Student Testimonials - MEd in Literacy Education

Joelle Fitzgibbon - MEd in Literacy Education

The M.Ed in Literacy Education was the best personal and professional investment I have made! It was worth every penny, every late night study session, every early Saturday morning, every long reading, every tear and every bit of energy I had leftover after work. It takes grit and sacrifice but it is incredibly worthwhile because the course coordinator, Josie Brady, makes it so!

My interest (and love) for Literacy grew over my first few years of teaching mainly because I was struggling to teach it effectively. I did my own research, bought recommended books, attended relevant webinars but I didn’t feel like it was enough. I saw some teachers and principals (shoutout to Dee at Playful Classroom and Teresa at Journey of a Primary Principal) sing the course's, and mainly Josie’s, praises on social media. I will admit that I am an easily influenced person and decided to apply a day or two before the closing deadline. After that, I didn’t look back. Even though after our first day of Research Methods I was tempted to leave but it was a “rip off the bandaid” situation! It went (relatively) uphill from there!

The people you meet will make the biggest difference to your journey. We were told from the get-go that the Literacy cohort was always very tight knit. Josie’s way of teaching and leading does that. Our group of nine (ten, if you include Josie which we always do) was special - supportive, encouraging, empathetic, understanding, generous. It was a joy sharing laughs, stories, advice, expertise, scones and pastries with the ladies. They came with a wealth of knowledge and experience and I learned so much from them. In the end, your group will get you through the highs and lows of this course and your thesis. We learned very quickly that we were not alone on this journey. Start the group chat (you’ll need it), ask the questions (even if they sound silly), send the links (if you feel they will be helpful), share the life updates (we had many)! They will be your life line, especially when you're trudging towards the finish line in Year 2.

There are so many positives about this course but Josie is the real highlight! Her love for Literacy and equipping teachers to be confident in their knowledge and practice is inspiring. She is one of the most genuine women you will meet and she truly goes above and beyond for her students. She is who you want to have at the start of this journey! Josie challenges you to question why you think what you think. To promote this further, she invited diverse speakers from the US, UK and Ireland to talk to us. We received a wealth of knowledge and understanding on a wide-range of topics (writing, poetry, adult literacy, diversity in children’s books, children’s literature, leadership in literacy, disciplinary literacy, etc.), engaged in rich discussions (and sometimes, off-topic debates) and were given wonderful ideas to use in the classroom. Josie always encouraged us to follow our interests and passions whenever we had the opportunity. For some assignments, we could explore them on a deeper level which made doing assignments interesting and practical. She prepares you so well for your thesis in Year 2 which helps the whole process of beginning a thesis (a little) less daunting. Josie makes this course special!

As with any big undertaking, the M.Ed in Literacy Education is a lot of work and you take from the course what you put into it. It is a passion project but I wouldn’t change my experience for the world. My love for Literacy grew and it made me a better teacher and a better researcher. Anyone who has a love for Literacy should do this course! It is well and truly worth it!

Teresa Coughlan - MEd in Literacy Education

My return to Mary I marked my 20th anniversary since my B.Ed and I was so nervous. I had been busy with life both in and out of the classroom since graduation but I felt that it was the right time to extend my learning. I was apprehensive starting out as it had been so long since I had even looked at things like academic writing and research, but it was clear from my first interaction with Josie that this course was a highly supportive one. 

I loved the variety of the modules that we encountered- each module was a fascinating blend of external contributors, discussions and activities. We were guided through the process of critically analysing research papers, referencing and all of the other things that I had been so worried about! We were also encouraged to follow our own interests through the various modules, while having our horizons broadened all the while. 

The layout of the course really suited my lifestyle and allowed me to pursue this goal around the busy life of my children! The assignments were varied and challenged us to explore different avenues and perspectives. 

This course has boosted my confidence greatly as it gave me a wonderful foundation for exploring my own research. The community built by Josie allowed us to learn from each other in a supportive and practical way, while always aiming to build on our critical thinking and academic thought processes. It gave me practical ideas to bring back to school as well as larger scale thoughts on literacy education in general.

As a school principal, I was eager to do further study in an area that would keep me grounded in the classroom. Not only has it achieved this but the course has also sparked some wonderful practices which are still evident in the school. It is a course that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in literacy who wants to explore Literacy Education in a meaningful way.

Evelyn Quin - M Ed in Literacy Education

I have always had a keen interest in the area of literacy and my work in school in recent years has been to support those pupils who are experiencing significant literacy difficulties. I wanted to extend my knowledge in order to better support these pupils. The MEd in Literacy Education was the ideal choice for me as it offered a comprehensive programme delivered in a blended approach, perfect for juggling work, a busy family life and study.

