Future Goals for Lifelong Learning & Professional Development
One of the reasons that education is such an exciting field to work in is that it is constantly evolving, and each generation of students brings new challenges and opportunities to the classroom. I am convinced that quality education will be the leading determinant of student success, economic prosperity, and engaged citizenship in our society. As I build on what I have learned from my students in the classroom and through my graduate program, I have identified three important areas for future growth: Technology Integration, Multimedia Literacy, and Educational Leadership. I chose these specific areas because I believe that they will have the biggest impact on student learning and on my professional teaching practice.
Technology Integration
Over the past six years, I have been a part of Divine Child's transition to a 1-1 iPad program. While this transition has brought new challenges, it has also been an incredible opportunity to engage with students in new ways and to integrate technology into my classroom. As technology is constantly changing, I know that I will need to adapt my teaching practices and experiment with new ways of building my students' skills as 21st-century learners. My students will need to be able to think critically and successfully integrate many forms of technology into their academic and professional lives, and I want my classroom to be a place where that kind of learning and preparation will occur. Since we began our 1-1 iPad program back in 2014, I have used a variety of programs in order to integrate technology into my classroom in a more seamless manner. One of my favorite programs for creating flipped lessons and student projects is Explain Everything. One resource I would like to explore more is Ed Puzzle. Many of my colleagues use this program in order to create flipped lessons and assess student learning through digital quizzes in order to maximize classroom time and provide a space for student reflection.
Multimedia Literacy
Since entering the classroom back in 2011, literacy has stood out to me as one of the biggest obstacles to student learning. While students' years in early elementary school are focused on learning to read, most of K-16 education is focused on reading to learn. Students who lack grade-level reading and writing skills don't just suffer in English class - they struggle in all subjects and do not have equal access to professional and educational opportunities. What makes this challenge even greater is that what constitutes literacy skills is evolving every day. New media and new technologies are changing the way that we communicate in educational, professional, and social settings, and students today need both traditional literacy skills and new media literacy skills in order to succeed. One resource that I would like to utilize in my classroom is the Digital Public Library of America, an online archive of exhibitions and primary source materials focused on history, literature, and culture. Online resources like this are a great way to make use of traditional and new media texts and to engage students in critical literacy skills.
Educational Leadership
In addition to supporting student learning, I also want to give back to my profession and encourage the next generation of educators. This past year, I joined a group of teachers who serve as grade level leaders in our building. Our goal is to create professional development opportunities in order to build a collaborative environment centered around best teaching practices. As a Catholic school, we are committed to teaching the entire child and nurturing students both in and out of the classroom. While it is my professional goal to remain in the classroom, I want to continue to seek opportunities to serve as a leader in my profession through academic conferences, professional development opportunities, and collaboration with other educators. In particular, I want to make the most of the programs offered by the University of Notre Dame Alliance for Catholic Education. ACE is dedicated to supporting Catholic education and providing resources for Catholic educators to improve their teaching and leadership capacities and to witness more authentically to the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Final Thoughts
Since beginning my master's program, I have had many opportunities to reflect on my teaching practice and grow as an educator. I want to apply what I have learned from my program and my experiences in the classroom and continue to seek opportunities for personal and professional growth. I sincerely look forward to the challenges ahead and feel grateful for the opportunity to serve students and their families.