Oh, the Places I'm Going!
By: Allyson Dewar
My decision to enter the MAET program at Michigan State University took much time and thought. By becoming an educator, you are taking on the responsibility of being a lifelong learner. I wanted to pursue higher education in something that not only would better myself and my craft but my school community as well. I started my journey in the fall of 2009 at MSU. In the course of three years, I have evolved both personally and professionally. At ABT Elementary, I am so fortunate to be surrounded by some of the best teachers and administrators that I have ever met. Every person on staff has their own unique abilities that sets them apart from everyone else. I am proud to say that what makes me unique from everyone else on my staff is my knowledge and application of educational technology. All members on staff come together with their own unique abilities to continue to improve our school and make it stronger and more successful. Before I started compiling my e-portfolio for my MSU capstone class, I asked myself “What did I gain from this degree?” By starting my portfolio and bringing my schooling of three years together, my purpose became clearer and I was able to see how I have evolved in the course of three years. I am confident in my knowledge and my ability to effectively and creatively incorporate technology into the educational setting. I feel that I can be a leader amongst peers in regards to educational technology. I regard myself as an asset to my entire school community. I maintained a 3.95 GPA throughout the program while also teaching and coaching which I am extremely proud of.
Just because I have a diploma in hand does not mean my growth in regards to educational technology is over. Not only do educators need to continually learn in order to keep them at the top of their game, but technology is constantly evolving and improving. I feel that by receiving this degree, I am signing a contract saying that I will stay current and up to date with what is going on in the world of educational technology as long as I am in the field of education. How will I stay current and up-to-date when it comes to educational technology? I have learned from personal research that in order to stay on top of your game in your profession, you should read publications related to it daily. In one of my classes, I set up an RSS feed using Google Reader. I subscribed to many feeds related to education but now I will specifically subscribe to feeds related to educational technology and make sure to read at least one publication daily. Another way to keep up to date is to network with people in your related field. I will make sure to keep in touch with fellow MAET classmates and professors to continue effective communication and to share knowledge. Professional development opportunities are continually offered to us at my school. I will make it a point to attend as many professional development sessions on educational technology as I can.
I never want to leave the education field, but I would like to venture outside of the classroom and explore my possibilities. As of right now, I would like to continue to integrate technology into my classroom instruction to reach all of my learners in my full inclusion classroom in effective and creative ways. I want to start an online portfolio system at my schools to transfer our student’s paper portfolios to something digital. I plan to continually educate my school community on what I know and try to bridge the communication gap we have with parents. In the near future, I would like to do something in the fields of
technology integration and curriculum. Working for a web-based educational program is something that interests me as well. I feel that with my formal education and classroom experience, I am ready to make my next move. In my very distant future, I see myself as an administrator or college professor. Obviously, I have a long way to go until I am ready for that. I never see myself not in school. Already I am considering another masters or doctorate program in educational leadership or charter school leadership. I am also interested in the field of literacy and I have pondered the idea of creating some sort of online Social Studies program for elementary teachers or publishing a book of lesson plans incorporating technology into the elementary setting. I have gone “many places” thus far in my teaching career and I still have “many places to go.” Where will I go? Only time will tell. No matter where I am, I will perform to my highest ability and continue to better myself and surroundings.
Just because I have a diploma in hand does not mean my growth in regards to educational technology is over. Not only do educators need to continually learn in order to keep them at the top of their game, but technology is constantly evolving and improving. I feel that by receiving this degree, I am signing a contract saying that I will stay current and up to date with what is going on in the world of educational technology as long as I am in the field of education. How will I stay current and up-to-date when it comes to educational technology? I have learned from personal research that in order to stay on top of your game in your profession, you should read publications related to it daily. In one of my classes, I set up an RSS feed using Google Reader. I subscribed to many feeds related to education but now I will specifically subscribe to feeds related to educational technology and make sure to read at least one publication daily. Another way to keep up to date is to network with people in your related field. I will make sure to keep in touch with fellow MAET classmates and professors to continue effective communication and to share knowledge. Professional development opportunities are continually offered to us at my school. I will make it a point to attend as many professional development sessions on educational technology as I can.
I never want to leave the education field, but I would like to venture outside of the classroom and explore my possibilities. As of right now, I would like to continue to integrate technology into my classroom instruction to reach all of my learners in my full inclusion classroom in effective and creative ways. I want to start an online portfolio system at my schools to transfer our student’s paper portfolios to something digital. I plan to continually educate my school community on what I know and try to bridge the communication gap we have with parents. In the near future, I would like to do something in the fields of
technology integration and curriculum. Working for a web-based educational program is something that interests me as well. I feel that with my formal education and classroom experience, I am ready to make my next move. In my very distant future, I see myself as an administrator or college professor. Obviously, I have a long way to go until I am ready for that. I never see myself not in school. Already I am considering another masters or doctorate program in educational leadership or charter school leadership. I am also interested in the field of literacy and I have pondered the idea of creating some sort of online Social Studies program for elementary teachers or publishing a book of lesson plans incorporating technology into the elementary setting. I have gone “many places” thus far in my teaching career and I still have “many places to go.” Where will I go? Only time will tell. No matter where I am, I will perform to my highest ability and continue to better myself and surroundings.