The Parkland College Student Education Association is one of approximately 20 active clubs on campus that are striving to make a difference in students’ lives. Geared toward future educators, the PCSEA is an accepting community of individuals whose goal is to reach a better understanding of education.
The Prospectus recently caught up with the group’s president, Edvin Rios-Corado, to discuss his role with PCSEA as well as the educational and personal influences in his life:
My name is Edmond Rios. My major here is just a General Associates in Science. I’m due to graduate this spring and I’m transferring to the University of Illinois-Chicago to complete my undergraduate degree in education as a math teacher in middle school. I was born in Guatemala, but I’ve lived my whole life in Chicago. I consider myself a Chicagoan. I’ve lived here in Champaign for three and a half years.
I volunteered last semester at IPA (International Prep Academy) helping out a teacher there in a fifth-grade classroom. I also did tutoring for Project READ. I am also an alumni of Project Odyssey at U of I. I still actively participate, whenever they need my help.
Describe your passion/interest in education
My passion for education has always been there since I was little. Growing up in Chicago, I went to CPS (Chicago Public Schools). I grew up in an underserved community, pretty much, and the education that we got wasn’t the greatest. Sometimes the teachers weren’t the best and I felt like being in a classroom with 28 or 30 other students for one teacher… that ratio is pretty bad. Sometimes the teacher didn’t really have patience for that many students.
So, I developed an interest in teaching. And once I became a full-time student at Parkland, I think that just honed it in and I will definitely become a teacher. I feel like I can go back home in Chicago and help these kids out who are in need. I was once in their shoes.
I didn’t pursue education right after high school. It took me some time to settle down and to actually find myself. And I think Parkland helped out a lot with that. And I’ll be transferring to UIC so, hopefully, I’m able to help other kids in underserved communities.
That’s where I really want to teach [Chicago]. I feel like being a Latino, there’s not- at the time when I was in school- many other Latino teachers. Marginalized groups were underrepresented in the school systems. Now, it’s more diverse than what it was back then, and I feel that I could bring something to the table; a different perspective and help kids out, [to] educate them. That’s the main goal. Show them that they could change.
What teacher(s) do you look up to/inspire you?
Professor Charles Larenas has, in a way, taken me under his wing since I’ve started. And since I took his education class, he’s been there for me just nonstop. Any issue that I might have with school or any advice I may need. Dr. Sarah Grison, as well in the psychology department. She has been great at mentoring and giving me advice, as well in certain issues that I had in my personal life. Professor Kevin Hastings in the math department. He has given me the do’s and don’t, mapping out what math courses I need to take, what I need to do especially since I want to be a math teacher. I appreciate the way he has interacted with his class [and] actually all the ways all three professors interact with their class.
When was the PCSEA established?
The Parkland College Student Education Association (PCSEA) was created at the end of the fall semester of 2008 by a former Parkland student. The student will actually be talking to the students on March 21. She has been a Special Education teacher for about 12 years or so.
What faculty members are involved in the organization?
Professor Larenas is the main supervisor; he’s always overseeing everything that we do. He’s kind of like the anchor in the ship that holds everybody in place and leads us. He won’t necessarily point out exactly where you want to go. He gives us that kind of freedom per se with the leadership skills that we are all working on. And he’s just been amazing at that.
What activities does the PCSEA participate in?
We provide our members with guest speakers and workshops, as well as service and social opportunities. As part of PCSEA, students will meet and hear from other educators-in-training, current teachers, and graduates about how they can better prepare themselves for a career in education, whether at the elementary, middle, or secondary levels. Students will also gain important insight into the political background of how our current education system operates.
Our purpose is to provide future educators at Parkland College with valuable information they need to know as they pursue a career in education. And my favorite every semester, the IEA (Illinois Education Association) hosts the Aspiring Education Conference for all of its members. This semester it will be held at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago in Oak Brook, Ill. There, we hear from teachers, and former teachers, on their experiences in teaching. It’s a great learning experience that I highly recommend for all aspiring educators.
What is the mission of the PCSEA?
The Parkland College Student Education Association is for students who want to broaden their knowledge and experience in the field of education. Through our association with the IEA and NEA (National Education Association), we are able to offer a great deal of experiences and opportunities pertaining to education. The primary goal of the PCSEA is to develop among the members an understanding of and an appreciation for the teaching profession, as well as offer valuable information and contacts to our members. You will network not only with those in your major, but those throughout all education levels and educators across the state.
We hope that our events not only help students learn more about becoming a teacher, but also help them to understand why they desire to be a teacher. As a member of the IEA Student Program, students are also a part of the larger IEA, an educational professional organization representing over 118,000 members in the state. IEA Student Program members are also part of the NEA, a network of state associations that has over two million members and is a major force in shaping the nation’s education agenda.
The IEA offers this program as a benefit to all of you: the future educators of Illinois. They want to provide you with a variety of opportunities and experiences to ensure your future success as a teacher.
The PCSEA is for lifelong teachers, who equal lifelong learners.
Do you think students in a non-education major/career path could benefit from joining? If so, how?
Research shows that any sort of involvement with campus groups can help student success in college. As such, students in other areas would be most welcome to join. They would enjoy the social activities, such as the recent Valentine’s Day cookie decorating activity. However, the speakers and activities are heavily targeted toward issues related to students interested in working in the education system.
So even if someone’s not interested in education they might find the PCSEA as a form of listening to somebody else’s new perspective [and] learning of current issues that might be at hand that they did not know pertain to education. If someone is planning to have a family, they may want to know how these types of issues [that] would, in their future, affect their potential children or even current siblings. Again, everybody brings a different background. Just learning from one another, it’s a great environment and the comradery that everybody seems to have, I think is great as well.
Interested in joining? For more information on the PCSEA, contact President Edvin Rios-Corado (erioscorado1@stu.parkland.edu) or faculty supervisor Professor Charles Larenas (clarenas@parkland.edu).
