Kimberly Dickens grew up in Western Arkansas with a passion for education. She still lives in her hometown of Van Buren, and teaches advanced placement courses in English and literature at Alma High School.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning for her students, she knew those not yet reading at grade level risked falling further behind. But without a background in literacy or in elementary education—where foundational reading skills are traditionally taught—she didn’t feel she had the knowledge required to help them bridge the gap. Then she discovered the online Master of Science in Education in Reading program at Arkansas State University.
“There was just something about A-State,” she remembered. “When I was looking at the course descriptions, those were things that I knew would help me specifically with what I was trying to achieve.”
She enrolled in May 2021 and finished her master’s in just over a year. The reading program’s accelerated, 100% online coursework allowed her to fast-track her studies while continuing to work full time. Kimberly also liked that she could complete her degree affordably. “The tuition was not expensive compared to other colleges,” she said.
She enjoyed studying the history of education and new pedagogy in composition, and was amazed by how quickly she could apply the tools she was learning, including the BURST writing strategy. It was an immediate game changer for her students.
“It’s a very different take on an outline,” Kimberly explained. Students create a small drawing on paper—a burst—before forming sentences or paragraphs. The drawing serves as a catalyst for discovery as they add detail and begin to organize their thoughts. “It gives them another way to get their ideas out,” she said, noting that the exercise has become a favorite.
Connecting with her A-State professors and classmates during the program was rewarding as well. She says the learning community they developed through email exchanges, video chats and discussion board conversations made the online experience special. “It makes a big difference when you feel like you have that network of people to support you,” she confirmed.
Kimberly graduated in August 2022. She has since received a raise, become certified as a reading specialist and taken on a new leadership role at her school. “I’m now the facilitator for our literacy department,” she shared. “I lead some of our initiatives.”
She has also received the most significant recognition of her 18-year career. In 2024, Kimberly was named Alma School District Teacher of the Year, and is one of four semi-finalists for Arkansas Teacher of the Year. She credits the online MSE in Reading program with giving her the confidence to pursue innovation and explore new ground in reading education. The perspective she has gained is just as important.
“I don’t think that our investments are always monetary,” she shared, highlighting a student who improved his reading competency by six grade levels in a single school year. “That’s what matters,” she affirmed. “He can make a life of his own because of the investment that we’ve made in his life.”
Expand Your Educational Practice With an Online Master’s Degree in Teaching Reading
At Arkansas State University, you can earn a master’s without taking time away from the classroom or disrupting your routine. Our affordable, 100% online MSE in Reading program can help you achieve your career goals in education on your time and budget.
Learn from supportive faculty with specific expertise in reading and literacy, in a program that offers you the flexibility you need to succeed. Prepare for certification as a reading specialist, become a literacy coordinator, advance to a K-12 leadership role or work with adult learners.
Study the most relevant topics in reading education, including:
• Theory, practice and instructional design
• Literacy development in children and youth
• Social and cognitive processes impacting reading skills
• Writing pedagogy and instructional analysis
• Culturally responsive teaching
• Diagnostic assessment and intervention strategies
• Research methods, data collection and statistics
• State and national literacy standards
Coursework in this online master’s degree in teaching reading features two hands-on practicums that give you the chance to test your skills, develop literacy interventions and prepare for leadership roles under the supervision of an experienced educator in the field.
A-State also offers an accelerated online dyslexia certificate program for educators interested in expanding their knowledge of multisensory approaches to reading intervention, as well as the legal and historical contexts in which dyslexia services are provided in public schools.