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JaMarcus Coley

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Bio

My name is JaMarcus Coley! I like to describe myself as an extroverted and creative Black man who aims to make the world a better place. I recently graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University with a bachelor's degree in art in May 2022, and I am now pursuing my master's in education. Currently, I am attending Mercer University to complete its education program. I’ve always enjoyed learning, and I never thought I would become a teacher. Teaching wasn't originally part of my plans, but after experiencing life in different classrooms, it became evident to me to pursue teaching. Among those experiences were negative experiences by teachers who lacked compassion, adding fuel to the stigma of "teachers coming to work to get a paycheck." My goal is to push the envelope and be the best teacher that kids will depend on in their time of need. Growing up, I had wonderful teachers who shaped me into the person I am today. They taught me to lead with compassion, listen to others, and develop resilience during stressful moments. I’m incorporating those lessons into my journey so I can follow in their footsteps. My goal is to help children build confidence, foster a sense of belonging, and create a space where students can share their stories without judgment. I always feel happy when I am creating art, writing a short story, or working on a project that might wow everyone. If you can guess, I am working toward becoming an art teacher. However, I am confident in teaching any subject that opens up.

Education

Mercer University

Master's degree program
2025 - 2027
  • Majors:
    • Education, General

Georgia Southwestern State University

Bachelor's degree program
2017 - 2022
  • Majors:
    • Digital Arts
  • Minors:
    • Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Education, General
    • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Arts

    • Dream career goals:

      Art teacher

    • Substitute Teacher

      Houston County Board of Education
      2024 – Present1 year
    • Customer Service Specialist

      Fort Valley State University
      2023 – 20241 year
    • Graphic Designer

      Coley Creative Center
      2022 – 20231 year
    • Event Planner Assistant

      Georgia Southwestern State University
      2021 – 20221 year
    • Recreational Clerk

      Georgia Southwestern State University
      2021 – 20221 year

    Sports

    Dancing

    Club
    2020 – 20222 years

    Research

    • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management

      Georgia Southwestern State University — Presenter/Researcher
      2020 – 2021

    Arts

    • Artists United Association

      Drawing
      2021 – 2022
    • Independent

      Drawing
      Perry Art Show
      2008 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Georgia Southwestern State University — Community Service Worker
      2018 – 2022

