Enhance Your Education

Distinctive Programs in Education

Teacher Certification
Knox offers programs leading to certification or endorsement by the State of Illinois in four areas:

• Elementary Education (K-9)
• Art Education (K-12)
• Middle School
• Secondary Education, with endorsements available in biology, chemistry, English, French, German, history, Latin, mathematics, physics, social studies, and Spanish.

Students qualify for certification by completing a major in educational studies, a major in the subject field in which they want to be certified (for secondary and art education), student teaching, and successful passage of State of Illinois Certification tests.

Reciprocity agreements between the State of Illinois and 33 other states facilitate the process of certification for those who plan to teach in a state other than Illinois.

Student Research and Creative Projects
Knox is a leader in promoting top-notch undergraduate research. In fact, more than 90% of all Knox students complete an independent research or creative project by the time they graduate. Many students' projects are supported by an unusually rich array of Knox College funding programs that together provide students more than $200,000 each year in support of their work. These sources include: Richter Memorial Scholars Program, Ford Foundation Research Fellows Program, Ronald E. McNair Fellows Program and departmentally supported independent studies. In addition, special fellowships awarded to Knox through national competitions and through the research grants of Knox faculty make Knox a leader in promoting undergraduate research. Examples of some recent student research projects include:

• "Green & Gifted: Using Environmental Studies to Ignite Science Education," Derek LaRosa '10, secondary education and environmental studies major; and Jordan Willits '14.
• "Language Tutoring," Mary Andrews '07, secondary education major.
• "Technology for Disabled Teachers II," Corinna Dooha-Chambers '07, secondary education and English major.
• "Landscaping," Michael Wood '07, secondary education major.
• "How Public High School Student Non-Compliance Affects School Policy and Structure," Erika Barrish '06, educational social studies major, independent study/senior research funded by McNair program.
• "Curriculum Planning and Technology," Aleza Berube '06, secondary education major.
• "Students' Voices," Ann Hernandez '06, secondary education major, independent study/senior research funded by Richter program.
• "PE in the Early Years," Matthew Jasper '06, secondary education major.
• "Experiential Teaching and Learning," Dana Johnson '06, educational social studies and art major.
• "Foreign Language Teaching and Learning," Nina Neitzke '06, educational social studies and Spanish major.
• "Tropical Field Research: Teaching Fiction Writing, A Comparison of Costa Rica and the United States," Steven Yasukawa '06, educational social studies, independent study/senior research funded by Richter program.

College Honors
Outstanding students may elect to undertake College Honors in their senior year, carrying out an advanced research project presented and defended to a faculty committee that includes a distinguished outside examiner. Examples of recent Honors projects include:

• "An Overhead Cry: Traversing the Gap Within the Ghana Education System," Celestina Dankwa Agyekum '12.
• "Developing Talent Among Children of Color, Students from Low-SES Backgrounds, and English Language Learners through Exposure to a Junior Great Books Program and the Arts," Jordan Kristopher Lanfair '11.
• "Green & Gifted: Using Environmental Studies to Ignite Science Foundation," Derek LaRosa '10, and Jordan Willits '14.
• Educational Studies: "'Chicago Kids': Voices from Galesburg High School," Haley Lynn Gallagher '09.
• Educational Policy: "'When Schools Compete and Parents Choose, Students Win': A Case Study of the School Choice Movement in Racine, Wisconsin," Meghan Rehberg '06.
• Anthropology & Sociology and Education: "'It's a Small School and You Know Everyone': Two Small Schools and Their Sense of Community," Julia Wilson '01.

Internships
Few experiences can prepare you better for life after Knox than conducting an internship. As a Knox education student, you can conduct an internship for course credit either during the academic year or the summer, working closely with a faculty supervisor while engaging in fieldwork and completing an academic paper. Recent internships by education students include:

• Wediko Summer Internship Program. Luke Karner '09, Liz Markie '08, and Derek LaRosa '10.
• Golden Apple Scholars Program. Maureen Cole '08, Andy Fitz '08, Jordan Lanfair '11, Celestina Agykhum '12, and Liliana Saens '13.
• Junior Great Books Program. Jordan Lanfair '11, Courtney Jude '11, Christian Mahone '11, Michael Kaminsky '12, Sean O'Keefe '12, Jamal Nelson '14, and Melvin Taylor '14.
• Summer Service with World Peace Program, Hluboka, Czech Republic. Sicily Ann Bua, '07, elementary education major.
• Sports Instructor and Camp Counselor, Camp Winaukee, Center Harbor, New Hampshire. Jason Maclin '07, English and educational studies major.
• Computer Intern, Downers Grove Grade School District 58, Downers Grove, Illinois. Laura Wentink '07, educational studies and biology major.