Corey Oliver, NBCT

Corey Oliver, a National Board Certified Teacher in  English Language Arts, teaches 7th grade English in the Conway Public School District in Conway, Arkansas. A graduate of the University of Central Arkansas (also in Conway), Corey maintains his involvement with the University as an adjunct instructor in the College of Education. Passionate about expanding his cultural awareness through international travel experiences and, in turn, increasing his students' understanding and appreciation of the world around them, Corey has participated in five international training programs for educators, traveling to Russia, China, Japan and South Africa.  

What They Don’t Seem to Understand about Certification

July 21, 2016

What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don’t. You open your eyes and everything’s just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you don’t feel eleven at all. You feel like you’re still ten. And you are –underneath the year that makes you eleven. Like some days you might say something stupid, and that’s…

Read More

For Whom the (School) Bell Tolls: What Calls You to Teaching?

June 15, 2015

Editor’s Note: Corey Oliver is a National Board Certified Teacher in English Language Arts. He teaches 7th grade English in the Conway Public School District in Conway, Arkansas. The views expressed in this blog are his own. "Mr. Oliver, if you find a job you love, you’ll never work another day in your life.” Although I had heard this saying before, hearing it directly from a 13-year-old gave it much greater impact. On a break from activities during a weekend retreat for an extracurricular organization I sponsored during my first year of teaching, Cody (one of my students) and I…

Read More

The Teacher’s Pledge of Relationship

May 22, 2015

Editor’s Note: Corey Oliver is a National Board Certified Teacher in English Language Arts. He teaches 7th grade English in the Conway Public School District in Conway, Arkansas. The views expressed in this blog are his own. Walking proudly across the stage at his high school graduation, Julien wears a smile that expands as cheers erupt from his adoring friends and family members and as he approaches his principal, who hands him his long awaited high school diploma. Julien’s fan club consists of not only his friends and family, but also at least one of his former teachers, who beams…

Read More