Elementary Partnerships

Naperville Community Unit School District 203

The partnership with Beebe Elementary School was established in 2007 as a site for pre-service teachers to link theory and practice. Elementary education pre-service teachers are mentored in reading and language arts by expert teachers for two consecutive terms. This 20-week supervised field experience provides pre-service teachers the opportunity to teach a variety of literacy lessons and measure their impact on student learning. The North Central College–Beebe partnership was the recipient of the District 203 Business Community Education Partnership award in 2007.

Indian Prairie School District 204

Established in 2010, the Brooks-North Central College partnership is modeled after the award-winning Beebe partnership. This strategic partnership involves the mentoring of elementary education pre-service teachers by expert teachers for two consecutive terms in reading and language arts. This 20-week supervised field experience provides pre-service teachers with the opportunity to teach a variety of literacy lessons and measure their impact on student learning. The collaboration brings higher education faculty, administrators and teachers together to provide a rigorous clinical experience for reading and language arts clinical experiences. Brooks has been recognized by the State of Illinois as an Academic Excellence Award Winner as a result of more than 90 percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards.

Indian Prairie School District 204

In 2011, North Central College established a third school partnership in District 204 with Cowlishaw Elementary school. This strategic partnership has elementary education pre-service teachers mentored by expert teachers for two consecutive terms in reading and language arts. This 20-week supervised field experience provides pre-service teachers the opportunity to teach a variety of literacy lessons and measure their impact on student learning. Cowlishaw hosts pre-service teachers for supervised clinical experiences as well as student teachers. The namesake for the school, Mary Lou Cowlishaw, served on the faculty of North Central College as an adjunct professor of education for nearly a decade.

Naperville Community Unit School District 203

Ellsworth Elementary School is located two blocks from the North Central College campus and serves as a pipeline to an award-winning school district and access to the best practices in education. Each term, Ellsworth teachers host supervised and unsupervised field experiences as well as student teachers.

Indian Prairie School District 204

Georgetown Elementary School offers elementary education students job shadow opportunities during North Central College’s D-Term. This diverse field experience allows pre-service teachers to be mentored in an all-day field experience for two consecutive weeks.  Pre-service teachers who take advantage of the D-term experience utilize various co-teaching models during their time in the classroom. Georgetown staff and administration provide North Central students and faculty with opportunities to understand the needs of English language learners and current trends in the field. Pre-service teachers are placed at Georgetown for supervised field experiences and student teaching during the regular school year. A North Central course is taught after school at Georgetown and pre-service teachers enrolled in the course complete their field experience at the school.

East Aurora School District 131

North Central’s first school partnership in East Aurora School District 131 was established in 2010. The partnership involves two Colleges courses that are taught on-site, one in the morning and one after school, held two days per week. Pre-service teachers complete their field experience in the time between the two courses, spending two full days per week. This full immersion experience provides North Central pre-service teachers with a full understanding of the unique needs of a high-need school. Hermes also provides clinical placements for pre-service teachers pursuing an English language learning and/or bilingual endorsement.

Naperville Community Unit School District 203

In 2003, a partnership was established between North Central College and Highlands Elementary School to develop an after school reading clinic. North Central pre-service teachers partner with a Highland pupil who needs additional assistance in reading. While taking courses in reading assessment and diagnostic instruction, pre-service teachers implement multiple reading assessments and utilize the results of these assessments to develop an individualized program of reading instruction. Highlands pupils receive 14 hours of one-on-one literacy instruction over seven weeks. This rich partnership provides pre-service teachers with the opportunity to apply theory and techniques in literacy assessment and instruction while benefiting children who need additional instruction in reading and writing. At the end of the experience, pre-service teachers write an individualized case report that includes pre- and post-assessment results, a description of the instruction provided and a summary of the pupil’s growth in literacy skills and strategies. In addition, Highlands teachers host both practicum and student teachers each year.

Addison School District 4

In summer 2010, a partnership was established with Lincoln Elementary School to offer a summer school program to elementary students in Kindergarten through fourth grade. Elementary students from this high need school receive instruction in reading, writing and math three half days per week for six weeks. North Central pre-service teachers receive training in teaching diverse learners in conjunction with the Junior/Senior Scholars Program prior to the start of the summer program. After conducting pre-assessments in reading and math, the pre-service teachers work with a class of six to eight students, planning and teaching lessons that address the needs identified in the pre-assessments. Pre-service teachers conduct post-assessments at the end of the program to show their impact on student learning. Lincoln also provides elementary education pre-service teachers with a job shadow opportunity during D-Term. This allows pre-service teachers to be mentored in an all-day field experience for two consecutive weeks. Pre-service teachers who take advantage of the D-term experience utilize various co-teaching models during their time in the classroom.

Naperville Community Unit School District 203

The Mill Street Elementary reading buddy partnership was established in 2001. Each fall and winter, North Central pre-service teachers enrolled in the reading methods course are paired with a fourth- or fifth-grade student. As reading buddies, pre-service teachers and pupils read a common novel and engage in an electronic discussion of the novel via Blackboard. This program provides pre-service teachers with practice in asking effective questions to promote student comprehension. Pre-service teachers are also exposed to the wide range of writing and reading response levels. Mill Street teachers have also mentored pre-service teachers by hosting them for clinical experiences and student teaching.