Graduate Student Spotlight

Reading MED

Amy Whittington

Student Name: Amy Whittington

Program: MEd-Reading Specialist

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

Undergraduate Institution: The University of Texas at San Antonio

Graduation Year: BA English: 2002 and English 8-12 Teaching Certification: 2004
Projected UT-Tyler MEd-Reading Specialist program graduation date: May 2020

Why did you choose to attend UT Tyler?

What drew me to choose UT Tyler is multi-faceted. From the easily navigable UT Tyler web site I used for initial information gathering to the interactions I had with professors and the graduate school admissions office during my application process and interview, I was able to solidify my impressions of a caring and learned faculty with the support staff and technological infrastructure to promote my success in a 100% online program. These attributes allowed me to maintain balance in pursuing a long-desired graduate degree while continuing to teach my wonderful students and take care of my own beloved family.

The reputation of UT Tyler's Reading Specialist master's program consisting of a high-quality, challenging academic curriculum at an affordable tuition level matches the first-hand excellent educational opportunity I have had over the past one-and-a-half years. A colleague of mine earned her MEd-Curriculum & Instruction degree in December 2018 and spoke fondly of her identically wonderful program experience through UT Tyler Online.

What are your career goals and how does your graduate program support them?

I love classroom teaching and my Reading Specialist coursework has already promoted extensive benefits for my current praxis and the students I learn and grow with each day. I consider the courses I have already taken, designed by Dr. Consalvo, Dr. Doepker, Dr. Han, and Dr. Neel, to contain immensely valuable lecture material and expertly-curated print and video resources, texts, and professional articles that have helped me to broaden my knowledge and prepare for the next phase of my career. My current semester's assessment practicum and literacy coaching practicum courses allow me to delve into hands-on practice and observations with my amazing on-campus Reading Specialist mentor at my own school in San Antonio. I am able to share what I am learning now with my colleagues, and both my fellow teachers and supportive administrators have been excited about the information and ideas I have gained directly from my graduate work.

In personal academic development at the university, I have been honored to have received memberships to the Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Chi National Honor Societies through their affiliated UT Tyler chapters as well as the opportunity to apply for and receive the Marilyn & John Glass Presidential Endowment Scholarship this year. I am passionate about literacy education and I know that because of my master's degree from UT Tyler, I will be well-prepared for future roles in the classroom, as a literacy or instructional coach, and as a reading specialist. I am also excited about how my graduate education can increase my ability to better serve students in my continued volunteer work with Project Transformation, a non-profit literacy program successfully implementing reading programs for underserved and under-resourced populations of schoolchildren.

What do you like most about UT Tyler?

I am deeply grateful for our program's professors and the depth of knowledge they possess.  The genuine passion they have for their students' success and their field of expertise is evident in every aspect of their course preparation and delivery.  Their ultimate devotion to accessibility (along with the amazing UT Tyler Technology Support staff and the easy-to-use Canvas system) has provided me with a wonderful level of comfort along with an uncompromised feeling of connectivity as a fully-online student.  The Reading Department has selected excellent graduate assistants that are endlessly encouraging and provide helpful guidance in the same spirit as the professors themselves do.  I feel academically challenged, supported, and prepared for my future. UT Tyler's MEd-Reading Specialist graduate program is the best educational choice I could have made.

Find out more about our Masters in Reading program

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