Equipped to Serve Students and Teachers Alike
As a full-time teacher, administrator, and mom in British Columbia, Canada, Kelly Blackmore was looking for a program that would enable her to continue doing what she loved while deepening her education. Recommended to her by fellow Canadian educators, Blackmore decided to look further into Dordt’s Master of Education program.
Between cost, course offerings, and flexibility, the program checked all of her boxes. “Knowing that I could complete a three-year program while working and still ‘doing life’ was one of the main factors in my enrolling in the program,” she explains. Plus, even for an out-of-country student, the cost was surprisingly affordable, according to Blackmore.
Throughout her time in the program, Blackmore was consistently impressed by the faculty’s genuine investment in their students’ success. “The way in which my professors structured their courses allowed for a lot of my success,” she explains. The balance of routine and flexibility helped her establish a steady rhythm, as she became familiar with “the ebb and flow of when assignments would be due and when new modules began.”
Faculty members were also highly accessible, responding to emails promptly and readily scheduling Zoom meetings when additional support was needed. Blackmore emphasizes that her professors were not only invested in academic achievement, but “even more so—my growth as a Christian educator.”
Beyond faculty support, Blackmore found the coursework itself to be immediately applicable to her daily work in education. “As a Canadian teacher, when I wanted to focus on an aspect of a topic through a Canadian lens, it was not only welcomed but encouraged,” she says. “The flexibility of assignment criteria—often based on my context—was a great way to use what I was learning in real time,” making the program especially practical and relevant to her day-to-day role.
Now, Blackmore serves as vice principal and sixth-grade teacher at John Knox Christian School. With an Instructional Coaching emphasis, Blackmore believes she is even better equipped to serve fellow teachers across grade levels. “It gave me so much valuable practice in supporting teachers in their practice—being able to ask questions to guide reflection, build relationships, and help staff build their capacity and capability,” she says.
Although her time in the program has ended, Blackmore remains grateful for the impact Dordt’s Master of Education program had on her life, helping her develop deeper professional skills and knowledge, as well as meaningful, lasting personal relationships. “I have made so many valuable connections through this program—friendships that are deep and meaningful and continuing to develop,” says Blackmore.
