Emma Avery
Name:
Emma Avery
MSU Degree(s):
B. A. in English, 2015
M. A. in English, 2017
Favorite memories of being an undergraduate English major:
I have so many: Dr. West saying “good for you” when someone answered a challenging question correctly, Dr. Atkinson’s laugh, Dr. Claggett making me laugh, Dr. Marsh’s inviting smile, and the lovely friendships I made, especially with Tori Holifield and Rachel Wolfe. Shout out to Dr. Pizer for always keeping me on track to graduate. Shout out to Dr. Pierce for having a super calming voice. Shout out to Dr. Anderson for doing reading quizzes on Shakespeare, so it held us accountable.
Current Position:
English Teacher
Organization:
Insight Schools of Oklahoma, powered by K12 (virtual public high school)
When you graduated with a degree in English from MSU, what were your plans for your future? Has your career path mostly realized those early plans, or have you discovered new plans and goals along the way?
My “plan” was to become a full-time professor at a community college because I love to teach. These jobs do exist, but I quickly learned that they are extremely competitive. I am still open to applying for these jobs in the future, but for right now, I am happy to be working from home.
What is your current occupation, and what does your work mostly consist of?
I would say I have many jobs to balance with my “employment,” so to speak. My favorite occupation is mom to my 9-month-old daughter, Matilda Lou. At my teaching job, I make sure my students learn, and I make sure my curriculum adheres to the Oklahoma Dept. of Education state standards. Many students choose virtual school because the brick-and-mortar environment did not work for them. It is my job to be empathetic and understanding to their learning needs, as well as their emotional needs, too.
Which skills that you learned as an English major do you use most in your job?
Where I once analyzed texts to make original claims in my classes as a student, I now analyze student essays to diagnose areas of improvement to help them grow as writers. For example, I most recently taught 9th grade, and from assessing their work, I determined to go over punctuation more. Every group of students is different, so as their teacher, you will have to assess where they are and where they need to be by the end of the class. There’s an aspect of time management that, upon reflection, is similar to planning an essay or pacing a writing center consultation. I also learned to make arguments for change within my school, or if you should endure a parent-teacher conference, to support my actions with documentation and sound reasoning.
What additional skills did you need to learn in order to do your job, and how did you learn them?
I had to learn, and am still learning, how to best teach in a virtual environment. I am interested in EdTech in general, and I want to stay “hip” so to speak, with the trends. Education is always evolving and the platforms on which education is presented are always evolving, too. In a way, my dream job would be to get paid to be a student, so this field is pretty close to that!
Are there common misconceptions about your career field, which current English majors might share, that you have learned the truth about?
I won’t sugar coat it – the job market is tough right now. I’d argue it’s that way in every field. As an MSU graduate, you have MUCH to offer to education. Please, teach! We need teachers (haha!). Joking aside – I think one misconception that all young professionals have, and should resist, is that you are stuck in one place. While in graduate school, I simultaneously took classes through MSU’s MATS program to get my teaching license as a “back up.” I am astounded that I thought I would just waltz into a full-time position at a community college teaching composition upon graduation. As a result, I’ve been able to get my teaching licenses in three states and work in public education in all three: Mississippi, Alabama, and now Oklahoma. I also had a full-time job in Tutoring Services at Tulsa Community College that I loved, but once I became a mom, I knew I needed a change from the 8 to 5 grind. If a job isn’t working for you, change jobs! Use the analysis skills you use on your essays now to create a life for yourself that allows you to feel happy, fulfilled, and not overworked. It may take some ingenuity.
In what ways does your career enrich your life and help you to achieve your personal as well as your professional goals?
Oh, I’ll try not to get too sappy. To put it simply, young people (students) need encouragement, structure, and someone to care about them. Education is the absolute best investment a person can make for themselves. I get to be a part of that for others, which is amazing. Teaching from home allows us to pick my daughter up from daycare at 2:30, rather than 5:30, and I would hate to miss out on that time with her. She’s amazing.
What advice do you have for undergraduate English majors right now who might want to follow the career path you did?
First, I’ll say that you should REALLY use the resources around you before you graduate. LaToya Bogard and Loree Long Rios are excellent teachers, among many others. Ask to watch people teach! Ask for resources (like grading keys!) You’ve already invested in yourself enough to get a degree in English. Go ahead and get a teaching license. Go see Katrina Miller, who works for the Master of Arts in Teaching – Secondary Teacher Alternate Route program. You will be highly employable in this way. From there, who knows where you’ll end up!
[Updated June 2024]