One Rule: Set Goals, Make Plans, and Follow Through
Future Learning Goals | |
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As a basic rule in my classroom, I ask my students to set goals, make plans, and follow through. This is a skill we practice and discuss on a regular basis. My students set personal and academic goals to achieve within a specified timeframe. Once the timeframe has been reached, we review our goals and revise or update them. In a community which has limited resources and low standards of success, I have fully encouraged goal setting so students can look beyond their current status and plan for bettering their lives. Within this essay, I will gratefully expound on my own learning goals. In brief, my goals include effectively using technology to teach, advancing my career to new stages in educational technology, and advocating for the improvement of the classroom environment through the use of technology.
My goal of effectively using technology to teach is extremely important to me. As someone with a growth mindset, I know I can continue to improve my skills and knowledge. I recognize hard work is essential in growing. I wholeheartedly believe I can improve as teacher of social studies and computer applications. Becoming a better teacher is important to me because I believe in doing good work and constantly improving to be the best version of myself. Becoming better at my craft will be no easy task, but both my students and I deserve the effort.
To improve, I will be looking to a familiar resource. In my classroom, I often use Google and the many applications which Google offers. In working towards my goal as being more efficient in using technology to teach, I will look to become a Google Certified Educator. I have seen many of my contemporaries list this certification as a distinguished honor and I believe the time and effort is worth the reward. Upon completion of the certification, I will have broadened my knowledge of the educational elements of the Google applications and become more masterful in my approach to using these in an effective manner. This link directs to the Education Training Center which houses the lessons for Google Certification.
When I look at the logical advancement of my career, I see myself as an Educational Technology coordinator or consultant for a school district or regional educational service district (RESD/ISD). Based on the completion of this master’s degree, I want to parlay my experience and education into filling such a position. Since these positions are at a premium and require high-caliber talent, I will need to continue improving my skills and knowledge to support residency in such a position.
Fortunately, searching for sources of improvement are easy and widespread. There are a great amount of educational associations to join and educational conferences to attend. The foremost association being the Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning (MACUL). MACUL is an association dedicated to helping educators identify and use the best educational technology practices through publications, communications, and conferences. MACUL would essentially act as an extended member of my professional learning network (PLN). This extension relates to the people of which MACUL is comprised. They are educators and innovators who would assist me in improving my skills as an educational technology coordinator. This link directs to the MACUL website.
As we are living in precarious times for public education, the need for advocacy is at an all time high. I have become increasingly aware of the implications of federal and state policy which impact the classroom environment. These policies are often being formed by people who are not experienced or deeply knowledgeable of our education system. In the future, I hope to become involved in the advocacy of public educators and the students they represent.
Learning about the problems facing today’s educators simply requires being involved as I am. However, learning how to influence policy, especially in terms of equitable distribution of resources (i.e. technology), requires effort on my part. In terms of the groups and associations available to assist in advocacy, the numbers are vast. I would seek to learn from and be part of groups such as the Democrats for Educational Reform (DFER) and the Education Counsel. These groups actively advocate and publish work aimed at improving the standing of our schools. Their work would help me provide accurate information to relay to my representatives in government or if I were to personally become involved in politics. These links direct to both the DFER and Education Counsel websites.
After completing my Master’s in Educational Technology (MAET) degree, I will look to improve my teaching skills, educational technology consulting skills, and advocacy skills. My path to reaching these goals will be composed of many learning moments which I look forward to embracing. My resources to help me achieve these goals are plenty and will be truly beneficial. As I follow through with my plan, I hope to one day reflect back and note to my students how anyone can succeed regardless of background just as I did.
My goal of effectively using technology to teach is extremely important to me. As someone with a growth mindset, I know I can continue to improve my skills and knowledge. I recognize hard work is essential in growing. I wholeheartedly believe I can improve as teacher of social studies and computer applications. Becoming a better teacher is important to me because I believe in doing good work and constantly improving to be the best version of myself. Becoming better at my craft will be no easy task, but both my students and I deserve the effort.
To improve, I will be looking to a familiar resource. In my classroom, I often use Google and the many applications which Google offers. In working towards my goal as being more efficient in using technology to teach, I will look to become a Google Certified Educator. I have seen many of my contemporaries list this certification as a distinguished honor and I believe the time and effort is worth the reward. Upon completion of the certification, I will have broadened my knowledge of the educational elements of the Google applications and become more masterful in my approach to using these in an effective manner. This link directs to the Education Training Center which houses the lessons for Google Certification.
When I look at the logical advancement of my career, I see myself as an Educational Technology coordinator or consultant for a school district or regional educational service district (RESD/ISD). Based on the completion of this master’s degree, I want to parlay my experience and education into filling such a position. Since these positions are at a premium and require high-caliber talent, I will need to continue improving my skills and knowledge to support residency in such a position.
Fortunately, searching for sources of improvement are easy and widespread. There are a great amount of educational associations to join and educational conferences to attend. The foremost association being the Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning (MACUL). MACUL is an association dedicated to helping educators identify and use the best educational technology practices through publications, communications, and conferences. MACUL would essentially act as an extended member of my professional learning network (PLN). This extension relates to the people of which MACUL is comprised. They are educators and innovators who would assist me in improving my skills as an educational technology coordinator. This link directs to the MACUL website.
As we are living in precarious times for public education, the need for advocacy is at an all time high. I have become increasingly aware of the implications of federal and state policy which impact the classroom environment. These policies are often being formed by people who are not experienced or deeply knowledgeable of our education system. In the future, I hope to become involved in the advocacy of public educators and the students they represent.
Learning about the problems facing today’s educators simply requires being involved as I am. However, learning how to influence policy, especially in terms of equitable distribution of resources (i.e. technology), requires effort on my part. In terms of the groups and associations available to assist in advocacy, the numbers are vast. I would seek to learn from and be part of groups such as the Democrats for Educational Reform (DFER) and the Education Counsel. These groups actively advocate and publish work aimed at improving the standing of our schools. Their work would help me provide accurate information to relay to my representatives in government or if I were to personally become involved in politics. These links direct to both the DFER and Education Counsel websites.
After completing my Master’s in Educational Technology (MAET) degree, I will look to improve my teaching skills, educational technology consulting skills, and advocacy skills. My path to reaching these goals will be composed of many learning moments which I look forward to embracing. My resources to help me achieve these goals are plenty and will be truly beneficial. As I follow through with my plan, I hope to one day reflect back and note to my students how anyone can succeed regardless of background just as I did.