About this site

This product of learning was created for partial fulfillment of the Master's Degree in Reading Education at Appalachian State University, under the direction of Dr. Woodrow Trathen. These artifacts serve to demonstrate knowledge gained while in this program of study. All artifacts are directly aligned with North Carolina DPI Teaching Standards.

Reading Education Graduate Program of Study and Reflection

Personal Statement and Reflection

I started graduate study in reading because I had questions from my high school classroom that I could not answer and neither could my colleagues. I was teaching English then – specializing in World Literature and writing instruction. My most common (and plaintive) question was “Why won’t they read?” I asked this question in the English office and in professional development meetings. I could find no satisfactory answer. I would give my students class time to read – something I considered a magnificent gift, wrapped in shiny paper with a big fancy bow. They wouldn’t open the gift. Even if they all opened the book, some wouldn’t read. No matter what I did or tried I had a student in each class who absolutely would not read.

So when I decided to pursue a master’s degree, I chose reading instead of English. The logic I used in making that choice was that I already knew more about literature, grammar and writing than I could ever hope to impart to my students. So further study in those areas weren't compelling to me. But as a high school specialist, I knew very little about reading beyond the fact I loved it passionately and most of my students did not. Once I discovered the program and learned about it, I was really excited to explore the nuts and bolts of reading and literacy.

That was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my professional life. I know the answer to the question now, and even better than that – I know I was asking the wrong question. The logical question is not, “Why won’t they read?” The error in the question is with the pronoun. This is not a third-person plural kind of problem. Reading aversion is as individual and unique as each student who refuses to do it. So the better question is, “Why won’t this student read?”

This work has expanded my thinking about my teaching and the work that I ask students to do, and it has raised a whole new host of questions based on my classwork. These questions are more focused and more productive. Even better, I know I am asking myself better questions about my teaching practice. Some common ones are:\

I have found that I enjoy these questions much more because they are not born of frustration. They spring from exploration and experimentation and are based on a foundation of new thoughts and ideas.

Each master’s class that I have taken has given me something that I can use in my daily practice of teaching. I find every day, every period, I'm using a little something from my master's work that improves my teaching and my responses to students. I look forward to the time coming up after graduation. The time I’ve been devoting to my graduate work then can be converted to serious and widespread planning, reflection and application of all I’ve learned.

I remember completing a course evaluation for one of my classes and realizing I appreciated the way the professor’s assignments and feedback had stretched my intellect and knocked me out of my teaching rut. The readings, discussions, writing and reflections in my classes often pushed me toward places I didn’t even know I needed to go to. Once  in that new place, I could see teaching from a new vantage point and realize new possibilities.