On a chilly December afternoon, we recently had the opportunity to watch our first group of Master of Arts in Teaching graduate students walk across the stage at commencement. In this blog post, we delve into a review of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. We hope you’ll join us as we share insights into the MAT program, celebrate our first cohort’s success, and help you decide if our graduate program is for you!
First, let us introduce our first graduates from the Master of Arts in Teaching program!
The first group of MAT graduates consisted of 10 educators from various educational backgrounds. Our cohort grads either worked in public PK-12 schools or private PK-12 schools, and this cohort group had a mixture of elementary and secondary educators. The entire cohort is passionate about classroom leadership, and they all expressed a desire to be the best educators for their students that they could possibly be. Congratulations, Crystal, Heather, Dalton, Jaime, Carson, Julie, Betsy, Zakk, Valerie, and Ashley! We are #SNUMATPROUD!
What is the Master of Arts in Teaching Program?
The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) graduate program is designed to help educators expand their classroom leadership opportunities and provide them with the most up-to-date and forward-thinking classroom teaching strategies. This 18-month-long program of study allows students to journey through 10 informative and transformational education courses only 1 night a week or 100% online. The 10 courses offered in the MAT program include the coursework required for emergency-certified teachers to obtain a standard teaching certificate in the State of Oklahoma. Designed with educators' needs in mind, the goal of the MAT program is to prepare them to become leaders in the classroom, provide them with career advancement opportunities, and increase their earning potential in the field of education as instructional coaches and curriculum coordinators.
Who should participate in the Master of Arts in Teaching Program?
One of the unique attributes of the MAT program is that it is versatile and built to meet the individual needs of every educator. MAT is for educators who are just starting out and need to add teaching strategies to their repertoire. The Master of Arts in Teaching program is for veteran teachers who want to pursue career opportunities like being lead teachers, instructional coaches, and curriculum coordinators. This graduate program is a one-stop shop for educators who wish to take their teaching craft to the next level.
What is the most valuable component of the Master of Arts in Teaching program?
Almost all of our MAT graduates discussed that the most valuable element of the MAT program is going through it with a cohort. The cohort model helps establish friendships with fellow educators that will last for a lifetime. Each student's cohort becomes one giant support system that helps each member through difficult times and times of joy and even helps them find jobs as they wrap up the program and pursue their professional goals.
How does a student succeed in the Master of Arts in Teaching program?
To be successful in the MAT program, students will need to call on their will to persevere and keep working through the challenges that are set for them in the program. Challenges stretch and prepare each and every MAT student for bigger and better opportunities, so they must maintain their perseverance and grit.
What advice do professors and students want to give someone interested in the Master of Arts in Teaching program or the education field?
SNU professors and graduates advise anyone interested in the MAT program to pray about going all in and committing to spend 18 months studying to become a master teacher. Also, MAT students discussed that some advice that they like to give to future MAT students is that they should make the most of the opportunities they are given. If you want to reach a specific professional goal, make the most of any opportunity you are given by working hard, being consistent, and making a hand so that the educator leaders around you can count on you.
What course is one of the favorite courses in the program?
Our first group of graduates commented that they loved the Education Technology course because when educators use technology effectively, it can make their job much easier and make the learning experience better for students. The students commented that they learned valuable teaching skills from the education technology class.
How do we incorporate Faith into the MAT program?
One of our adjunct professors in the MAT program, Dr. Jenny Jasper, Ed. D. responded to this question by saying that one of the things she loves most about teaching at SNU is being able to do a devotional at the beginning of all of her classes. Because students choose SNU for their programs of study, she can help them grow in education and have the opportunity to help them grow in their faith. Educators inspire her because, in most situations, she believes that we can relate to Christ when he is referred to as "Teacher." One statistic says that the name "Teacher" was used to refer to Christ 60 times in the Bible, and this is the very last devotion she does with all of her students. Dr. Jasper says it is a joy to show and to tell students about the world's greatest teacher and how, by living like him, we can aspire to be the best leaders in the classroom ourselves by just loving our students and treating them with the kindness and understanding that Jesus showed when he taught others.
We greatly enjoyed getting to watch our first Master of Arts in Teaching cohort journey through the MAT program. We know they will be a wonderful resource for future SNU MAT students and will impact teachers and generations through their dedication to this profession. Congratulations Graduates!
If you’re interested in learning more about the Master of Arts in Teaching Program at Southern Nazarene University or any of our graduate education programs, please contact us or apply now!
