"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
-Mother Theresa
Committed to Life-Long Learning
By Jaimee Gillon
One of the reasons I became a teacher is because I possess a genuine love of learning. Each and every school year, I hope to grow and learn just as much as my students do. I wholeheartedly believe I will never achieve personal or professional perfection. This is not because I’m incapable; it’s simply because there is always room for improvement. While I’m a little sad to see my journey to attain a Master’s degree come to an end, I know this will not be the end of my betterment process. All of the valuable resources and knowledge I’ve gleaned from this learning experience will only propel me further into my next learning opportunities.
Although I've accomplished a great many goals through my Master's courses, there are quite a few topics I have yet to explore. Luckily for me, our media-enriched world offers easy access to a wide expanse of information. My experiences in MSU’s online degree program have really opened my eyes to the abundance of resources and networks available through the internet. I know some of my biggest aids in continuing my education will come from organizations who post resources online like TED, Michigan World Language Association, Common Core Standards, Reading Rocket, and PBS. I feel extremely fortunate that we live in such an inter-connected world where most of the online information is offered quickly and for little to no cost. I look forward to taking advantage of many online resources.
Not only will I be consulting a host of websites to stay current on “best practices,” but I have also established a great network of peers who I feel able to tap into when I have a curiosity. Through several group projects, I’ve formed relationships with several other graduate students whom I know would be available and willing to answer questions or help me seek out further information. Often, my best ideas originate from colleagues who are actively teaching and willing to share their “best practices.” Technology makes this possible because I can utilize resources like cell phones, Skype, Facebook, and email to keep in touch with these peers, despite the fact that they may live in other cities, states, and countries.
At this major turning point in my educational career, I find it pertinent to not only think about the means of attaining more information, but also the topics I'd like to learn more about. When I think about what specific topics I'd like to pursue more in depth, one subject stands out amongst the rest: literacy. I have always been passionate about promoting the literacy of my students. Here, at the completion of my master's program, I find that I am just as committed, if not more so, to the betterment of my students’ literacy. My skills and abilities when it comes to diagnosing, supplementing, treating, and assessing student literacy are so much stronger; however, I feel like I still have a lot of work to do. As multiple courses have suggested, new and improved “best practices” are released on a continual basis. There are countless studies and best practices being developed each day. I would be doing a disservice to my students if I did not keep tabs on the latest and greatest literacy strategies, so I plan on maintaining a close eye on literacy developments. Luckily, TE 846 has armed me with some great means of doing this through online publications and textbooks.
Another goal I have for my future is incorporating more explicit instruction on the “new literacies.” Previous to my graduate coursework, I only had a basic understanding of what “new literacy” entailed. Now I have a much firmer understanding of what it is and what it means for the future of my students. I no longer always view cell phones and tablets as the enemy in my classroom. I have realized that, as an educator, I have a responsibility to embrace and use these avenues for “new litracy” to my advantage. Because these “new literacies” are developing so fast, in order for me to be effective, I have to stay current on the latest technological trends. So far, I have taken small steps to make technology an integrated part of my classroom by having my students design small websites, record conversations, create prezis, etc; however, I wish to make huge strides in the implementation of technology and explicit teaching of “new literacy” within the coming years.
While all of these informal learning experiences will certainly bolster my knowledge base, I do still plan on continuing my education through formal means as well. Though I may not start this journey until next year, I have firm plans to attain a second master’s degree or doctorate degree. The concentration of this degree is still up for debate, however. I’ve learned to be flexible when it comes to career changes so I’m keeping an open mind. The top two choices at present are Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education or French. This choice depends heavily on whether I plan on remaining in the world of secondary French education or move to the sphere of adult education. Whichever concentration I decide upon, I plan on pursuing it with same diligence and determination as I’ve maintained throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies thus far.
One of the reasons I became a teacher is because I possess a genuine love of learning. Each and every school year, I hope to grow and learn just as much as my students do. I wholeheartedly believe I will never achieve personal or professional perfection. This is not because I’m incapable; it’s simply because there is always room for improvement. While I’m a little sad to see my journey to attain a Master’s degree come to an end, I know this will not be the end of my betterment process. All of the valuable resources and knowledge I’ve gleaned from this learning experience will only propel me further into my next learning opportunities.
Although I've accomplished a great many goals through my Master's courses, there are quite a few topics I have yet to explore. Luckily for me, our media-enriched world offers easy access to a wide expanse of information. My experiences in MSU’s online degree program have really opened my eyes to the abundance of resources and networks available through the internet. I know some of my biggest aids in continuing my education will come from organizations who post resources online like TED, Michigan World Language Association, Common Core Standards, Reading Rocket, and PBS. I feel extremely fortunate that we live in such an inter-connected world where most of the online information is offered quickly and for little to no cost. I look forward to taking advantage of many online resources.
Not only will I be consulting a host of websites to stay current on “best practices,” but I have also established a great network of peers who I feel able to tap into when I have a curiosity. Through several group projects, I’ve formed relationships with several other graduate students whom I know would be available and willing to answer questions or help me seek out further information. Often, my best ideas originate from colleagues who are actively teaching and willing to share their “best practices.” Technology makes this possible because I can utilize resources like cell phones, Skype, Facebook, and email to keep in touch with these peers, despite the fact that they may live in other cities, states, and countries.
At this major turning point in my educational career, I find it pertinent to not only think about the means of attaining more information, but also the topics I'd like to learn more about. When I think about what specific topics I'd like to pursue more in depth, one subject stands out amongst the rest: literacy. I have always been passionate about promoting the literacy of my students. Here, at the completion of my master's program, I find that I am just as committed, if not more so, to the betterment of my students’ literacy. My skills and abilities when it comes to diagnosing, supplementing, treating, and assessing student literacy are so much stronger; however, I feel like I still have a lot of work to do. As multiple courses have suggested, new and improved “best practices” are released on a continual basis. There are countless studies and best practices being developed each day. I would be doing a disservice to my students if I did not keep tabs on the latest and greatest literacy strategies, so I plan on maintaining a close eye on literacy developments. Luckily, TE 846 has armed me with some great means of doing this through online publications and textbooks.
Another goal I have for my future is incorporating more explicit instruction on the “new literacies.” Previous to my graduate coursework, I only had a basic understanding of what “new literacy” entailed. Now I have a much firmer understanding of what it is and what it means for the future of my students. I no longer always view cell phones and tablets as the enemy in my classroom. I have realized that, as an educator, I have a responsibility to embrace and use these avenues for “new litracy” to my advantage. Because these “new literacies” are developing so fast, in order for me to be effective, I have to stay current on the latest technological trends. So far, I have taken small steps to make technology an integrated part of my classroom by having my students design small websites, record conversations, create prezis, etc; however, I wish to make huge strides in the implementation of technology and explicit teaching of “new literacy” within the coming years.
While all of these informal learning experiences will certainly bolster my knowledge base, I do still plan on continuing my education through formal means as well. Though I may not start this journey until next year, I have firm plans to attain a second master’s degree or doctorate degree. The concentration of this degree is still up for debate, however. I’ve learned to be flexible when it comes to career changes so I’m keeping an open mind. The top two choices at present are Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education or French. This choice depends heavily on whether I plan on remaining in the world of secondary French education or move to the sphere of adult education. Whichever concentration I decide upon, I plan on pursuing it with same diligence and determination as I’ve maintained throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies thus far.
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