The students and faculty of the Northland College Educator Preparation Program have been nationally recognized by the Colleges of Distinction, an organization that connects students to colleges and programs.

“We find it critical for future educators to be experienced practitioners with a keen understanding of different perspectives,” the Colleges of Distinctions wrote in its recognition notice. “Northland’s liberal arts foundation forms well-rounded, flexible students, and the Education Department’s clinical residency and student teaching programs ensure more than adequate exposure.”

This is the third national award in the past four years for the Educator Preparation Program at Northland College.

Last year the program was recognized by the Association of Independent Liberal Arts College for Teacher Education as a Model of Excellence in Partnerships. This national award recognizes the community partnership between Northland College’s Educator Preparation Program and the Future Indian Teachers Program at Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College (LCOOC) through advancement and extension of the Training Exceptional Educators (TREE) Clinical Residency Program.

This partnership directly supports and impacts regional, state, and national efforts to increase diversity in the K-12 teaching profession as well as efforts in Ojibwe language revitalization by increasing the number of certified and licensed Native American teachers.

For information, contact Dr. Annette Nelson, Educator Preparation Program Director.