I chose Concordia University Chicago for my M.A. in school leadership for two main reasons: the quality of the faculty and the convenience of the program. The instructors with whom I would be interacting were a significant factor in my decision. I knew that many of the teachers were current or retired administrators, and I believed that learning from those in the trenches, so to speak, would be invaluable.

Through Concordia University Chicago’s reading program, I learned how students acquire literacy knowledge, environmental factors that enhance or diminish their ability to do this as well as some of their counterparts, and most importantly, how to identify specific deficiencies and implement practical strategies to address them either as a reading specialist or within the context of the classroom. This helps me every day as now my differentiation of instruction is intentional, focused, and I feel better prepared to actually address the issue.