Good Things come when you have grace, grit and gratitude
No Regrets
The choice to go back to school is never easy especially, if you have been out for a while. I started late in my life and made the decision to be the nontraditional student like many others, after I had started a family. I wanted my children to value the opportunity of going to college. I understood for them to appreciate the chance to further their education, I needed to be the role model before them. They needed to see that I was committed to something even when it was hard. Anytime you set a goal of where you want to go with your life, you are taking steps that will bring about change. For you to reach that goal you will need to have grit and perseverance in order to stick it out and make it happen. I have kept that dream in my sight for several years. I have always used that goal to push me forward and help me remember that anything is possible. With hard work dreams and goals can be a attainable.
From the time I was a little girl I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I spent my days playing school. During my high school year's I worked at a daycare and loved working with young children. Although it would take many years and many life lessons, I would not make this dream a reality until much later.
I graduated from Siena Heights with my bachelors in education in 2008. It took the love and support of my mother, children and some wonderful friends that believed I had the drive and passion to make it happen. I will be forever grateful for the faith that they have in me. After substitute teaching for one year I landed my first job teaching second grade in Monroe, Michigan. I was thrilled to be working as a teacher, being a full-time single mother of two beautiful children and enjoying my life. My next logical decision was to start looking at working towards getting a Master’s Degree. I loved learning and was excited to keep moving forward with my academic career. I began looking at the many different programs available with various schools. A friend mentioned the possibility of getting a degree through Michigan State University in technology. I was not comfortable with technology but knew that it was becoming an important part of education and I liked the idea of working outside of my comfort zone. After researching the MAET program through Michigan State I decided this Master’s program offered everything I was looking for.
In the spring of 2010 I started taking my first online class with Michigan State. I completed the first three classes and was enjoying all of my new opportunities and learning when my life took a major turn. I was signed up to start the next phase in the MAET program when I received the devastating news that my ex-husband and the father of my two children was tragically killed in an automobile accident. All of my energy and time from that moment forward was focused on helping my heartbroken children. I made the painful decision to stop taking classes and focus on helping Colton and Emma. Losing a parent can be difficult at any age but for young children it can be unbearable. My job for the next two years was to help support them with all of my love and attention after such a painful event. After dealing with the initial shock and fall out of losing their dad and dealing with all the “collateral damage” that followed, I started to consider returning and finishing what I had started with MSU.
I have no regrets about taking a two year leave to help my children. I can sometimes focus too much on the coulda, shoulda, and woulda's, but I am so glad that I never stopped, but just kept going. I will not lie and say that it has been easy. There has been many twists and turns since I returned but by the grace of God and with all the love and support of my friends and family I have emerged even stronger.
My Coursework
In the Spring of 2010, I began my journey. I was so excited to learn about technology and have something to bring to the classroom about the new way of learning and teaching to 21st century students. The MAET program has exceeded all of my expectations. Certain classes have impacted the way I teach and the vision I have about using technology in the classroom.
It was during my time taking the classes CEP 810, 811 and 812 that I began to realize that I had a lot to learn about technology before I could offer all of its full potential to my students. During CEP 811, Adapting Innovative Technology to Education, I worked on developing my STAIR project and a Webquest. It was at this time that I started realizing that even though I had technology available, I was not using it to its full capability, in fact, I had no idea what I was doing. It was during this time that I was introduced to the Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge (TPACK) model. The TPACK development is critical in effectively teaching with technology. This framework helped me to look at technology integration, not as an “add on” but as a tool that can change the way students present, process and learn new information.
It was in the course CEP 820 that I started to see how technology could be used as an extension of my teaching. I was introduced to Weebly, Wix and other web tools that helped me explore ways to facilitate learning, student collaboration and parent communication. During this semester I created an online course designed to help students better develop their writing skills and help parents understand what kindergarten writing looks like. Over the years I have heard parents say “why don’t teachers care about spelling anymore?” This course helped them understand that writing takes a lot of mental work and trying to spell every word out can slow down the creative process. I think that I helped parents understand that “inventive spelling” or “temporary spelling” helps their child write more quickly, fluently and helps build their vocabulary.
