Meet Caitlin Meyer, an alumna of University of Saint Joseph and an adjunct professor of the same program she graduated from! She is an experienced professional of both K-12 and higher education.
What programs do you teach at University of Saint Joseph (USJ)? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?
I teach at the Off-Campus Master’s Program for the College of Education, where I teach courses to master’s students both in-person and hybrid remote. My fields include TESOL, multiple intelligences and arts integration, curriculum design, and educational research. I myself am a graduate of the same program I currently teach for, which provides me a unique insight into the values of a master’s program from University of Saint Joseph, which has not only provided me with a masters, but with consistent guidance and professional support beyond my degree.
The work I completed at USJ helped me get into a doctoral program, publish my research in peer-reviewed journals, and even move to China! I am also Director of Programs and Talent Development at Great Oaks Charter School in Bridgeport! I am so lucky to get to see both lenses: K-12 and higher education, in my professional work.
How will your programs better prepare/equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will it help them tackle the challenges of COVID and post-COVID teaching?
USJ’s off-campus programs are tailored specifically to the working professional. As such, all of my students are teachers in Connecticut districts! This program is especially innovative because the coursework immediately applies to teachers’ working lives. Not only are we learning best practices for curriculum and classroom instruction in a pandemic world, but we’re also currently developing it in real-time. One of my favorite parts about teaching for USJ is that I’m not only leading courses, but I am also constantly learning from my students which helps inform my actions as an educational leader.
What attracted you to teach at University of Saint Joseph? What sets them apart?
I’m actually a graduate of University of Saint Joseph myself, in the same program I currently teach! I had some absolutely amazing faculty that helped guide me as a teacher and school leader, and I am incredibly thankful that I was invited to return as an adjunct. One thing that sets USJ apart is that the master’s program is specifically designed for the needs of the teachers now and in the future.
There’s no “busy work” in the program, everything I learned at USJ as a student I was able to apply to my classroom immediately. As a graduate, I witnessed first-hand the dedication of USJ faculty to ensuring the success of its teachers; I was consistently guided through how to become not only a better teacher but a better leader. USJ even helped prepare me for my doctoral program, a personal goal of mine!
What is your professional background as an educator?
I received my Bachelor of Music Education from the University of New Hampshire, my masters from the University of Saint Joseph (the program where I currently teach!) and am ABD (all but dissertation) for my Ph.D. at DePaul University!
Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?
I knew I wanted to be a teacher as early as elementary school. I had some amazing teachers early on and knew that I wanted to help influence the next generation of thinkers and doers. My dad taught me the joys of classical music early on, and in middle and high school I was introduced to formal music education through my amazing music teachers. I saw firsthand the influence that music had on creating and supporting the whole child.
As a senior in high school, I interned as a student teacher in my local middle school, where I taught small group instruction for middle school band and choir, and it was here where I reignited my passion for music education. I enrolled in USJ when I was a fifth-year band teacher and was incredibly thankful for everything I learned from my classmates and faculty who helped guide my instruction for several years.
In my educational research course, I published a paper in which I analyzed the effects of music on learners of other languages, with choir being used as an intervention to teach English. This paper was read by the director of a prestigious American school in China, which would eventually invite me to come teach for them. I moved to China and put what I had learned in my master’s program to work, especially when I was asked to become a leader in the school – a field I would have never considered prior to my work with USJ. The research course I took at USJ and the paper I published from that class would eventually influence my dissertation as well!
I returned to America during the pandemic and continued my work in school leadership at a wonderful charter school in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where I serve as Director of Programs and Talent Development. One of my favorite parts of my job at Great Oaks is being able to introduce new topics that I’ve learned from my students at USJ!
What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their graduate education degree? How can people stand out in this field?
Most educators are aware that a master’s degree is a necessary part of becoming a professionally certified teacher in the state of Connecticut. Plenty of programs online allow you to “check this box” if you don’t wish to further your practice as a teacher. If you are interested in developing your own practice and informing the future of the field of teaching, University of Saint Joseph is the choice I would make. One thing I noticed in my Ph.D. program at DePaul University was how well-prepared I was for doctoral-level work. My research, writing, and reflective practitioner classes were a breeze as I had already covered those topics in my coursework at USJ.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
One thing I am amazed about University of Saint Joseph is how much it is continually teaching me, even after graduation! Not only did the faculty assist me in applying for my doctoral program three years after my graduation, but the lessons I learned from USJ also helped me publish articles, succeed as a doctoral student, and become a school leader when I had never considered that as a possibility. I am incredibly thankful to be able to give back to the university that helped me so much in my professional life!