Peter Medlin
Education ReporterPeter is an award-winning education reporter who has been at WNIJ since 2018. He’s also the host of Teachers’ Lounge: a listener-driven podcast & radio show telling the story of education through conversations with teachers and students. He grew up in Sandwich, Illinois, and graduated from North Central College. When he’s not writing & reporting, Peter loves to run at forest preserves across northern Illinois, cook, & hang out with his cat.
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In 2017, Illinois changed how it funded K-12 education. Now, the Illinois Commission on Equitable Public University Funding has released its recommendations on how the state could shift how it funds public universities too. WNIJ's Peter Medlin spoke with commission member & Advance Illinois president Robin Steans about what that would mean for students.
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North Central College in Naperville -- a small liberal arts school of fewer than 3,000 students -- has become one of the premier women’s wrestling programs in the country. And the program only started five years ago. WNIJ’s Peter Medlin has more on how they’ve become a powerhouse so quickly…
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Some Northern Illinois University faculty are experimenting with an AI tool built to assist them with routine tasks. WNIJ’s Peter Medlin has more on how the tool helps spark conversation about how and when it’s appropriate for students and their teachers to use AI.
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50% of voters aged 18-29 voted in the 2020 presidential election. It was a big increase from 2016. WNIJ’s Peter Medlin reports on how student groups are trying to make sure their classmates are engaged in this year’s election.
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On the Teachers' Lounge Radio Show, we're diving into the top education issues of 2024, talking with two long-time dance instructors, & checking in with our student and classroom correspondents.
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El auditorio en East High School en Rockford está llena con estudiantes presentando proyectos de ciencia. Todos son nuevos al distrito – de hecho, son nuevos al país. Son de países alrededor del mundo: Irak, Siria y Uganda – y eso no incluye los estudiantes que provenientes de países hispanohablantes como Venezuela, quienes asisten a Jefferson High School.
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On a brand-new Teachers' Lounge Podcast, get your dancing shoes on because we're talking with dance teachers from Vargo's Dance in Geneva, Illinois!
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Just this year, most Rockford elementary schools extended their school day by over half an hour to focus on literacy. WNIJ’s Peter Medlin reports on how the initiative is going so far...
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Un pequeño grupo de estudiantes están practicando cómo ordenar comida en inglés. Esto es “English Club” (Club de Inglés) de la Larsen Middle School. Se reúnen unas veces cada semana para refinar sus habilidades del hablar inglés y hacer nuevos amigos. Algunos también vienen para mantener el español en tacto después de pasar todo el día en clases de inglés.
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Some northern Illinois school districts are seeing an increase in migrant students over the past few years. One of them is U-46 in Elgin, the state’s 2nd-largest school district. WNIJ’s Peter Medlin reports on how the district is trying to help their newcomer students…