A Para’s Perspective: A Mother’s Mission to Her Own Classroom

July 28, 2026

Jamie Niblett smiles while working with students at Ringwood Elementary.

ALVA, Okla. — Every journey begets a change in perspective.

Jamie Niblett’s journey began as a paraprofessional for Ringwood Public Schools as she balanced full-time work, full-time college studies and raising three children as a single mother to earn her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Division of Education’s para-to-degree program this May.

This fall, Niblett will step into her own classroom at Cimarron Public Schools in Lahoma.

Niblett said the busiest weeks of the program tested her resolve, but she kept coming back to why she started.

“What kept me motivated during the busiest weeks was remembering why I started this journey in the first place,” Niblett said. “I kept focusing on my goal of becoming a classroom teacher and creating a better future for my own children.”

For paraprofessionals weighing whether to start the program themselves, Niblett’s advice is to take it one step at a time.

“It can seem like a lot when you’re already working and managing family responsibilities, but it becomes more manageable when you focus on one class or one semester at a time,” Niblett said. “I highly recommend finding a friend or friends from your classes to work with or even vent to. If it is something you truly want, it is possible. It takes a lot, but it is worth it when you start seeing how everything is leading you closer to becoming a teacher.”

Her coursework also reshaped how she saw the classroom she was working in every day.

“Before starting my education courses, I mostly viewed the classroom from a paraprofessional’s perspective,” Niblett said. “As I started learning more through my coursework, I began to understand how much planning goes into lessons, how teachers adjust for different learners and how important relationships are in student success.”

Niblett credits much of her success to the people around her at work.

“I honestly don’t think I could have made it through this journey without the support I had at Ringwood Elementary,” she said. “My administration, mentor teachers, coworkers and fellow paraprofessionals were always there to answer questions, give advice and encourage me when things felt overwhelming.”

She also had a message for mentor teachers who guide paraprofessionals through the program.

“My advice to a mentor teacher supporting a paraprofessional working toward their degree would be to really remember how much they are balancing at once,” Niblett said. “Encouragement is just as important. Simple things like noticing growth or reminding them that they are on the right path really stick with you more than people realize.”

Jamie Niblett poses for a group photo with students at Ringwood Elementary.

Dr. Jen Oswald, chair of the Division of Education and professor of education at Northwestern, said Niblett is the heartbeat of the Northwestern Division of Education’s para-to-degree mission.

“Balancing three children and a career while excelling in her studies requires a level of discipline that will serve her future students for decades,” Oswald said. “Her graduation isn’t just a personal win; it’s a win for every future student who will walk into her classroom and see a role model of perseverance. I am so proud of her.”

Looking back on the journey, Niblett said she’s most proud of how much she’s grown in understanding what it really means to be a teacher, and she kept going even when things felt challenging or overwhelming at times. Ultimately, her faith and her children carried her to finish her mission.

“I give all the glory to God, because I truly feel He carried me through this journey and gave me strength on the days I didn’t think I had any left,” she said. “I also wanted to show my children that even when something is hard, you don’t give up on yourself. I want them to see that it’s possible to work through challenges and still reach their goals, and hopefully carry that into their own lives one day.”

For more information about the para-to-degree program, visit the Northwestern Division of Education webpage, or contact Oswald at jdoswald@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8451.

-NW-

Media Contact:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
Email: sjdoherty@nwosu.edu
Phone: 580-327-8480