Dallas Language Teacher Helps Students Fulfill Their Potential
Miriam Fartook teaches middle-school Hebrew at Akiba Academy of Dallas. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Arizona – Tucson and her master's degree in early childhood special education from University of Texas at Austin. She is currently enrolled in a certification program to be an educational diagnostician.
Why did you pursue a master's degree?
"I wanted to specialize in my field. I have always loved working with children, but I wanted more experience and knowledge in special education on how to teach students with special needs that wasn't taught at the bachelor's level."
What would you tell someone who is considering returning to school to earn a master's degree?
"In our society, a bachelor's degree only gets you so far; today, you need a master's degree. I don't think you can ever get enough education. The more experience and knowledge you have, the more doors it will open up for you. If you are not sure what you want to do, you might find out what you are destined to become. In my undergrad studies, I minored in Spanish. This has helped me tap into a culture and target a specific population of children with special needs and provide specialized services for them in their native language. You build from what you learned in your undergrad studies in your master's program."
What was the biggest challenge you faced when pursuing your master's degree?
"Trying to get as much knowledge and experience under my belt within the time frame of my program. It opened up interesting avenues and paths for me. It was so fascinating but was a challenge to narrow it down and focus on the practical areas that would help me in my career."
What was the biggest reward for earning the master's degree?
"The ability to finally take everything I learned over those years and apply it to helping children with special needs. Seeing the benefits of my education work to advance students was wonderful. This is a reward that you will not get from a textbook. I made the right career choice and pursuing a master's degree helped me find my place in life."
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com