Student Spotlight:
JAMES HERNANDEZ Program Learning & Cognition Ph.D. Hometown Celebration, Florida
When did you first discover your passion for your field? Tell us more about your background in education. My background in education began with my first substitute teaching appointment. I was filling in for a classroom of fifth graders who had not had a permanent teacher for the entire first quarter. I was only supposed to be at this Title I school for one week, but I stayed for three years, becoming a certified teacher and “Mr. H.” To my knowledge, I still hold the title of Fastest Fifth Grader on the Playground. Next, I became a college advisor and worked with students on enrollment, financial aid, academic advising, career advising and graduation. I actually assisted one of my former fifth grade students’ parents with getting into college. While advising, I continued to substitute teach at a local middle school. I also tutored elementary-aged children and college students. What made you choose FSU and the learning and cognition program? I chose FSU’s learning and cognition program because I made a promise to my fifth graders. I promised them that by the time they were students in college, I would also be teaching in college. In fall 2021, my first class of fifth graders will be incoming college freshmen and I am on track to teach my first college-level course. Who knows if I might see some familiar faces? FSU’s learning and cognition program was the only graduate program I applied to. At my first visit, I recognized this program had the right mix of faculty, staff and students. Because the learning and cognition program is a part of FSU’s College of Education, there are a wide variety of resources preparing me
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for my career. First, through my coursework, I am gaining a strong understanding of educational psychology with the flexibility to supplement the core coursework with certificates like measurement and statistics, college teaching and program evaluation. Additionally, in the supplemental coursework, I am learning how to practically implement education policy, leadership and finance. I am also gaining expertise in grant applications and budgeting. As a learning and cognition student, I am also developing quantitative and qualitative research skills that enable me to identify high-quality research and educational strategies. I am also learning how to implement evidenced-based teaching practices with fidelity and conduct reliable, valid and meaningful research. Through this doctoral program, I’ve come to deeply value and support my colleagues. Therefore, I will be part of the Ph.D. employment solution by recruiting other doctoral graduates to work at a third space, which is not a university (first space) nor a lab (second space), but instead a place where they can teach and conduct their own research in partnership with universities. I am currently forging these partnerships as a member of the Fellows Society at FSU, the Florida Education Fund’s McKnight Fellowship, PURPOSE (Partners United for Research Pathways Oriented to Social Justice in Education) and the Florida Center for Reading Research. At FSU, I am also getting the experience to step out of the ivory tower and interface with key education stakeholders like policy makers, administrators, teachers, student, parents and community members. Informed by these relationships, I am utilizing education as a tool to empower everyone.
