This Week at the Tutorium

Tuesday, January 13th, was late placement day and we have another late placement day on Thusday, January 22. If you see new classmates in your class in the next upcoming weeks that'll be the reason. Be sure to make them feel right at home with a warm welcome and suggestions on helping them adjust to their new, exciting life at the Tutorium!

What inspired you to start teaching English?

One of my mentors in grad school saw something in me that I hadn't noticed which was my love for culture and people. I remember sitting in the cafeteria at my university mulling over whether the academic path I was on was the right one for me. At that time, I was studying to become a writer, but for some reason the thought of teaching was always in the back of my mind.

During a conversation with my mentor (Mrs. K.), she asked, "Nora, why not teaching? You don’t have to go into elementary education, but there are other avenues of teaching. Have you ever thought about TESOL?”

Honestly, it was my first time ever hearing about it so I confusedly responded with “What’s TESOL?”

“It’s teaching English to speakers of other languages. I mean think about it. Think about your friends. You have friends from all over the world...China, Korea, Ukraine., etc."

“You have a point, Mrs. K. except for one thing...I’m clueless as to what teaching English is about. Sometimes I can barely speak English myself."

Then she said something that pretty much changed everything for me.

“Nora, all my life I’ve trained teachers how to teach. Teaching isn’t just about knowing how, but it’s also about having the heart for it. You have the heart of a teacher. Getting the training…well…that’s the easy part.”

The next day, I enrolled in my university's TESOL program.

What’s your favorite part of teaching your students?

My favorite part is seeing students gain confidence. Seeing a student walk in class on the first day feeling shy or uncertain but by the last day of class feeling confident and excited about their English progress just brings me so much joy!

How do you keep your classes lively and engaging?

If you walk into my classroom, at some point you will probably hear music playing in the background and a lot of laughter. (I promise you English learning is happening.) But some of the ways I keep my classes lively and engaging are playing games, moving around, talking about life, making jokes (at the right time of course) and just having fun. I do my best to make sure my classroom is a space where students are comfortable to just be themselves and not worry about how they look or sound. Life is short, so why not enjoy the journey!

What’s one activity or topic your students always love?

My students love playing backwards charades. It's a great way to review learned vocabulary.

If teaching were a superpower, what would yours be?

If I had a superpower, it would be time-travelling. I love traveling and I love history, so time-traveling is the best of both worlds!

Do you plan to use CTA buses or trains while you study next semester? As a UIC student, the U-Pass will help you use public transportation at a lower price. A U-Pass is a CTA (Chicago trains and buses) pass. The fee for the U-PASS is $163 (for four months, January 7 – May 13, 2026).

Students continuing from Fall 2026:
You will have the same U-Pass status that you had in the Fall. If you had a U-Pass, then you will get one again. If you didn’t have a U-Pass, you will not get one.

New Students:
You must opt-in (sign up for) a U-Pass If you want to opt-in, change, or check your U-Pass status for this Spring semester, go here. The CTA U-PASS is available for any student taking six or more credit hours.

Last day to opt in: February 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (After this date, you can NOT change your status and ask for a U-Pass. Please opt in this week!)

Pick up your U-Pass at SCE (Student Center East) at the ID office, using your iCard. It may take 6-8 days to receive your U-Pass after you opt-in, so do not expect it immediately, but go to the ID office to get a temporary bus pass. To learn more about the U-Pass, read more>>.

Website help article: https://tie.uic.edu/help-articles/university-bursar-paying-tuition-and-fees/

All students should complete this checklist to make sure you know how to pay your tuition on time.

Access your student account. VERY IMPORTANT! This will be sure that you get emails from the Bursar! If you don’t sign in, you will not get the emails!
Is someone else paying your tuition? Set up your “Authorized Payer“.
Enroll in Direct Deposit. You need to do this even if you don’t think it is necessary.
Know when tuition and fees are due.
Understand the payment options, including an optional payment plan.

When is my payment due?

Tuition and fee charges for fall and spring terms are billed in February. Payment for UIC tuition and any fees is due on the 28th of the first full month of classes (February). If you signed up for a tuition payment plan, each payment is due on the 20th of each month.

How do I check my account?

Log into UI-Pay (paymybill) with your NetID and password to review your student account and make a payment.Check your account early! Make sure the charges are correct and learn how to make your payment before the tuition due date. If you have any problems, you need time to fix them before the tuition due date.

Who do I contact if I have a problem?

If you see any charges that you do not understand or recognize, tell us at tutorium@uic.edu.

Is there a fee if I pay by credit card?

Yes, there is a fee. You can avoid this fee by paying with your bank account information. Learn more about payment options.

There are no classes today due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

If you are interested in participating in an event to celebrate this holiday, take a look at the MLK Commemorative Day event at Chicago History Museum here!

Email is the official form of communication at UIC. It is very important that you check your emails from UIC on a regular basis. Emails from the Tutorium (tutorium@uic.edu) and OIS (ois-tie@uic.edu) are especially important.

Pay careful attention to emails about your classes, immigration status, and insurance. Check your spam or junk mailbox.

All Tutorium students (new AND continuing) must update their local U.S. address at the beginning of every semester. UIC, OIS, and the Tutorium always need to have your correct address and phone number. Please be sure that you always update your information in the UIC system. Follow these instructions to update your contact information.

Attendance is an important part of successful language learning.

A successful student

attends class every day
is on time to class
is prepared for class
participates in class

A student is absent if

not in class
more than 15 minutes late.

Your teacher will communicate with you regarding attendance issues. If your attendance is below 80%, you will be required to have a counseling session with Tutorium administration. Registration for future classes may not be allowed if your attendance does not improve. Students must be registered to qualify as F-1.

No problem! To learn how to download the app, watch this short video. You can check your grades, course assignments, and everything Blackboard right from your phone!