Museum Partners with National-Louis University and Golden Apple Foundation to Help Train Pre-School Teachers

Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago is partnering with the Chicago-based Golden Apple Foundation and National-Louis University to launch the Early Childhood Education Scholars Program. This partnership is a combined effort to alleviate the significant barriers faced by those who wish to enter the early childhood education field with type 04 teaching certification, and increase the number of qualified early childhood education teachers in Illinois schools. Employment, scheduling of preclinical and preprimary work opportunities and tuition costs are some of the barriers faced by students wishing to enter the early childhood field.

Five adult students have been chosen as Scholars in this year’s pilot program. They will enroll in NLU’s renowned Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education program (type 04 certification) this fall. It is a two-year cohort program. Students will also concurrently participate in professional development at Kohl Children’s Museum and serve as interns at the museum. The students chosen for the program are also Golden Apple Scholars: a large percentage of Golden Apple Scholars are first-generation college attendees.

The Early Childhood Education Scholars Program’s Summer Institute has begun this month at Kohl Children’s Museum and is comprised of 10 evening sessions on topics of specific interest for early childhood educators. Award-winning Golden Apple teachers are teaching the sessions. The Golden Apple Foundation has provided a stipend of $2,000 for participation in the Summer Institute. The students will also receive a scholarship awarded by Golden Apple through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. The minimum amount of the scholarship is $5,000 per year for two years.

“Two years ago, the Golden Apple Foundation and Kohl Children’s Museum joined National-Louis University in a collaboration that has resulted in the creation of an Early Childhood Education program that is unique in the state of Illinois,” explains Barbara J. Leys, Ed. D., director of undergraduate programs in early childhood and assistant professor at National-Louis University. “Specially selected candidates are receiving financial and academic support provided by the three partner organizations that will enable them to participate in this program.”

Leys adds, “Through a variety of experiences, candidates will be able to apply what they are learning in their education coursework to their work with children and families in a variety of settings. Candidates will be mentored in preprimary and primary classrooms, by teachers who have been recognized by the Golden Apple Foundation as being outstanding educators and, in addition, they will also be working with children and families in an alternative setting at Kohl Children’s Museum. It is exciting for everyone involved that these candidates are beginning this program over the summer.”

Click here to learn more about this program, or contact Barbara Leys at (312) 261-3553 or BLeys@nl.edu. For information on enrollment, please contact Patty Duda at (847) 947-5112 or PDuda@nl.edu.