A LOOK AHEAD
When I began my career as an educator three years ago I had no idea where it would take me. I originally entered college at Michigan State University thinking I would one day become a sports broadcaster. However, upon tutoring a second grader who was deemed “at-risk”, my outlook changed. After seeing the success this student had after working with me consistently for a year, I knew that I wanted to continue to make an impact on students and become a part of their success. Transitioning from learning about becoming an educator to actually becoming an educator was a big eye-opening experience. I have learned that teaching is not always about “rainbows and butterflies” but more about hard work and extreme dedication. I entered the Educational Technology degree program at MSU due to my love of technology, but it has opened my eyes to more than technology. My future goals include seeking out more leadership opportunities, being a lifelong learner, and possibly seeking employment outside of education.
LEADERSHIP
I am currently in my third year of teaching fourth grade. During this time, I have taken a few leadership opportunities but I would like to continue to seek out more. Taking leadership is scary and it’s a fear I am working at overcoming, which is why I have chosen it as one of my goals. In my first three years, I led three clubs, arranged assemblies, and became a technology coach for my building. Moving forward, I would like to present at a few conferences a year, either at MACUL (Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning) or at small conferences around mid-Michigan. I would also like to become more comfortable presenting in front of my coworkers in my building, whether that be in the topic of technology or any other topic. In order to become more comfortable in front of my peers, I will need to present in front of them more often and seek out opportunities to do so.
LIFELONG LEARNER
I have always had the strong desire to learn. Upon completing college, I wanted to begin my master’s degree as soon as I could. I took half a year off to orient myself to teaching full-time and then dug back into my own education. I have loved learning about technology further because it is ever-changing. I would like to learn more about integrating technology for my students because that will continue to change as technology changes. I would like to learn more about 3D printers and possibly purchase one for my classroom. Another area I am interested in is learning about mindfulness and incorporating this into my classroom. I believe it is important for students to feel safe when they come to school and clear their emotional baggage before they can put informational knowledge in their brains. I have done a bit of this this past year with yoga, breathing techniques, and daily check-ins, but would like to learn how to become more consistent with it and reach more students. I would like to go to professional development opportunities on that subject. My goal is to continue to learn about ways to best reach my students, overall.
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
I have really begun to have a deeper passion within using technology and seeing how much of an impact it can have. The technology coordinator of my school district told me the statistic that 60% of jobs that our students will have do not even exist yet. That statement had a powerful impact on me. It makes me wonder if that is the direction I want to go. Or I wonder if my current teaching job will ever evolve in to a different type of teaching because of the way students’ needs are changing? Current jobs I have considered include becoming a technology coordinator, getting involved in instructional technology, curriculum development, online learning/training, and other areas in the realm of technology. I know that I’d like to stay in the area of technology, but if I can continue to help other people, that is truly where my desire lies.
Teaching is a transformative career and the world of education is always changing. I believe it is important for an educator to continue to update their goals and keep seeking opportunities to learn. I want to seek more leadership opportunities because I want to continue to push myself to grow. I also want my peers to see me with more respect as I take on more responsibilities. The goal of taking on more leadership opportunities may be educating my peers on what I learn about technology or mindfulness. Or maybe I may transition out of the classroom altogether to teach other teachers. My goals of continuing to seek leadership opportunities and seeking chances to learn will help me find and be prepared for future opportunities in which I may be looking.
Image Attributions:
Flickr creative commons licensed: goo.gl/eZLvZ1, https://goo.gl/FpoGgY, https://goo.gl/VJv14b
Flickr creative commons licensed: goo.gl/eZLvZ1, https://goo.gl/FpoGgY, https://goo.gl/VJv14b