“A child who reads becomes an adult who thinks.”

This well-known proverb took root during my undergraduate years at Furman and was later strengthened through my experience earning a master’s degree with a concentration in literacy.

I believe that literacy is the foundation of all other content areas. Without strong literacy skills, students will struggle to find success in other subjects. More importantly, they will have a limited ability to understand and engage with the world around them.

I began the Master of Education with a concentration in Literacy program at Furman University immediately after completing my undergraduate degree in 2016. I felt that there was so much more for me to learn, and I did not want to waste any time.

I recently completed my tenth year of teaching fifth grade. I spent my first three years teaching at a Title I school in Spartanburg District One and now teach at Augusta Circle Elementary in Greenville County. Throughout my career, I have experienced many curriculum shifts and worked under different administrators, but the literacy program provided me with a strong foundation of principles and strategies that has guided me through each transition.

Because of the education I received, I am better equipped to help my students reach their full potential. During my time in the literacy program, I learned and researched best practices in literacy instruction. I also had the opportunity to implement these strategies in my classroom and then reflect and collaborate with my colleagues who were also part of the program. The program also required me to lead professional development, which was a very meaningful experience but not something that I would have done on my own.

I think the M.A.Ed. with a concentration in Literacy program at Furman is unique because it helps create a confidence in teachers that they can carry not only into the classroom, but also beyond. I am the teacher I am today because of my time at Furman.

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Ashley Black is a fifth-grade teacher at Augusta Circle Elementary School in Greenville, South Carolina. She graduated from the M.A.Ed. with a concentration in Literacy program in 2018.