Every New Beginning...
My Future Learning Goal
As I prepare to end what is likely to be the last semester of my formal education, I have many thoughts swirling in my head about where to go next and what to do with all of the information I have learned over the last three year. I have learned so much since I started working on my master’s of arts and my certification in educational technology. I have so many ideas I hope to continue to embrace and many more that I hope to begin to implement in my practice. It can be overwhelming to narrow down areas of focus; however, I know that narrowing my focus and prioritizing will help me be more successful in implementing meaningful changes. With that in mind I have narrowed my focus to three key areas; increasing the use of technology in my classroom, developing my understanding of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and developing my role as a leader within my school.
Prior to my enrollment at Michigan State I was not comfortable with the use of technology in my class. I have made dramatic changes to my practice during my time in the master’s program and will continue to improve once I graduate. I will push myself to stay current on the newest forms of technology and the latest tools that I can use to enhance my classroom. I will improve my competence with programs that I already am familiar with such as Google Classroom, NearPod, and course management systems. I just found out that I am getting my own set of chromebooks and am incredibly excited to work towards my ultimate goal of creating a completely, or almost completely digital classroom. I will develop my practice so that my students are learning how to properly engage in a digital context in a way that enhances their educational experience. Using resources like edutopia and edweek will be essential in helping me develop the knowledge I will need to reach this goals. I believe that the use of technology can significantly enhance my students ability to collaborate, to provide and respond to timely feedback, and to maximize their time in and out of the classroom.
My first class at Michigan State focused strongly on NGSS. This was the first time I had been exposed to this set of standards. With all I had going on I in my work and in my life I remember feeling completely overwhelmed by the whole idea of NGSS. As life has continued to happen I have continued to feel overwhelmed by NGSS and did not fully implement the standards into my curriculum. My current distract has not adapted NGSS and working towards integration and full implementation of the standards by 2020. I have become more aware of the need for my students to engage in the skills outlined in NGSS; however, fully implementing them will be challenging, as it will require me to relearn many standards for my content. This process will also pushes me to be more creative and resourceful as I modify my current curriculum. I will engage in continuous exploration and professional development as I work to fully implement NGSS in the next two years. It is a dramatic change and I will continue to embrace my passion for learning as I work to learn all of the details of the new standards.
At the beginning of my career I hesitated to take on much of a leadership role within my school. I do not hold an undergraduate degree in teaching and I suffered from a lack of confidence when it came to school leadership. During my study at Michigan State I have develop my knowledge about educational practices, professional learning networks, technology, and the most current set of best practices for science education. My time at Michigan State also coincides with my tenure at my current district. The combination of the development of my professional skills and practices along with my time at my district has left me understanding that I need to assume more of a leadership role. I have stepped up to a small leadership role this year but will continue to think critically about how to be a better leader by exploring resources and working with leaders I have around me. I will continue to explore new ideas as I work to deepening my leadership role next year. I am also considering joining the school improvement team, which will enable to me to take on more of a leadership role in my school and in the district.
There have been many times in my life that I have been thankful for my love of learning. As I have worked through my master’s degree I have continued to appreciate my passion for acquiring new knowledge. I know that this passion will help guide me as I embark on my journey towards reaching my professional goals and as I leave the network of support and encouragement I gained from classmates and professors.
Prior to my enrollment at Michigan State I was not comfortable with the use of technology in my class. I have made dramatic changes to my practice during my time in the master’s program and will continue to improve once I graduate. I will push myself to stay current on the newest forms of technology and the latest tools that I can use to enhance my classroom. I will improve my competence with programs that I already am familiar with such as Google Classroom, NearPod, and course management systems. I just found out that I am getting my own set of chromebooks and am incredibly excited to work towards my ultimate goal of creating a completely, or almost completely digital classroom. I will develop my practice so that my students are learning how to properly engage in a digital context in a way that enhances their educational experience. Using resources like edutopia and edweek will be essential in helping me develop the knowledge I will need to reach this goals. I believe that the use of technology can significantly enhance my students ability to collaborate, to provide and respond to timely feedback, and to maximize their time in and out of the classroom.
My first class at Michigan State focused strongly on NGSS. This was the first time I had been exposed to this set of standards. With all I had going on I in my work and in my life I remember feeling completely overwhelmed by the whole idea of NGSS. As life has continued to happen I have continued to feel overwhelmed by NGSS and did not fully implement the standards into my curriculum. My current distract has not adapted NGSS and working towards integration and full implementation of the standards by 2020. I have become more aware of the need for my students to engage in the skills outlined in NGSS; however, fully implementing them will be challenging, as it will require me to relearn many standards for my content. This process will also pushes me to be more creative and resourceful as I modify my current curriculum. I will engage in continuous exploration and professional development as I work to fully implement NGSS in the next two years. It is a dramatic change and I will continue to embrace my passion for learning as I work to learn all of the details of the new standards.
At the beginning of my career I hesitated to take on much of a leadership role within my school. I do not hold an undergraduate degree in teaching and I suffered from a lack of confidence when it came to school leadership. During my study at Michigan State I have develop my knowledge about educational practices, professional learning networks, technology, and the most current set of best practices for science education. My time at Michigan State also coincides with my tenure at my current district. The combination of the development of my professional skills and practices along with my time at my district has left me understanding that I need to assume more of a leadership role. I have stepped up to a small leadership role this year but will continue to think critically about how to be a better leader by exploring resources and working with leaders I have around me. I will continue to explore new ideas as I work to deepening my leadership role next year. I am also considering joining the school improvement team, which will enable to me to take on more of a leadership role in my school and in the district.
There have been many times in my life that I have been thankful for my love of learning. As I have worked through my master’s degree I have continued to appreciate my passion for acquiring new knowledge. I know that this passion will help guide me as I embark on my journey towards reaching my professional goals and as I leave the network of support and encouragement I gained from classmates and professors.