A Degree of Gratitude

It is official! I received my Masters diploma last week in the mail and can officially claim to have completed my Masters program! My official degree is a Masters of Science in Education with an emphasis in Elementary Reading and Literacy.

This was definitely a huge accomplishment for me and one of my goals since I started college and realized how passionate I was about education and teaching. I would even consider going back for a second masters degree if the circumstances were right. I love learning, especially when it revolves around education. I really feel as if the things I studied have changed my viewpoints and eventual classroom strategies. Although I am unsure when I will go back to teaching in a traditional classroom, I am so excited to use what I have learned through my degree program.

Another neat thing for me is that, thus far, the only people in my immediate family who have earned a Masters degree are my Mom and Dad-both in education. I feel very special to be included in that catagory with two people that I admire and love very much.

Just a bit of background for anyone who is interested in reading! I started doing my Masters program in November of 2006 with University of Phoenix. I had stopped teaching 6 months prior in order to stay at home with Karianna and JD. I was shocked at how much I missed teaching and felt a very strong desire to stay connected with education in general. Beginning my masters program was the link I needed!

I began in the Curriculum and Instruction program, however I realized fairly quickly that this wasn't the exact niche for which I was looking. I considered what had been my weakest point as a teacher: teaching reading, especially to struggling readers. Thus I switched a few things up: I moved from UoP to Walden University and enrolled in their Elementary Reading and Literacy program.

I fell in love with their online program quickly and found myself truly learning strategies and techniques for being a better literacy teacher. I found myself changing how I worked with Karianna on her early academics, and honestly, changing many of my mothering techniques as well. By the time my program was drawing to a close, I realized much of what I assumed about teaching and education had changed for the better, and it was an exciting feeling of growth for me as an educator.

My degree culminated with a professional portfolio (comparable to a thesis). This project was difficult for me given some of our family circumstances. Although I finished all of my degree coursework in December of 2008, I took a few extensions on my portfolio. I was not comfortable submitting it until it was acceptable in my eyes...which basically means a perfectly professional culmination of my best work!

The end product was finally submitted in May 2009; I was pleasantly surprised when it passed review a few short weeks later with no revisions necessary! The final product was a compilation of 24 research-based essays, 16 lesson plans samples, 20 rationale statements (to prove completion of each program objective), and 6 student work samples; I printed it all out for my own records and it was 272 pages. Needless to say, I felt as if the very heart of "Teacher Rachel" was in that portfolio, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Jared tells me all the time that I am a unique person in that I actually found a field of study and an actual career that I love. I honestly never knew it could be any other way; I grew up seeing my Dad as a principal who loved his job. I feel very blessed to have followed in his footsteps in that sense and hope my education as a teacher has not ended with this diploma. I have much to learn and I am so excited to continue on this journey. My goal for today is to hang this now framed diploma on the office wall, thus enabling me to thank the Lord each day for the blessings He has given me in this area of my life.