Elementary Education graduate carries Auburn College of Education preparation into his St. Louis classroom

When Michael Morgan arrived at Auburn University in 2020, he stepped into college life during one of the most uncertain moments in recent history. While the COVID-19 pandemic made the transition difficult, Morgan said his Auburn College of Education experience taught him to persevere, grow and embrace the calling to teach.

As a 2024 graduate of Auburn’s Elementary Education program, Morgan found more than a degree path. He discovered a community of future educators committed to serving students well. Through coursework, field experiences and relationships with faculty, he was challenged to examine his own perspectives and develop the confidence to teach students from a wide range of backgrounds and socioeconomic experiences.

“I was challenged to work through biases that I knew, and did not know, were there,” Morgan said. “This, in turn, led me to become a more open-minded teacher and individual.”

Prepared to teach with confidence

Today, Morgan teaches in inner city St. Louis, where he draws daily on the preparation he received at Auburn. He credits the Elementary Education program with giving him meaningful exposure to the many elements of teaching, from classroom management and lesson planning to advocacy and open-minded instruction.

Auburn’s emphasis on real classroom experience helped Morgan develop his own teaching style. By working in different classrooms, school systems and instructional environments, he learned from a variety of educators and gained the practical experience needed to step into his own classroom prepared.

“Auburn prepared me to have the confidence to step into any classroom and teach to the utmost of instruction,” Morgan said. “My professors took the time to dive into the hard truths of education and prepared us for the realities of different situations.”

Learning through practice and purpose

One course that continues to stand out to Morgan is Foundations of Literacy 1, where he learned how to provide targeted intervention for a student, analyze data and create weekly action plans to support that student’s growth. The experience helped him understand the importance of responsive, data-informed instruction.

Morgan also points to Associate Clinical Professor Martina McGhee as an Auburn Education faculty member who changed the way he viewed education. He said McGhee helped him identify areas of privilege and challenged him to approach students from a mindset rooted in equity rather than assumption.

Some of his fondest Auburn memories came from working in classrooms alongside classmates and mentor teachers. Those experiences gave him the opportunity to put theory into practice, collaborate with peers and watch friends grow into capable, caring teachers.

Making an impact after graduation

Since graduating, Morgan has continued to lead, teach and serve in ways that reflect his Auburn preparation. In 2024, he worked as an interim coordinator for First Year Seminars and Learning Communities for Camp War Eagle. He also coached his fourth-grade basketball team to a 5-2 season and is now piloting a reading buddies program at his school, giving upper elementary students the opportunity to read with primary grade students each week.

In the classroom, Morgan has already seen meaningful academic growth. At his school, 42% of the fourth-grade class was two or more grade levels behind in English language arts. After planning and implementing standards-based instruction, that number decreased to 21%.

Advice for Future Educators

Morgan encourages current and future Auburn Education students to approach every opportunity with a growth mindset.

“Soak in every experience,” Morgan said. “You will never have it all understood but never stop growing. Never be afraid to ask for help.”

He also offers a practical tip from experience: save your work. Morgan said materials created during the program can become useful classroom resources later, especially when teachers find themselves adjusting to new grade levels or instructional needs.

Carrying Auburn Forward

For Morgan, earning a degree from Auburn’s College of Education has helped him empower students to use their voices, promote positive change and build community in the classroom. It also gave him the confidence to keep learning and growing as an educator.

“With my Auburn College of Education degree, I have been able to empower students to use their voices to promote positive change in their world, foster community in my classroom, and have learned that I will always need to grow,” Morgan said. “War Eagle!”