The essay
- identify three specific topics or areas of focus that you want to learn about in the future - Introduction outlines future goals Barebone Takeaways ---> |
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Expanding My Sphere of Influence
I loathed many aspects of public education when I was a high school student.(1) I did not appreciate the authoritarian leadership style many of my teachers used, (2) the emphasis on so-called ‘literary classics’ that were difficult to relate to, and (3) the way that many students are micromanaged instead of being afforded autonomy. Upon receiving my high school diploma, I resolved to pursue a career within education to slowly ‘fix the system’ from within (as there is no value in complaining from the sidelines). My experiences in Michigan State’s Master of Arts in Educational Technology graduate program has granted me the professional confidence necessary to truly change things within my building.
I loathed many aspects of public education when I was a high school student.(1) I did not appreciate the authoritarian leadership style many of my teachers used, (2) the emphasis on so-called ‘literary classics’ that were difficult to relate to, and (3) the way that many students are micromanaged instead of being afforded autonomy. Upon receiving my high school diploma, I resolved to pursue a career within education to slowly ‘fix the system’ from within (as there is no value in complaining from the sidelines). My experiences in Michigan State’s Master of Arts in Educational Technology graduate program has granted me the professional confidence necessary to truly change things within my building.
Cultivate a non-authoritarian leadership style that will encourage comfort of students within my classroom and expand my influence within my professional learning community.
I am glad that my participation in the MAET program has helped me acquire the human capital to transition out of the classroom, as I may wish to become an instructional coach or a technology coordinator someday. However, I currently wish to remain in the classroom and will try to expand my influence by being more vocal within my professional learning community (PLC). To do this, I will need to hone my leadership skills. Within the next two or three years, I will apply for membership to the Indiana Leadership Association and attend one of their workshops. The best practices I internalize from these experiences will help me be a better (nonauthoritrian) leader within the classroom and will help me expand my influence with my colleagues. |
Integrate nontraditional texts (podcasts, spoken word, songs, etc...) into my English/Language Arts classroom to supplement understanding of the 'literary classics'.
A ‘silent disco’ is a collective media experience in which all participants use wireless headphones to listen to a single audio input. I am interested in reappropriating this technology for educational purposes, by using a ‘silent disco’ setup to deliver digital (audio) texts to students in a distraction free environment. The use of audiobooks as a reading intervention are well documented and I believe this use of this educational technology would invite the use of nontraditional texts (podcasts, spoken word poems, songs, etc…) in an integrated classroom. Within the next two years I will apply to the Teaching Tolerance Grant (through the Southern Law Poverty Center) or a Student Achievement Grant (through the National Educator Association) to acquire funding for this ‘silent disco’ technology and an audio library. |
Develop a more culturally relevant instructional practice that will encourage students to take greater ownership of their experience in the classroom, allowing me to better function as a 'guide on the side' instead of a central force that actively dictates how students interact in the classroom.
I teach in Fort Wayne Community Schools, a district that recently earned a 50 million dollar PEER grant. This windfall comes at a time in which the state of Indiana raising its standards and altering its high school graduation pathways Consequently, the district has refocused its goals and a new “comprehensive and rigorous curriculum that will ensure all students have equitable access to learning” is being developed. Within the next two years, I plan to participate in an International Baccalaureate (IB) professional development workshop with a focus on “Teaching for Intercultural Understanding”. I am not currently teaching in an IB building, but its curriculum is rigorous and the focus on intercultural understanding will undoubtedly help me provide equitable access to all students. I am hopeful that the workshop will also grant me insights that I could bring to our building’s Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) team.
I teach in Fort Wayne Community Schools, a district that recently earned a 50 million dollar PEER grant. This windfall comes at a time in which the state of Indiana raising its standards and altering its high school graduation pathways Consequently, the district has refocused its goals and a new “comprehensive and rigorous curriculum that will ensure all students have equitable access to learning” is being developed. Within the next two years, I plan to participate in an International Baccalaureate (IB) professional development workshop with a focus on “Teaching for Intercultural Understanding”. I am not currently teaching in an IB building, but its curriculum is rigorous and the focus on intercultural understanding will undoubtedly help me provide equitable access to all students. I am hopeful that the workshop will also grant me insights that I could bring to our building’s Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) team.