My absolute favorite class was CEP 816, Teaching and Learning Across the Curriculum. My instructor, Paul Morsink was amazing and the class was so much fun. He went above and beyond to help me understand the impact technology can have on my teaching. It was during this course that I was introduced to all different kinds of tools that I could use to help with student learning. This class introduced me to screencasting, Voki’s, and how information processing impacts cognition. We explored how long term memory can be linked to lesson presentation through project based learning and conversation. My instructional re-design project gave me the opportunity to take a current lesson and modify it. This course was so rewarding because I walked away with great ideas that can offer additional opportunities that involve a variety of new digital media tools.
Applying What I've Learned
Literacy is a big factor in teaching kindergarten. The traditional definition of literacy is learning how to read and write. With the fast paced development of technology this definition is changing. My kindergarten students need to be able to read, write, comprehend and be able to interact with technology in a meaningful way. I have learned that technology should enhance learning and students today have a plethora of options to choose from. The online tools and resources have made it easier for collaboration to happen between students, between students and teachers and between teachers and parents.
I have always felt that teachers need to remain current with up to date educational processes. It is very important to be aware of the constant changes in educational research, development and policy. I feel I am constantly trying to keep pace with the changes in curriculum, the way to assesses student achievement, and the harsh economic realities that face districts today. I have found that I can never teach the same content the same way each year because of the differing student needs and learning styles. Through my courses with Michigan State I have learned that successful teaching must incorporate different modes of communication to serve the range of learners. Making learning memorable and fun can be achieved by utilizing the capabilities offered with technology.
I am consciously aware of how districts are moving away from the traditional pen and paper classroom and rushing to place a device in the hands of our students. Throughout all of my courses I have been reminded of the importance of not placing the focus on the new device itself. Just because emphasis is placed on one-to-one integration and teacher training does not guarantee an increase in student learning. Student achievement will not happen until there is a fundamental change in the culture of teaching. Simply pushing in and adding devices is not the answer.
The Teacher/Leader In Me??
Great school’s always have teachers whose vision reaches far beyond their classroom. These are the teachers that want to create change. The trademark of a good leader is the ability to collaborate with others. While taking classes I have explored and experienced what good leadership looks like. I have researched the many different styles of leadership and was challenged to define what type of leader I am. There are two main areas of school life that can benefit from teacher leadership; within my classroom and with my own department or team. To be an effective leader I must keep an open mind and always respect the views of others. My challenge now will be what type of leadership footprint I want to create.
I have learned that setting long term goals makes you gritty. I want my students to understand that grit is the critical strength that you need to have to be successful. Every child has the ability to learn but sometimes you need to have passion, grit and perseverance to attain goals and dreams. Teaching students about the power of their own thoughts will have an impact on their ability to succeed. There are many ways that I can teach my students to have the grit that I have used to get myself where I am today. They need to know that life can be messy and it’s okay to fall down but don’t give up in a moment of frustration. Grit is not just about sticking with something and working harder, but it is about helping kids find their passion. Angela Lee Duckworth does a fantastic job explaining the significance of grit in students.
Developing character traits like resilience and grit are very important to me and I want to emphasize these qualities on a daily basis with my students. Character education is just as important as curriculum for student success. |
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Looking Forward
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”-Robert Frost
Grace, gratitude and grit are the three important qualities needed to be a great teacher or leader. Grace can be a powerful way to show my students that I am not afraid of failing but embrace it as part of the learning process. I believe that the two ways that I can show grace is by always being able to admit when I've made a mistake and asking for help when I need it. Teddy Roosevelt, a legend of grit, spoke of the importance of overcoming fear "It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed." Gratitude is the easy part. I will always find things that I can be grateful for.
This journey has been full of surprises, but with each surprise, twist and turn it has taught me what type of teacher I want to be. I have no regrets about the choices I have made because I am not left with wonders of what might have been or what if’s. I am not left with the uncertainty of the choice I made but with the realization and satisfaction of completing something that I questioned if I would be able to do. I will take this experience and use it to move forward in my life and career.
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- http://blog.theautismsite.com/shel-silverstein-quotes/