Prior to entering the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program through Michigan State University (MSU) in 2013, I had goals of becoming a better teacher for my students and gaining more leadership roles within the school. While four years have gone by, many of my goals have remained similar to what they were when I first began to think of how the MAED program would impact me as a teacher and individual. My experiences in the program have shifted my current goals, as I have learned more and implemented different concepts in my classroom. Continuing to grow as an educator is a top priority, as this impacts my ability to best meet the needs of my current and future students.
One of my original goals was to continue to grow as an educator, and remain a lifelong learner while being a role model for my students. I still believe this is an essential goal for any educator. My students all know that I am continuing to take classes to learn and grow, and that just like them, I have homework at times. Sharing my experiences and being a role model for them, helps to encourage their journey through individual educations as well. Daily, I strive to be a model for my students in regards to learning throughout life. They may be young, but there is never a moment where we can’t inspire our younger generations to want more for themselves and to continue to learn, dream, and grow throughout their own lives.
Looking back at my thoughts prior to starting this program, another one of my goals was a desire to take on more of a leadership role within my school. Over the past three years, this goals has changed and evolved. I still desire to have leadership roles, however I do not want to go into more administrative leadership. I enjoy working closely with my administrators, but my desire to move towards that position has changed. My job working with students is where I am best suited and can make the most difference. I prefer to have smaller leadership roles within the school, and use that experience to benefit my students. One such leadership role is my role in assisting other teachers with their technology and helping them to implement it more seamlessly in their classrooms as well as their personal use preparing lessons.
Overall, my goals prior to this program, during the program, and now that I’m wrapping up my MAED, have remained similar to my initial aspirations. In my opinion, this is because with my teaching, my priority is to always be the best teacher for my students that is possible. I started the MAED program so I could use new information in my classroom to help my students, and I continue to use this knowledge on a regular basis to assist student growth. My goals today have evolved from my initial goal statement back in 2013, because I care about what I can do for my students as their teacher, and strive to continually be a learner myself. I hope that these same goals continue to influence and shape me in the future as I learn more and continue to support my students in years to come.