Education Mindset

Former teacher Emily Cole (’23 MEd) wanted a career change outside of the traditional curriculum path, so she turned to UTA’s master’s degree in Mind, Brain, and Education, a unique online program about the science of learning.

“I wanted to support education at a systemic level,” says Cole.

Cole leveraged her UTA degree to secure a position as a program consultant with the New Teacher Center, which supports learning for underserved students by improving educator effectiveness.

“I set myself apart in the interview process because I spoke about the science of teaching math,” she says. “Everyone in education is talking about the science of teaching reading, but not math.”

“Our graduates present themselves extremely differently from typical teacher candidates,” says Associate Professor Jodi Tommerdahl. “They can go from speaking generally about language impairment to discussing specific EEG patterns and even particular brainwaves that can often be seen in infants who will later go on to develop these issues.”

In her new role, Cole travels the Midwest leading in-field coaching with teachers and district leaders on best math practices and instruction.

“Even though I’ve left the classroom, I feel like I make a really strong impact with districts and states because I approach my work with the mindset of a teacher,” says Cole.