Future Learning Goals

Lifelong Spartan - Lifelong Learner

When I graduated from Michigan State University (MSU) with my undergraduate degree, many people asked me what my goals were. My number one goal at that time was to get a job teaching at a public elementary school in Metro Detroit. I worked hard and was able to achieve this goal and have now been teaching since 2015. When I applied to the Master of Arts in Educational Technology  (MAET) program at MSU they asked me to set goals for myself and discuss what I would like to achieve while completing the program. Now my time in the MAET program has come to an end, and I prepare to walk across the stage at the Breslin for the second time, it is time for me to set new goals with the knowledge and information I have learned over the past two years. Going forward I would like to keep working on growing my personal learning network (PLN), learn more about the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and how to apply it in my classroom, and incorporate the use of technology to foster students’ creativity and questioning skills. 

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Personal Learning Network Goal

One of the biggest takeaways that I learned while working towards my master’s degree is the importance of a personal learning network (PLN). A PLN is a group of professionals that you keep in contact with on a regular basis. You could see these people everyday at work, you could hear from them at a conference, or you could follow them on different social media platforms. My goal for myself is to continue to grow and nurture my PLN. This is an important goal because it is a way for me to continue to learn and grow as an educator. At this point in time, I do not plan on returning to school in order to receive a higher degree, so in order to keep learning, my goal is to keep in touch with my personal learning network. I will have daily contact with my teaching partners and bounce ideas off of them, I will attend different conferences and meetings to discuss district-wide initiatives, and I will use Twitter as a main way to stay connected to people across world. The world is constantly changing and new ideas and concepts in education seem to appear daily. In order to stay current on the latest trends and proven concepts, I plan to check in with and learn from my PLN regularly.

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Universal Design for Learning Goal

A valuable framework for education that I have learned about during my time studying over the past two years is the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a framework that you incorporate into your classroom to ensure all of your students are reaching their fullest potential no matter their background, skills, or challenges. It is based on scientific insights on how humans learn. While I have been working with my PLN to learn more about UDL, I want to start instilling UDL practices into my classroom. This includes providing more choice when it comes to assignments and projects. I want them to be able to share their knowledge in a way that works for them. I also want to create a UDL learning environment that is flexible and allows students to move about and find a place in the room where they can complete their best work.

Technology Goal

Part of my job as an educator is to prepare my students to become reliable, working citizens. It is hard to predict where my 4th graders will be at when they graduate high school and what they will want to do with their lives, but it is important that I begin nurturing the skills they bring and grow them into the skills they will need for tomorrow. Kids are naturally born curious and creative. Over time these skills seem to fade and it is extremely unfortunate because so many employers are looking to hire people who are creative and naturally curious about how things work and how we can make things simpler and better. My goal is to foster and mature these skills while using different technological tools to help them express their thoughts and ideas but in a creative and new way. I want my students to keep their sense of wonder and teach them ways to use technology to help them find the answers they are looking for.

So as I walk across the stage this May to receive my diploma, I know that my learning journey is not over, for it has only just begun.