Sunset on Lake Michigan.
Is this the End or Only the Beginning?
In reflecting on the classes that I have completed in the Master of Arts in Education program, and all of the information and theories that I have assimilated through it, I tried to list the skills that I have acquired. They are too vast! Likewise, when contemplating how I will use these new skills in the future, the list goes on and on. My goals include sharing what I have learned with my co-workers and with the larger community, developing my newly learned skills by fully assimilating them into my practice, and seeking my own path of acquiring skills that are of interest and significance to me.
I teach in a small, newly formed school, and our opportunities for professional development are limited. I plan to create presentations for my colleagues in the areas of classroom management, motivation, webpage design, and reading techniques. Although I am no “expert” in these areas, I can use my new knowledge to help them improve their own teaching expertise. This plan will also help increase the academic rigor of my school, which is vital to our students and our future growth.
My experience with designing this webpage portfolio, my first, has given me the opportunity to guide others in webpage design. Recently my aunt, when informed of my coursework, asked for guidance in designing a webpage for her small business. I plan to use a webpage format for my classes this fall as a means of communicating information about homework assignments, classroom rules and procedures, and external math resources to my students and their families. I hope to help other teachers at my school design webpages of their own. During my coursework I have at times felt overwhelmed and fearful when confronted with new technology. I hope to help others realize that using technology is attainable, beneficial, and is not reserved for “techies”.
I will be teaching AP Calculus for the first time this fall. I hope to research methods, curriculum, textbooks, and web based resources to create the most effective, efficient, and interesting class possible. There is so much information available online: open courseware, flipped classrooms, and online video instruction to name a few. I want to study all of it and determine which resources, utilized in what manner, will be of most benefit for my students. Although this course may take some time to develop, I hope to continue to gain understanding through seminars, chat rooms, and webinars, and in turn help others who may be just starting out.
I realize that at the completion of this degree I will have the luxury of time to follow my own path of learning, and to investigate topics that are of interest to me. Some areas of interest include learning more about the brain and how it works when someone is studying math. I want to learn even more ways to differentiate my instruction for students who struggle with learning challenges, especially in math. I hope to gain information from reading research in this area, and from sharing insights with veteran teachers.
I also look forward to having more time to read and implement the many excellent ideas presented in “Mathematics Teacher”, the magazine of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I have several back copies just waiting to open my mind up to new lessons, new ideas, and new methods. I hope to develop lessons that increase variety in my practice (one of my primary goals), increase student understanding of concepts, and promote academic rigor and interest. Since my students are all girls, I want to generate excitement for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers. I hope to research out-of-school opportunities for my students to become involved in competitions, clubs, and organizations that support this.
I look forward to opportunities in the future to attend conferences sponsored by the NCTM, AP College board, and other organizations, and to seek professional development opportunities that will allow me to collaborate with other math teachers. Since my school is small, and my degree has been completely online, I crave personal interaction with other teachers in my field.
My goal is to exercise my brain daily by reading about new studies and theories, seeking new information on the internet, or challenging myself to understand a difficult concept. Early in my degree I read about a professor who made a goal to search the internet every day for any random topic, and then to read and study the topic for 20 minutes. I think this is a good practice to keep the brain stretched, limber, and ready for action.
As the completion of my degree draws close, I believe that this is not the end of my learning, but is a new beginning. What I have learned creates a hunger to learn even more. I hope to never stop learning!
"As the circle of light increases, so does the circumference of darkness around it."
- Albert Einstein