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Driven by a passion for supporting the success of her students through individualized learning tools, Briar Elliott joined the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program. As a person with a late-diagnosed learning disability, Briar gained new confidence when she was accepted into the program. This instilled her commitment to continuously learn how to better support students with diverse abilities. 

“After the COVID-19 pandemic I was led to British Columbia to start my new journey as an elementary music teacher. As a person with a late-diagnosed learning disability, the arts were my refuge from the struggles I had in academia. My professional values and goals eventually led me to the SFU M.Ed. program. I had no expectation of being accepted, but to my disbelief, I was! This instilled a new confidence in me that my perspectives and voice could have the power to make a positive change in the education system.” 

“I intentionally chose an in-person learning experience, and I looked forward to engaging in insightful conversations with my peers and professors. Meeting in person with my cohort of 13 students made this degree more meaningful and enjoyable. Watching how much everyone had grown and evolved over the 2 years informed my own growth.”

Key Moments From the Program

“At the beginning of my degree, I got extremely overwhelmed with the fear of not achieving the level of academic writing necessary for graduate school. I did not think that I would be able to keep up while teaching full-time in a role that requires a lot of paperwork. Thankfully, I was given accommodations from the university, such as text-to-speech software.”

When Briar started her degree, she initially doubted her ability to write at the academic level necessary for graduate school. She felt overwhelmed worrying about balancing the writing required in both her studies and full-time teaching position.  

“My professors expressed they were less concerned about the level of academic writing; they encouraged and celebrated me for sharing my perspectives as someone who previously struggled silently in academia. There were times I thought about quitting, but my professors consistently checked in with me. They showed me how much they wanted me to succeed.”

“One of my professors told a story where someone had said they couldn’t give all their students ‘A’ grades, and her response was, ‘Watch me!’ This showed me that my professors valued unconventional types of learning and assessment. It became part of my own teaching philosophy that anyone can be successful if you give them the tools to be.” 

The Challenges

“Being dyslexic, high amounts of academic reading and writing were my worst nightmares. However, my professors encouraged me to write about something meaningful to me. I decided to do my research about women who had a late diagnosis of learning disabilities. I never thought that my ideas could make an impact, but the support I received from my professors and peers showed me that what I have to say is important and meaningful.” 

Through the program, Briar’s curiosity of exploring ways to make a small impact within her school has grown. It has led her to join her school’s staff committee to bring forward perspectives and issues that affect the learning support services department. She is committed to building a supportive environment for students and staff within her school.

A Note to Future Faculty of Education Students

“I have never truly enjoyed school like I did in this graduate program. Choosing to do an M.Ed. requires not only an open mind, but an open heart. It has opened my perspective to what is going right in education, but also to what is going very wrong. What this degree has taught me to remember is that even little impacts can make a difference; we all can make a real difference when we lead with empathy, compassion and a willingness to understand.”