How a Master’s Helped Bring Art and Special Education Together

After nearly 18 years teaching visual arts, Nermin Nabil was ready to grow her career in a new direction.

She had seen firsthand how art could help students, especially those with special education needs, express themselves in ways they sometimes struggled to do in other classes. She wanted to understand how to support those students more intentionally.

After completing Moreland University’s TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program, Nabil decided a master’s degree was her next step. She would eventually choose to specialize in special education, bringing together two parts of her career that had become increasingly connected: art and supporting students with different learning and emotional needs.

Art Was Always the Starting Point

Originally from Egypt and now living in Dubai, Nabil has taught visual arts across age groups, from younger students through elementary and middle school and now high school.

Art had been a passion since she was young, but teaching it came later. When she entered university, she initially considered fine arts before moving into art education.

That shift shaped how she thought about what students were capable of learning.

“I always tell them it’s not talent,” Nabil said. “It doesn’t have to be only talent — it’s a skill as well. You can learn.”

Over the years, Nabil noticed art could offer some students another way to participate and communicate. Students who struggled in subjects such as English, math, or science could sometimes express themselves more freely in her classroom.

That observation would eventually influence the direction she chose for graduate school.

From TEACH-NOW to a Master’s Degree

Nabil first came to Moreland while preparing to move to Dubai. A former principal encouraged her to earn a U.S. teaching certificate that could support her work in the UAE and recommended Moreland’s TEACH-NOW program, but her journey did not go exactly as planned.

After completing her first few months, Nabil was preparing to move countries while also in the final trimester of her pregnancy. She paused her studies for several months, then returned after giving birth. During maternity leave, she resumed her coursework and later completed her student teaching in Dubai.

“It was like a tough two years for me to finish it,” Nabil said.

The experience also showed her that continuing her education could fit alongside the rest of her life.

After completing TEACH-NOW, one of her Moreland instructors suggested she continue into a master’s degree through Moreland’s M.Ed. Add-On program. Nabil was already interested in growing professionally, and the idea quickly became her next step.

“Once it’s in my head, I had to,” she explained.

She enrolled in the master’s program immediately after completing her teaching certificate.

Choosing Special Education

While Nabil’s decision to earn a master’s degree was quick, choosing special education as her specialization took longer.

During her career in art education, she kept seeing how much students with special education needs could gain from the art classroom. She was also aware that schools were looking for educators with that expertise.

“I feel like those kids need to be supported through art,” Nabil shared. “Sometimes they struggle in English, math, or science, but when they come to art class, they can express themselves more through art.”

The more she considered it, the more the two areas fit together. Special education became a way to build on the work she was already doing as an art teacher.

Studying While Staying in the Classroom

For Nabil, continuing to work while earning her degree mattered. The M.Ed. Add-On is built around a one-hour virtual class, with the rest of the week available to work through assignments. That allowed Nabil to fit graduate study around her teaching responsibilities rather than putting her career on hold.

She also valued being able to apply what she was learning while she was still working with students. For Nabil, studying and teaching at the same time meant she could put new ideas into practice right away.

The online experience also gave her something she hadn’t expected: lasting relationships with educators in other parts of the world. Nabil still keeps in touch with classmates she met through Moreland. One friend continued from TEACH-NOW into the M.Ed. Add-On program with her. The two have never met face to face — Nabil is in Dubai, while her friend is in South Africa — but they still stay connected.

“It was really good to be studying, searching together, sharing ideas together,” Nabil said.

Bringing Art and Special Education Together

As Nabil moved through the master’s program, she began paying more attention to students’ emotional needs alongside their art skills.

That shift extended beyond her regular classes. Nabil began leading after-school sessions she described as art therapy, eventually offering them for students, parents, teachers, and members of her neighborhood community.

Her school also began drawing on her background in both art education and special education. Nabil said she is now asked to lead workshops for teachers and parents and help with art-focused activities for special education students.

“Definitely, it helps so much,” she shared.

Imagining What Comes Next

Nearly two decades into her teaching career, Nabil is now considering where art and special education could take her next.

She may eventually move away from teaching in a traditional classroom and spend more time leading art-based sessions for adults and students with special education needs. She envisions working with schools, art spaces, and other organizations, with a focus on helping people use art to explore their emotions and express themselves.

After balancing graduate study with teaching, an international move, and becoming a parent, Nabil has simple advice for educators considering a master’s degree.

“Don’t wait for the perfect time,” she said. “It may never come.”

For Nabil, moving forward didn’t require perfect timing. It started with knowing there was more she wanted to learn and taking the next step.

Is a Master’s Your Next Step?

If you’ve already completed Moreland University’s TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program, you can continue your Moreland journey with the M.Ed. Add-On.

Or, if you’re looking to earn your teaching credential and master’s degree together, explore Moreland’s 12-month M.Ed. with Teaching Credential.