Nonetheless, it was quite nerve-wracking to return to formal education after 20 plus years. I felt like a Junior Infant on their first day at school. The nerves were quickly put to bed as our course-coordinator Josie guided us deftly on our academic journey. The small class size, collegiality and friendship offered further support. The modules in Year 1 were so well planned, building incrementally to leave us well-placed to select our research topic and formulate a research proposal.

Year 2 involved independent research, and the task of submitting a dissertation. Research skills were further honed under the supportive guidance of my supervisor. At times it felt like a mountain to climb but tenacity helped overcome the hurdles along the way. It was deeply satisfying to produce a piece of research which can positively impact the teaching of literacy in my own school.

This course provided me with the skills to work effectively as part of a literacy team. Peer collaboration and peer review were integral to coursework and developed my interpersonal soft skills. Research design and data analysis skills have contributed to my effectiveness in developing and reviewing our DEIS Literacy Plans. The insights I have gained into literacy acquisition and development have benefited my pupils and promoted a more diverse and inclusive literacy environment in my school.

If you have a genuine interest in literacy, then this course will be the perfect opportunity to partake in engaging lectures, build educational networks and develop into a more confident and capable literacy educator.

Eoghan O’Connor - M Ed in Literacy Education

I decided to apply for the M Ed in Literacy Education as I wanted to ensure that I was following best practice in my classroom. Literacy was such an overwhelming subject to teach, with so many different elements, and even after a four-year undergraduate programme I felt I had much to learn. Fast forward two years, and I am confident that I have a much more informed approach in areas such as spelling, reading comprehension, and writing instruction. I’m also confident that this course has given me the knowledge and confidence necessary to put myself forward for roles involving leading literacy development at a whole-school level going forward. 

The selling point of this course was the small group size, which meant that everyone got to know each other and form a support network for assignments and our dissertations. We had some excellent lectures from a wide variety of fields, including speech and language therapists and experts on the Universal Design for Learning. Josie was always our favourite though! We covered a broad range of topics in Year 1, but in Year 2 were able to focus in on a research area that interested us. I chose morphology and completed a pilot study with my sixth class on using meaningful parts as the basis for spelling instruction. 

I would recommend the M Ed in Literacy Education to anybody interested in upskilling their classroom literacy instruction, and those with intentions of being involved in literacy leadership or academic research going forward.

Aideen O'Connor - M Ed in Literacy Education

I initially decided to apply for the MEd in Literacy Education as I had always had a huge interest in Literacy and wanted to develop my skills in this area. I felt as though Literacy education was changing at a rapid pace and I wanted to ensure that I was delivering the highest possible quality of teaching in this area. 

The course has greatly improved my skills as a literacy educator and researcher. It deepened my understanding of all the elements of Literacy and how to effectively teach each one to accommodate all students. It has given me the opportunity to explore the research surrounding each element and the most effective strategies used within the classroom. Through the course, I learned how to design effective literacy programs, assess students' progress, and use research-based strategies to support diverse learners. The research component taught me how to critically analyse studies and apply findings to my teaching. Overall, the course helped me become a more confident, knowledgeable educator, better equipped to support all students in their literacy development.

During the Literacy Masters course, I gained important knowledge and skills. I learned how to support different learners, including those with difficulties. I also acquired skills in assessing literacy progress, creating effective teaching plans, and using strategies that are proven by research. The course taught me how to analyse literacy research and apply it in real classroom settings. Additionally, I developed better skills in teaching vocabulary, comprehension, and writing, which are essential for helping students improve their literacy skills. The course has given me great confidence in the area of Literacy and I am now seen as a Literacy leader within my school. Teachers come to me for advice with teaching Literacy and I have also demonstrated and modelled best strategies in Literacy to many of my colleagues. 

The course has given me the confidence and motivation to continue to engage with evidence-based research and to confidently implement these strategies in the classroom while also supporting my colleagues in doing so. 

I would recommend this course to anybody who wishes to develop their skills in the area of Literacy. This course provides teachers with a wonderful opportunity to explore evidence-based research, to become confident Literacy leaders in their schools and effective Literacy teachers who deliver the highest quality of teaching. 

Edmond Scannell - M Ed in Literacy Education

Over the years I had toyed with the idea of a Master's, and I even began a Master's some time ago. However, I quickly lost interest in this and decided to look elsewhere. As a teacher in Special Ed, I always had an interest in Literacy and this course seemed to be the perfect fit.

From the outset, my lecturer allayed my fears over my writing skills. It had been quite a while since my last course, so I felt a little out of touch and that maybe I would be too far behind everyone else. I am paraphrasing her now, but she more or less said, “I can hear your voice in your writing. I have students who have all the writing skills, but I can’t hear their voice.” This gave me great encouragement to continue to develop ‘my voice’ and also upskill in the techniques of academic writing.

My academic writing skills have flourished, particularly under the wing of my supervisor in the thesis writing process in the second year. I have learned how to target academic research in a particular area of interest through online resources. This includes how to disregard articles that are not relevant which is a great time saving skill. One helpful maxim was to ‘do something every night’ (when it comes to writing the thesis). That way, you’re not ‘at panic stations’ as the deadline approaches. Great advice.

For me, the best part of the two-year Masters was the first year. I didn’t know at the time, but the first year was such a pivotal year. And while it was scary and daunting, it was exciting and stimulating in equal measure. We had a small class and we bonded really well. It wasn’t long before we had a class WhatsApp group and this turned out to be most beneficial in terms of friendships and collegiality. The first year was helped by having a fantastic lecturer. The best part was because an awful lot of what we were exposed to in the first year, along with all of the encouragement, helped in so many ways in the writing of the thesis in the second year. I had an idea in the first year of what my thesis was going to be about, but this all changed in the second year, and I found myself looking through my first-year notes and handouts as I settled upon my research question for the thesis.

As I write these notes, I am finalising my 20,000-word thesis! I did not think I had the ability to write so much but it turns out that Josie was right. I have gained such valuable insights, I really don’t know where to start. I have learned academic terminology, academic writing style, signposting, referencing, the list is endless, but it has been such a joy!

I will achieve the goal of being awarded a Masters, and better still, it is in an area of interest, Literacy Education.

I will consider my next steps, including the possibility of a PhD, but for now, I will take time to get back to my much-neglected garden and take stock. I will be truly honoured to step up to the podium next Autumn to collect my parchment, but most of all, I can’t wait to re-connect with my classmates whose shoulders I cried on and my lecturers who slayed my fears.

If you have ever doubted your ability to write academically or to come up with a thesis that could change to course of Literacy Education, then take on the challenge of a Master’s in Literacy in Education in Mary I. You will be given all the tools and skills necessary and encouraged to develop all of the talents you currently possess to become a Master of your field.

Sarah O'Callaghan - M Ed in Literacy Education

I decided I wanted to do a Masters in the spring of 2021 and started researching courses from various colleges around Ireland. Having looked at the modules and how the courses were set up, it was clear to me that the M Ed in Literacy at MIC was well-structured and the modules looked both interesting and relevant to my practice as a teacher. This proved to be true, as I found myself using many of the lessons and techniques we had come across in the course. In addition, I developed good research skills, having never done a dissertation previously. I also found I was more confident in my teaching day-to-day, as the course had equipped me with the knowledge and ability to conduct research into areas of teaching I was unsure of. Rather than relying on ‘tips and tricks’ from teacher influencers, I feel confident that the strategies, approaches and resources I am using are grounded in research and best practice. It also opened my eyes to the idea that there are trends in education and that these trends can change over time – what was deemed best practice five years ago may not be anymore – and that we have a duty as educators to keep abreast of the latest research and what this means for our teaching.

The best parts of the course were undoubtedly the face-to-face lecturers. The course co-ordinator, Josie, has a knack for developing engaging and purposeful lectures that provide us with the tools we need to seek and find new knowledge and developing the craft of academic writing. There were also a host of excellent guest lectures, providing a good foundation of knowledge across all areas of literacy. There was a nice balance between this foundation in year 1 and the dissertation in year 2, which allowed us to focus in on the area we were most interested in.

Going forward, I plan to continue to develop my practice as a teacher, research areas I wish to know more about and to engage with new research and methods of teaching. I did this course because I wanted to become a better teacher and I feel I am far more knowledgeable and confident as a teacher having completed it. If you have an interest in literacy education and developing your practice, this is certainly the course for you!

Sarah Quirke - MEd in Literacy Education

Having completed my Bachelor of Education degree with a specialism in Language and Literacy Development from Mary Immaculate College in 2016, I was delighted to discover that I would be able to further my knowledge and experience in this area through the Master of Education in Literacy Education program offered by Mary Immaculate College. This course has enabled me to reflect on my practices in the classroom and implement new methodologies at a classroom level and share ideas with my colleagues at a school level. This course provides you with the opportunity to meet like-minded people who also share an interest in Literacy Education. Continuous support is given to students by knowledgeable lecturers. I have been inspired and motivated through lectures, workshops and guest speakers in specialist areas. I have particularly enjoyed engaging in the area of Children’s Literature, which became a key component of my research during this course. I would highly recommend this programme to anyone who is interested in postgraduate education.