Mary Gardner

What year did you start working at NIU?
2002

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
Hometown: Belvidere, Illinois. Live now: Mount Morris, Illinois, since 1976.

Where did you attend college and what degree(s) have you earned?
Western Illinois University, B.A. elementary education, 1973 (celebrating 50 years of teaching!). Northern Illinois University, M.S.Ed. literacy, 1997, plus additional coursework to earn the reading specialist certificate, 2004.

Were you a first-generation college student? If so, what advice would you offer to current first generation students?
I was, but that was common at that time. My advice: Keep your end goal in mind. Seek help from faculty, mentors, friends and family to keep you on track.

What do you like about working at NIU?
I enjoy the vibrancy of being on a college campus. I love to hear the bells toll when I'm walking to and from my building. I appreciate working with the professional and knowledgeable colleagues who have become friends in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Additionally, the students bring a vitality and curiosity to the classroom that is energizing.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
Take advantage of the many opportunities to learn and grow inside and outside the classroom. We need you to be strong leaders for the world in which you will work.

Tell us about a research or engaged learning project you have led.
This past summer Dr. David Paige and I led a required practicum class at the Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic. It was the first time since the pandemic that children came to the clinic to be tutored in person. That was exciting in itself! Our undergraduate students are working toward a reading endorsement along with their teaching certificate. They provided one-on-one tutoring with a struggling reader for 12 90-minute sessions. Our NIU students worked hard to assess the children, then teach to meet their needs. They made decisions daily in response to their students. The children, our NIU students, and Dr. Paige and I all learned together. It was an intense, rich, real-life learning experience that could not be taught from a textbook in a classroom.

What do you enjoy most about mentoring students?
I enjoy watching students grow in the knowledge and skills needed to teach reading. I am happy to share my profession with them.

What do you hope students take away from their college experience?
My hope is that students leave NIU with the skills of leadership, collaboration, communication, creativity, problem-solving and perseverance, along with expertise in all areas of literacy, including digital and technology. More than that, I hope they leave NIU caring about their fellow human beings and knowing about the importance of equity, diversity and social justice so that they can fight for that in their world.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
My favorite memories of NIU are working with the children, parents, tutors and colleagues at the Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic. It is my favorite place on campus!

What’s one thing about NIU that’s surprised you?
I'm not necessarily surprised, but I value the current focus on belonging for our students, staff and faculty. I don't think higher education has always realized the value of this. Perhaps online learning during COVID helped us better understand the importance of building community in the classroom and fostering that sense of belonging.

What fulfills you personally and professionally?
During the pandemic, when I had plenty of time on my hands, I baked, cooked, sewed, crocheted, painted with watercolors, made cards and played the piano. Creating something in some way is personally fulfilling. Professionally, I feel fulfilled when I am collaborating with others. Brainstorming, discussing, problem-solving and planning are best when done with a colleague or two. Reading articles or books in my field, professional development, asking questions and continually learning are also rewarding.

Which of NIU’s core values align with your own?
Curiosity and creativity align with my values of lifelong learning. I want my students to know they need to become lifelong learners, never thinking one knows all there is to know in any field.

Have you contributed to any NIU Foundation fundraising campaigns such as the Day of Giving or Huskies United? If yes, why did you decided to support NIU?
Yes. The value of an education cannot be understated. I feel it is important to provide support for students who may need extra scholarship help in order to finish their degree program.

Who has influenced your professional path?
Dr. Norman Stahl and Dr. Laurie Elish-Piper were instructors in my master’s program. They saw something in me that made them think I could teach at the college level. Dr. Stahl hired me in 2002.

Dr. Elish-Piper was instrumental in involving me in tutoring at the Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic. She supported me while I was interim clinic director for one year. Dr. David Paige came to NIU three years ago as director of the literacy clinic and reading faculty. I have been honored to work with him in course design and planning along with assessing children in reading skills for research. We worked together to make online tutoring possible during the pandemic. He continually challenges me with articles to read and collaboration on ways to make sure our NIU students deeply know and understand the reading processes in order to become quality reading teachers.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
I knew I wanted to be a teacher by the time I was in high school. I taught in elementary classrooms and as a reading specialist, retiring from Oregon (Illinois) Elementary School in 2012. Teaching in higher education was not in my plans, but I have enjoyed the challenge and have learned so much!

Are you a member of or hold a position within a professional or community organization? If so, what organization? What is the purpose of that organization and how does being part of this organization benefit you in your role at NIU?
I have been a member of the International Literacy Association, the Illinois Reading Council and the Northern Illinois Reading Council for most of my career. The professional development and networking with reading professionals across the state and beyond are the reason I have kept up and can still keep teaching reading.

What community organizations are you involved in?
In my town of Mt. Morris, I am involved with the public library and am active in my church. I have been writing a monthly column for the small, local newspaper for over 20 years. It is called Reading Matters and is focused on helping parents and grandparents understand a bit about how our children and grandchildren learn to read and suggestions for helping them at home.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
Spending time with my family, especially my grandchildren, helps me recharge. I also treasure time spent with friends.