This UoPeople M.Ed. Student Wants to be the Best Teacher Possible

“Before UoPeople, I studied in a traditional Indian school environment where everyone was fixated on excellent grades–where success was often only confined to being a doctor or engineer,” says Juhi M. She found herself perceived by teachers as an “average” student and felt “sandwiched between those who excelled in academics and extracurricular activities and those who were doing really poorly on tests,” she says.

As a result, Juhi decided that she would become the kind of teacher she wished for–passionate and open-minded. “As a child, we had several relatives and friends visit and stay with us, which helped me develop a more understanding and open attitude toward other people, their beliefs, choices, and viewpoints,” she says.

However, when she first began teaching, she struggled. “I constantly felt under-equipped in meeting my students’ learning needs and realized that I needed a higher specialization in education to become a more successful educator in the future.” However, despite her ambition, Juhi faced challenges on her path. “Finances didn’t work out for me; I was disappointed and felt I couldn’t pursue my M.Ed. until I discovered the University of the People.”

Juhi’s introduction to UoPeople happened by chance. She published a social media post on an educators’ group on Facebook, asking for suggestions for an internationally recognized, affordable, high-quality Master’s of Education program. Several of the educators in that group mentioned University of the People, and Juhi joined the program in August 2020. In her view, the curriculum in her program “is very well designed—with a strong focus on quality and relevance.” She says that she “felt a sense of purpose in every assignment and learned a lot more than expected.”

Until quite recently, Juhi had been juggling her studies and a full-time position at a school. In fall 2022 she’ll begin her Ph.D. in Curriculum Studies at DePaul University, Chicago, where she plans to settle with her husband.