Retired Education Alum Continues to Inspire Next Generation

Elaine Saef, graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice has dedicated more than 30 years in the field of education. Starting as a teacher, she ultimately served as a principal in the Broward County School system.

In that time, she also earned her M.S. in Educational Leadership from NSU. But recently, after dedicating so much time to inspiring generations of students, she retired. But she wasn’t finished. She has since taken on a role as an Internship Supervisor with the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice.

Internship supervisors are Education professionals who mentor aspiring educators during their final semester as they work in a real school classroom. It’s a role that Saef holds dear.

“I actually was very excited for being a graduate of NSU, and then the opportunity to still have my hands in education,” she said.

In her role, Saef serves as part of the student’s support system as they work in the classroom. She observes them in the classroom and offers feedback to the student and the teacher, along with guiding them and offering recommendations and resources.

One thing Saef hopes to teach her students before they go out into the field is to make sure you never lose that caring spirit.

“You have to make your classroom welcoming and a caring and nurturing environment, and that environment and the way you make the students feel – if they feel welcomed and nurtured, they’re going to want to do anything in the world for you,” she said.

Saef mentored several students during the Winter semester. This Fall, she is once again mentoring students in the classroom, but also taking part in a new program called GoReact which will allow her to also mentor students from a distance.

The system works by recording the students as they are in the classroom, and Saef can then watch the recording and offer virtual feedback and resources.

“It’s really cool,” Saef said. “I can be anywhere in the world and still be able to supervise without having to physically go to the school.”

Overall, Saef said the role is a way of giving back to both NSU and Broward Schools.

“Being able to go back and help these students from NSU now that may possibly become a Broward County teacher just sort of completes the cycle to give back to the system that created who I became as an adult,” she said. “To be able to give back to that system is really cool — and especially it being NSU, because I graduated from NSU, so I’m giving back to the school that helped me.”

Posted 09/28/22