Meet the experienced Dr. Annette VanAken, Early Childhood Education Masters and Doctoral Program Advisor and Associate Professor, within the Division of Teaching and Learning at Concordia University Chicago. What programs do you teach at Concordia University Chicago and what is your title? What drew you to this field of study?
Why is it Important to Continue Your Education as a Teacher? In the effort to attain instructional proficiency, it is important for teachers to become what they often impress upon their students: to become lifelong learners. The lifelong learner journey of a teacher: Strengthens instructional proficiency Builds better student-to-teacher, and
How has Reading Instruction been impacted? For educators everywhere, the COVID-19 global pandemic brought significant negative impacts to student and teacher attendance, student engagement and participation, physical and mental wellness, and thus the instructional strategies teachers would need to employ to promote academic growth. Attendance plummeted as students and teachers
Meet the passionate Dr. Kari Pawl, CUC’s Professor of Literacy, Program Leader of Reading Master’s and Doctorate, and Assistant Chair of Teaching and Learning. What programs do you teach at Concordia University Chicago? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it? At Concordia University
How Prevalent is Teacher Burnout? What Leads to Burnout? Recently, I was asked to apply for a corporate position at a company I’ve worked for outside of my teaching job for many years. Although I enjoy the work immensely and feel passionately about the company’s mission, I never have seriously
Enrolled in the Doctoral Teacher Leadership Specialization program, we asked student Tonya Thomas to tell us about her experience thus far pursuing her graduate education degree at Concordia University Chicago. What prompted you to work in education? What inspired you? In college, I worked part-time as a teaching assistant in
As I continue my career as a middle school teacher, I have discovered why they call teachers “a forever student.” It became evident to me within the first few years of teaching that I would need to go back to school in order to grow as an educator and to
What does the M.A. Differentiated Instruction Program encompass? Concordia University Chicago’s (CUC) M.A. Differentiated Instruction Program is directed toward the preparation of master classroom teachers who are interested in leading change and reform efforts in their classrooms and schools. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Council for
What Concerns Did You Have Before Pursuing a Graduate Program? Before pursuing my master’s degree, I had several concerns about starting a graduate program. My first concern was whether I would be able to fit this type of program into my hectic schedule. As a mom, wife, and teacher, I
Available Resources Deciding to seek a graduate degree at Concordia University Chicago (CUChicago) came with many questions: Who is CUChicago? What programs do they offer? What are the requirements for the program of my interest? What financial aid options are available to me as a Graduate student? A helpful available
