M.A.T. Teacher Residency Programs
About
NLU’s M.A.T. teacher preparation residency program combines research with school-based clinical practice to prepare effective, equity-focused educators. Residents learn alongside experienced mentor teachers for an entire school year while completing coursework to earn a graduate degree and an Illinois teacher’s license. With NLU, residents gain the skills, knowledge and experience to handle the challenges of high-need classrooms and positively impact the lives of students from historically marginalized communities.
NLU’s M.A.T. teacher preparation residency programs are co-designed with district partners to address their areas of highest need. Residents are paraprofessionals, district and school employees, community members, or career changers, many of whom reflect the student populations they serve. In 2020, 79% of residents identified as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).
Since launching one of the first teacher preparation residency programs in the U.S. more than fifteen years ago, NLU has prepared over 700 residents to teach in early childhood, elementary, middle grades, ESL/bilingual and special education classrooms.
M.A.T. Residency Year
If you are passionate about teaching for change, strengthening communities, and improving student outcomes, NLU’s teacher preparation residency program is for you.
The teacher preparation residency starts in the summer with foundational content and pedagogy courses to prepare you for the residency school year. In the fall, you begin your clinical work in a classroom four days a week (Monday - Thursday) and devote Fridays to your graduate courses (offered online or blended formats). Pairing coursework with field experience allows you to learn, rehearse and refine your instructional practice over time with support and guidance from your mentor teacher, NLU Residency Field Coach (RFC), and NLU faculty. As an NLU resident, you are a vital part of a teacher team. Throughout the school year, you'll gradually take on more responsibility for co-teaching and making instructional decisions based on the learning needs of your students. After the 12-month residency program, you will have a master of arts in teaching, an Illinois Professional Educator teaching license (PEL), a job within your district, and you will be well-prepared to take student learning to the next level.
Learn More
Contact Residency & Alternative Pathways Director, Dr. Kavita Venkatesh at kvenkatesh@nl.edu to learn more about how NLU’s residency program can support your teaching and learning goals.
"The NLU-CPS residency partnership allows us to effectively prepare passionate and committed individuals who may not otherwise have an avenue into the profession. Resident Teachers meet critical needs of students [...]that begins to mitigate the impact of teacher shortages in our landscape, and we take deep pride in providing pathways to teaching for non-traditional students that are reflective of, and responsive to, the experiences of Chicago Public School students.”
-- Felicia Butts, Director of Teacher Residencies, CPS
Alumni Spotlight: Ashley Bumpers, M.A.T. '20
“NCE’s M.A.T. residency program completely changed my life for the better.”
Alumni Spotlight: Eunice Gonzalez Rodriguez, M.A.T. '20
“It’s been a very positive experience [...] I was blessed with an amazing mentor who guided me."
