USF offers education program classes at new Oswego site
Elementary
and secondary teachers interested in furthering
their education and enhance their skills through
educational opportunities offered by the University
of St. Francis. The university will offer classes
at a new site in Oswego, beginning this fall.
USF’s Regional Education Academy for Leadership
(REAL) provides degree and continuing education
programs that are designed to address the issues
and needs that school communities face, such as
evolving standards, curriculum changes and school
improvement plans, according to Sandee Sloka,
director of school partnerships for REAL.
Two master of science degree cohorts will be offered
in Oswego at Thompson Junior High School. The
classes will meet on Thursday evenings. Interested
students should call 800-735-7500 and schedulean
appointment with an advisor.
Classes begin Aug 28 for the Reading concentration
cohort. The Reading concentration addresses fundamentals;
testing procedures and diagnosis of reading disabilities;
children’s and adolescent’s literature;
diagnostic teaching techniques and material; and
corrective reading.
Classes will begin Sept. 18 for the Educational
Leadership program, which leads to a Type 75 Certificate
for those who wish to pursue careers in administration.
The Educational Leadership concentration addresses
instructional leadership; organization and development
of curriculum; supervisory behavior; strategic
planning; school finance; school law; educational
organization and administration; and multicultural
issues in education.
The university also offers two other master’s
degree concentrations that are designed for classroom
teachers: Differentiated Instruction and Technology.
Both are offered at the university’s REAL
center in Joliet and at other class locations.
Differentiated Instruction is a most timely program,
said Sloka, who previously taught elementary school
for 10 years. "Teachers today are required
to teach all skill levels, and must differentiate
their lesson plans to effectively reach all students."
The Differentiated Instruction concentration addresses
gifted education; characteristics of individuals
with special needs; differentiated instruction;
assessment, measurement and evaluation of instruction;
and behavior strategies for the heterogeneous
classroom.
The Technology concentration includes the digital
classroom; instructional strategies and design;
digital authoring and learning; informational
learning and online learning; and facilitating
staff development opportunities.
USF schedules classes to meet the needs of teachers,
added Sloka. Classes typically meet once a week
in the early evening hours at a variety of convenient
locations. The master of science degree at USF,
which requires 33-36 credit hours, can be completed
in two and one-half years or less.
REAL offers a continuum of services—single-day
workshops, seminars and graduate degrees--that
address issues in education today. The academy
provides a seamless process of teacher education,
from pre-service teachers and the induction and
mentoring of new teachers to working with the
needs of master teachers.
The University of St. Francis, at 500 Wilcox St.
in Joliet, serves more than 4,300 students nationwide.
The university offers more than 60 areas of undergraduate
study and nine graduate programs. Education is
one of the university’s oldest and largest
majors. Teacher certification programs are offered
in elementary, secondary and special education.
The master of Education with Certification is
also offered for those holding bachelor’s
degrees and wishing to change careers to teaching.