Looking in the Rear View Mirror

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When I became an educator, my goal was to encourage, and push students to be the best they can be.  I have had the opportunity to work with children in a multitude of ways; ranging from teaching Interventions to elementary grade students to teaching sixth grade math and science.  I have been fortunate enough to touch the lives of many students in the first chapter of my teaching career, but I strive to reach and push them even more.

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Reaching for More

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As the years passed, one facet of education grew more popular in each position I held-the use of technology in the classroom.  This was my main reasoning behind pursuing a Master of Arts in Education (MAED) with a concentration in Technology.  When I began my master's at Michigan State University (MSU), assessing student growth and yearly standardized tests were becoming more popular online; and adaptive, individualized online programs were also available to bridge gaps to the bottom 30%.  I thought about all the ways the use of technology in the classroom could allow me to help my students grow as learners.  My goal was to find a way to reach those students in a different way that traditional instruction alone did not, to engage all students- from struggling learners, to above grade level learners.  Perhaps this was through the use of more frequent and formative assessments that tracked student growth and tied in to the more demanding Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  I believed in finding ways to embrace the technology, and allowing students to use it to thrive, giving them the confidence to learn and grow at their own pace.​

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Personalizing my Goals

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My goals at the end of my MAED journey have slightly shifted since I began my master's program, as I have started a new journey in my educational career in 2017 as a K-6 teacher in a One Room Schoolhouse.  Prior to teaching at the One Room Schoolhouse, there were technology directors, curriculum directors, and administrators in the schools making decisions about technology and instruction.  Now that those resources are not available to me on a daily basis, it made me aware of the challenges a teacher in such a (now) uncommon educational environment faces.  Meeting and working with a few of the remaining One Room Schoolhouse teachers in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan allowed me to see the need for supporting other teachers as we navigate through and keep up with the more demanding requirements in education.

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When I began my master's program, I did not know where the future would take me, but now that my career path has taken me to where I am today, I see a clearer view of what I hope to take away from earning my MAED.  My goals are now more significant, as I hope to share the experiences and opportunities I took away from obtaining my master's not only to reach students, but to reach other educators as well. I hope to use it to collaborate, and support teachers where there may or may not be the support and understanding that is needed to appropriately incorporate technology in such an ever changing educational world.

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Thank you for your interest in my story. For a PDF view, click here.