Final Reflection

Katherine Hallford

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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During the course of my graduate studies, I have grown and changed immensely as an

educator. When I first began, I had just finished my first year of teaching. I was stumbling

through the development of my own curriculum with little education past what I had been given

as I studied for my credential and undergraduate degree. I had many moments that first year

where I felt aimless, and that my students were destined to fail those all-important end of year

exams. The philosophical statement I had created that first month of my credential program still

rang true, but I had no idea how to implement those goals and beliefs effectively. I was feeling

burnt out before I had truly started.

After enrolling in the Literacy Education program at UNLV, I went through a

transformative process as an educator. I was finally being introduced to theory beyond that of the

major players in child development, I was learning how to teach reading and writing and what

was considered best practice in doing so. My teaching philosophy no longer felt like a pipe

dream, but rather something that was acceptable and encouraged amongst professionals. My

curriculum and lessons became more focused and intentional. I was no longer treading water,

hoping the right ideas would fall into my lap, but instead I was swimming. As a result of my

work throughout the first year of my graduate program, my students showed significant growth

in their reading, writing, and language skills. I still felt inexperienced, but I was intentionally

learning and implementing what I had learned, creating a more stable and productive learning

space for my students.

As a result of completing this master’s program, I am more passionate than ever about

literacy education and its importance in the field of education. While I currently have no plans to

continue on with a doctoral program, I am hoping that I move into a position that will allow me

to grow students and educators alike. What that position may be, I am not sure, but I know that it
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will be one that will allow me to use my education and skills. It has been a long time dream of

mine to move into teacher education, and I am confident I will move into that role one day.

In creating my portfolio, I have been able to reflect on my practice as it stands now, and

the work that I have put into becoming the educator I am today. I am currently in my third year

of teaching fifth grade Language Arts and Social Studies, and will be moving on to a new state,

district, and possibly grade next year. I feel that in reflecting on the work I have done, I feel

confident that my work during my graduate education will allow me to take that new position on

with confidence and success no matter the grade level. I’ve also been fortunate enough to see

myself grow throughout each assignment and each semester I completed. In the last two years,

I’ve learned that the phrase “The days are long, but the years are short” rings true in many ways.

My master’s program has been an incredible, challenging journey, but one I am incredibly

thankful to have completed.