACH series session dates.

Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.

Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.

Summer Camp Counselors Needed

Easterseals Central Illinois has a summer camp for children with developmental delays, disabilities, and other special needs through their Timber Pointe Outdoor Center, and they are looking for staff and counselors for their summer programming. Timber Pointe Outdoor Center supports campers with a wide variety of disabilities and chronic/challenging illnesses, facilitating adaptive adventure activities such as zip lining, canoeing, swimming, fishing, arts & crafts, archery, and much more. Each activity is modified so that all campers, regardless of mobility or ability level, can be included and empowered. Timber Pointe is located in Hudson, Illinois, but staff live on-site in cabins over the summer (room and board included).

To learn more, please visit: www.timberpointeoutdoorcenter.com/work.

For any questions, please reach out to Lydia Gartner, Timber Pointe’s Camp Director, at LGartner@eastersealsci.com.

If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.

We’d love to hear from you.

Fall Semester: 

Aug 22: Fall Student Teacher Orientation

Oct 26: Connections Education Event

Dec 9: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception

Welcome to our April issue of Trinity’s Education Department Newsletter.

I had to think long and hard about what to write for an opener for this newsletter.  For those of you that don’t know me, I’m a big fan of data and numbers.  For me, the use of numbers helps to tell our story- and our story in the Education Unit is a great one!  So, bear with me as I share a few numbers with you:

• 100%.  We have students in ALL three programs on campus (traditional, adult, and graduate)
• 34%.  The percentage of Trinity students that are Education students.
• 15%.  Out of all courses offered at Trinity in the fall, 15% are scheduled and staffed by Education Unit instructors.

We are so happy that the Education Unit is growing in our offerings too!  We have new graduate programs that just started in January!

Sara Baillie Gorman, EdD, BCBA

Director of Education Operations  | Associate Professor

The Education department is thrilled to welcome author, Ben Hatke, 10 partner schools, and over 230 aspiring young authors to campus for the Young Authors Festival – April 25 & 26.  We invite our Trinity Community  to the Young Authors Reception on Monday, April 25 at 6:30pm! 

Meet Tommy Horton, a current Student Teacher at Dwight D. Eisenhower High School. Tommy started Inclusive Brewing (coffee cart) as a work practice opportunity for adult transition students. The shop is open on Monday and Friday mornings for students, staff, and administration to purchase coffee and snacks. Inclusive Brewing is self sustaining and emphasizes practicing social, vocational, and math skills in a mock workplace setting. 

Judy Stellato, College Supervisor, had a chance to visit Tommy when his Inclusive Brewing Wagon was open for business. “Tommy’s energy and passion for helping his students combined with his experience working for Starbucks has resulted in a wonderful, unique opportunity for his students. His students are given the responsibility to take the orders, make and serve as well as managing the payments. Tommy allows the students to gradually take on more responsibility. He also uses every chance to include the rest of the students in the school when possible, such as having them decorate the individual cup holders.”

We love to see the amazing impact that Trinity students are having in their student teaching experiences! Please share your experience with education@trnty.edu.

Anyone who has been around campus a while knows about OPUS. We are so excited to have OPUS on campus and in person again on April 20th! Did you know about GRUMPUS though?

The Graduate Research Unveiling Masters Presentations Understandings and Scholarship (GRUMPUS) is the Graduate student extension to OPUS.

Please come walk through our poster session that evening to learn about our graduate research! Details will be available on the OPUS schedule.

Visit: https://www.trnty.edu/opus/

Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, Professor of Education, spent the three days of Spring Break at a Lilly-Grant funded workshop at Hope College that is looking at ways that colleges and universities can partner with community organizations more effectively to encourage reading and book groups.  “I am hoping to gain insights that can be helpful for Young Authors and other future department initiatives.”

The Education Department team at Trinity Christian College launched Project ECHO this academic year. The team meets virtually on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 3:30pm through the month of April. Our topic for this school year is Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom. Each session begins with a short didactic and then we review a deidentified case brought to us by one of our participants. This series is designed for all school personnel interested in learning more about how to support appropriate behavior in the classroom. If interested in participating (as a student or school personnel), please contact our Echo team at echo@trnty.edu.

Next Session: April 20 │ 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

As our Professional Development Series continues, we were excited to welcome alumni, who attended our second workshop of the Spring 2022 Series. Dr. Karen O’Connor, Associate Professor of Special Education, presented Developing High Quality Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) (1 hour session) on March 14.

“I enjoyed having the opportunity to speak with our alumni and share resources that they can use in their classrooms.” – Dr. O’Connor

Next session: April 27 │3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion presented by Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, Professor of Education.

You are invited to nominate a Trinity faculty member as Professor of the Year. This award seeks to recognize the accomplishments of a distinguished professor. In the link below, please find a description of the award process and criteria.

Please submit nominations to the online form linked here by Tuesday, April 12th. 

Note: Collaborative nominations are especially encouraged (for instance, bringing together multiple students and/or staff members and/or faculty members to submit one nomination).

Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.

Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.

Part-time Opportunity

A Palos Heights mom is looking for a few students to come help her 16-year-old daughter with down syndrome during the week. There are a few times per week help is needed, but hours are part-time and mostly flexible. Pay rate is flexible, depending on experience. Students with a special ed or psychology concentration are a plus, but not required. Students must have a car.

Please contact Maura at (708) 870-5077, or at mauraconnect@gmail.com, and let her know that you are interested.

If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.

We’d love to hear from you.

April 20: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom

April 20: Criminal Background Checks with Accurate Biometrics (Molenhouse Lounge)

Apr 25 & 26: Young Authors Festival

May 2: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception