Driven to Be the Teacher Students Deserve

Posted November 18, 2025 in Stories, Students, Teacher Education

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The moment a substitute teaching job shifted from a temporary step to something she genuinely loved, everything changed for Nichole Deacon. Watching students respond with the kindness and curiosity she once longed for from her own teachers sparked her commitment to becoming an educator. In the reflections that follow, Nichole shares in her own words how that moment led her to the Master of Arts in Teaching MAT program at Rutgers–Camden, what she has learned, and what she hopes to give her students as she begins her student teaching experience.

Finding Her Path Back to Teaching

I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 2021 (I believe!) and began substitute teaching. I fell in love with teaching immediately after and decided to return to Rutgers for my master’s in education. What drew me in was the kindness, compassion, and love that students show me every day. Too many teachers are burnt out, and students are the ones who suffer. I want to be there for my students and show them they are capable of great things, something I wish my teachers had shown me in elementary school.

The Master of Arts in Teaching program has given me the chance to teach in a district where I have fallen in love again with teaching.
Nichole Deacon

Growing Through the Master of Arts in Teaching Program

The Master of Arts in Teaching program has given me the chance to teach in a district where I have fallen in love again with teaching. I hope to learn strong classroom management skills and how to balance teaching, home life, and performing to the best of my ability as an educator..

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Who I Am Outside the Classroom

I have two children, ages 7 and 4, and they make me want to be a better person and teacher every day. They have taught me patience and reinforced that caring for children is one of the most important aspects of teaching.