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    B.R.I.G.H.T (Be.Radiant.Ignite.Growth.Heroic.Teaching) Scholarship
    I always believe in treating others with kindness and respect, and kids deserve all the love in the world. I am currently a substitute teacher, and I made a lasting impression on the children's lives. I go to various schools and share my positive energy with everyone. There were countless times when I made students' day, but there was a day before the semester ended. One instance is the time I subbed for a math teacher's class, and I was unprepared. Math is not my forte, but I went into that classroom like I knew and thing or two. I tidied up the classroom so it would look presentable and waited for the students to arrive. Ten minutes have passed, and the students appear. The students were happy to see me because some of them have friends that I subbed for. The students heard nothing but great things about me, so we went on with our day. The teacher assigned the students a worksheet to complete by the end I always believe in treating others with kindness and respect, and kids deserve all the love in the world. I am currently a substitute teacher, and I have made a lasting impression on the children's lives. I go to various schools and share my positive energy with everyone. There have been countless times when I brightened students' days, but one day sticks out just before the semester ended. One such instance was when I subbed for a math teacher's class, and I was unprepared. Math isn't my forte, but I entered that classroom like I knew a thing or two. I tidied up the classroom so it looked presentable and waited for the students to arrive. Ten minutes passed, and the students started to appear. They were happy to see me because some of them had friends I had subbed for before. They had heard nothing but great things about me, so we went on with our day. The teacher assigned a worksheet to be completed by the end of the day, but with me in the classroom, the students finished it in just seconds. Since we had extra free time, I came up with an activity to help us get to know each other better. The activity involved sharing interesting events or stories from this semester. Let me tell you, the students were as happy as a jumping junebug in summer. I managed to hear everyone's stories, and the students appreciated that they had a teacher who truly listened to them. They were glad to have someone who resonated with their experiences. Some students shared stories of difficult classes, school drama, and tough teachers. Recognizing I had been through similar struggles, I gave them advice on how to handle these challenges so they could improve in the future. The kids felt relieved to have a teacher who genuinely cares about their well-being, and they spoke highly of me. They told me I am "the best sub in the world" and suggested I should become a full-time teacher. Well, here I am now, studying education. I’m grateful for that day, and that positive feedback keeps me motivated. If I could change anything about education, it would be some teachers' attitudes. When I was in school, I had teachers who came to school with sour attitudes. I understand we all have bad days, but that doesn't give anyone the right to take it out on students. Then there were teachers with superiority complexes, making it hard for students to connect with them. Teachers should have days of appreciation, recognizing their efforts and the time they dedicate to their work. Another area for improvement is counseling for students. When kids face personal crises, they often try to handle things on their own instead of seeking help from a counselor. I know I need someone who will listen to me about my problems, and the kids feel that way too. The counselor's job is to listen to each student and develop ways to help solve problems and foster growth. Schools should hold mental health events and activities that students can participate in, making mental health a normal and healthy topic rather than a taboo. Students can truly thrive if they have the right guidance from a professional counselor. The people who inspired me to pursue teaching are my parents, my mother, and my grandmother. My parents shared stories of their experiences as substitute teachers and how they managed classrooms when the regular teacher was away. They made a positive impact on students by approaching teaching with professionalism and compassion, core values that should be more appreciated in education. Kids naturally gravitated toward them because my parents made learning fun. Students often told my parents they should pursue teaching, but they chose different paths, so I decided to chase that dream. My parents always give me tips on managing my classroom, setting the tone, and having a productive day. I wouldn't be in teaching if it weren't for them. I admire how they make a positive difference in everyone's lives and promote kindness, integrity, and respect. My goal is to carry on their legacy and ensure every child receives a quality education. Kids should have a reason to look forward to school, and the answer is having devoted teachers who guide them on the right path and inspire others to do the same.
    Reimagining Education Scholarship
    Growing up, I often saw art as an escape. As a child with a single mother, it was difficult to live a little without the other parent around. As a way to deviate from parental matters, I turn the TV on and watch the latest cartoons. Back then, there were a multitude of cartoons to choose from, such as "Chowder," "Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi," "Gravity Falls," and the list goes on. I was so awestruck by the characters and the visual aesthetics, and a thought came to mind. "Why not draw these cartoons yourself?" I bought a sketchbook and started drawing cartoon characters to hone my craft. As time went on, I continued to improve in my art to the point where I decided to pursue art classes. My high school art classes were great, and I had a teacher that loved my ideas and motivated me to keep going. After high school, I continued my studies in college, but it wasn't what I expected. In collegiate art classes, you're expected to create work based on politics and depression, and if you deviate from those guidelines, you're often shunned, humiliated, and even ostracized from your peers and faculty members alike. Take it from me from "breaking the rules." If I learned anything from those toxic experiences in those art classes, it's that art isn't one-dimensional. One emotion (sadness in this case) shouldn't monopolize the whole subject. If I were to make one subject mandatory, art would be an excellent candidate. I know art is an elective in most schools, but hear me out. There's so much that goes into art that most people think. Art allows people to use their experiences and interests to create something extraordinary. When someone picks up a pencil or is given a blank canvas, they're opening a doorway to an imagination with no rules or stigmas. Students can be exposed to different eras of art, what techniques artists use to create, what color palettes to experiment with, and how to tell great stories like the cartoons I saw on TV back then. There's an endless realm of possibilities to discuss in art, and students should be encouraged to not only create but also to have fun. Additionally, art would be a perfect break between the mundane, run-of-the-mill core classes. I'm looking at you, math! If art is fostered to accomplish a goal among students, it's to express their emotions. Emotions aren't discussed enough with children, and people tend to look at emotions as a mature matter compared to a child expressing sadness, anger, and mental anguish. Kids need a healthy outlet when words would not suffice. Kids need an outlet to escape from the family matters. Just any negative circumstance that a child is experiencing deserves a safe space to be heard and validated. All it takes is one teacher to believe in their students and treat them with love, compassion, and respect.
    JaMarcus Coley Student Profile | Bold.org