As an undergrad, Dr. Natalie Keefer set out to become an anthropologist. As graduate coordinator for the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, that curiosity into the workings of the human experience 小蝌蚪APP and the teaching experience 小蝌蚪APP endures. 
小蝌蚪APP淚 enjoy the relationships and learning about the students that I teach. When I have an opportunity to advise students, it allows me to be able to advocate for individuals who are trying to achieve their personal professional goals; I love my job,小蝌蚪APP Dr. Keefer says.
小蝌蚪APP淢y background is in social studies, but in this program, I'm working with people who want to be instructional coaches in mathematics, science, in the arts, in English language arts, and so I feel like I really learn a lot from my students.小蝌蚪APP
Graduate Coordinator Snapshot:
| Name | Natalie Keefer, Ph.D. |
| Program | M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Specialist |
| Research areas | Social studies education, educational anthropology and linguistic anthropology as it relates to education |
| Courses taught | EDCI 570 小蝌蚪APP Diversity for the Progressive Educator; EDCI 574 小蝌蚪APP Leading Teacher Learning; EDCI 576 小蝌蚪APP Supporting Classroom Instruction |
Students in the program have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge as educators and teacher-leaders.
The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Specialist concentration, is a 100% online graduate degree program covering a range of concepts from research methods and diversity to advanced teaching strategies and supporting classroom instruction.
小蝌蚪APP淭he instructional specialist program is specifically geared towards practicing teachers, practicing educators,小蝌蚪APP says Dr. Keefer. 小蝌蚪APP淵ou could already, for example, be a team leader or be an administrator and you want to become certified as an instructional specialist, or to be that team leader and a leader in your school or district.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou could also be somebody that wants to deepen their knowledge of best practices on how to be able to support new teachers, how to be able to support their own practice and deepen their own knowledge of curriculum and instruction.小蝌蚪APP
Learning to Lead
This online master小蝌蚪APP檚 in education program prepares educators to become mentors 小蝌蚪APP an invaluable role in today小蝌蚪APP檚 educational environment.
小蝌蚪APP淢entoring is important whether it's formal or informal,小蝌蚪APP Dr. Keefer says. 小蝌蚪APP淔ormal instructional coaches provide support, provide motivation and provide new and innovative ways for school teams to be able to think about ways that they can meet the needs of diverse learners. That role is important to be able to guide people, shape the role of curriculum, provide that mentorship. It can be a very rewarding path for a teacher.小蝌蚪APP
Within the master小蝌蚪APP檚 in education program, Dr. Keefer teaches EDCI 574 小蝌蚪APP Leading Teacher Learning, EDCI 576 小蝌蚪APP Supporting Classroom Instruction, and EDCI 570 小蝌蚪APP Diversity for the Progressive Educator. Each course builds on and expands teachers小蝌蚪APP knowledge and understanding through actionable takeaways.
Through these courses, students first learn theory then begin to apply theory by using real school data to develop instructional coaching plans, professional development plans, and action research unit plans to meet the needs of diverse students at their school.
小蝌蚪APP淭hey can take that into their school and say, 小蝌蚪APP楬ey, we can do this. This is something that I created in this class, and it小蝌蚪APP檚 going to be able to help us to be able to meet the needs of our students,小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP Dr. Keefer says.
As students in the online graduate program grow and develop professionally, they小蝌蚪APP檙e also growing personally, says Dr. Keefer. In addition to innovative pedagogical practices, the graduate education program emphasizes emotional intelligence, listening, empathy, and communication.
小蝌蚪APP淚f a teacher can model emotional intelligence, good listening skills, effective communicating skills, in their own interpersonal relationships with their students, that is such a powerful thing,小蝌蚪APP Dr. Keefer says. 小蝌蚪APP淭he students notice that, and it's something that they can emulate as they grow up and as they learn to become effective citizens in our society.小蝌蚪APP
Caring for others; Caring for self
Dr. Keefer小蝌蚪APP檚 scholarly background 小蝌蚪APP M.A. and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the 小蝌蚪APP of South Florida, with research interests in educational anthropology 小蝌蚪APP and her 10 years teaching and creating social science curricula at the high school level more than qualify her as a subject matter expert.
Meanwhile, the work behind and between those pursuits gives her the insight to mentor her graduate students on a deeper level.
"While I was working on my master's degree in education, I was a substitute teacher, I waited tables, I worked at Williams-Sonoma,小蝌蚪APP Dr. Keefer says. 小蝌蚪APP淢y first year teaching high school was also my first year of the Ph.D. program at the 小蝌蚪APP of South Florida, so that was kind of intense. While I was teaching high school, I was teaching classes in the College of Education at USF, and I was also teaching anthropology classes at the local community college.小蝌蚪APP
To maintain a semblance of balance 小蝌蚪APP and sanity 小蝌蚪APP Dr. Keefer says she小蝌蚪APP檚 put in the work to cultivate hobbies and interests away from her work and dedicate time to those interests. The strategies she established as a doctoral student have followed her into her career.
She says being intentional and protective of time for yourself, as well as for coursework, is critical.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou really have to be strategic about it,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t can小蝌蚪APP檛 just be something where you say, 小蝌蚪APP業'm going to do it.小蝌蚪APP You have to find ways to protect that time. Sometimes, I'll have to say, 小蝌蚪APP業'm sorry, I've got an appointment,小蝌蚪APP or, 小蝌蚪APP業 can't do that; I have a meeting,小蝌蚪APP and that appointment or that meeting is with myself to make sure that I'm doing the things that I need to get accomplished.小蝌蚪APP
If you have questions about the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Specialist concentration, Dr. Keefer would love to help! Reach out to her at natalie.keefer@louisiana.edu. You can also to connect with our enrollment specialist who can assist with admissions information and help you begin your application!