Nicole Shivers joined the Master Educator program after working with students in grades pre-kindergarten to second grade at PS 236: Langston Hughes Young Explorers Academy in the South Bronx, New York. During her time at PS 236, Nicole worked in inclusion, self-contained, and resource settings. One of her proudest accomplishments at PS 236 includes using targeted interventions to move two of her students from self-contained to co-taught settings after just one year of working with them.

Additionally, Nicole’s passion for learning earned her the responsibility of training her colleagues on the school’s new initiatives. As a part of this work, she was able to attend the International Literacy Association’s weeklong conference and learn about the latest developments in literacy. Nicole used information from this conference to work with her colleagues on various topics such as creating engaging reading environments, interactive read alouds, and the importance of student choice.

Nicole has continued her zeal for learning by attending sessions at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education to learn more about Universal Design for Learning. She is excited to bring the ideas from UDL to DCPS as she works with general and special education elementary school teachers, early childhood education teachers, and Autism teachers.

Nicole earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Georgia State University and her Master of Science in Elementary Education from Mercy College, with a concentration in Urban Education.