The Kishwaukee College Future Educators Association (FEA) will be holding its 6th Annual Education Panel Night on November 18 at 6:00p.m. in Room A1247. The panel is free and open to the public; participants should use Door #16 or 17 to enter the Kishwaukee College Conference Center.
The Education Panel will be comprised of education professionals currently teaching who graduated from college within the last five years. Their topic for discussion is Things I Wished That I Had Learned About Teaching When I Was In College. The panel presentation is designed for anyone interested in pursuing a career in education and is one of several programs that the FEA organizes for students pursuing a degree with an education emphasis at Kishwaukee College. Kishwaukee College offers a solid program in teacher preparation that has given many area students the firm foundation of classroom experience and supportive environment to pursue their passion: sharing the world with others, in a school.
Jen Kern is a Principal in Oswego School District 308 and a 1997 alumnus of Kish. She has been a teacher in grades 1 – 4 and served as an interim assistant principal before becoming Assistant Principal of Prairie Point Elementary three years ago. For the Sandwich native, her journey began when she was a child. “I suppose I have always known I wanted to be a teacher, given my love of children since a very young age,” she recalled. “Like most adults, it took me time to discover my passion, and it wasn’t until I truly began to reflect on my own schooling experience, and how life at home impacted that experience, that I realized the power in becoming a difference maker to kids that could last a lifetime.”
Kishwaukee College class of 2003 alumnus Sarah Rose’s journey also began at the Malta campus. “I worked at Camp Maple Leaf in high school and really enjoyed it,” she stated. “I originally was an English major but took an intro to special education class at Kish and loved the class, so I decided to switch majors.” Sarah is now a School Administrator with Easter Seals.
Jodi Lord, Coordinator of the Education Programs at Kishwaukee, explained the benefit of starting academic preparation to be a teacher at the College. “The Kishwaukee College education program is just a great idea for anyone planning to go into education!” she said. “It allows them a wonderful beginning to make sure that education is the career choice for them. The student has two opportunities to get into the real world classroom, one experience in the freshman year for an observation and once in the sophomore year for a clinical.”
Jodi is justifiably proud when former students share with her their stories of moving forward, moving up, making a difference, but she also knows the real reason that so many students return to share their stories with her: they love their chosen career. Jen Kern summed it up in just a few words: “Education truly is a rewarding profession.”
For more information on the 6th Annual Education Panel or on the Education program at Kishwaukee College, contact Jodi Lord at 815-825-2086, ext. 3080.
Registration for Spring 2016 is currently in progress. For information on enrollment for Spring 2016, contact Bryce Law at ext. 2351 or at welcome@kishwaukeecollege.edu; for information on Registration, contact the Admissions, Registration and Records Office at ext. 2740 or at arr@kishwaukeecollege.edu.
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