The evolution of an Educator
My whole life I was on track to become a teacher. As a little girl I would shut the door and play school for hours, grading fake papers and decorating a bulletin board over my desk as the seasons changed. My desire to join the Master of Arts in Educational Technology Program came many years later during a transitional time in my life. After two years of teaching in Colorado, I moved back to Michigan only to apply for job after job with no luck. I felt lost without the day to day adventures of teaching. While I longed to be a classroom teacher again, I realize now that it wasn’t teaching that I missed, but learning.
The word teacher defined every moment of my life since I was in first grade. From elementary school through my first teaching job, I did everything in my power to reach my goal of being a teacher. In high school when I realized that being a teacher was a career I was destined for, I spent a year and a half volunteering in my former fifth grade teacher’s classroom. As I moved onto Western Michigan University for my undergraduate degree, I spent many more hours volunteering in schools outside of the required pre-internships.
The word teacher defined every moment of my life since I was in first grade. From elementary school through my first teaching job, I did everything in my power to reach my goal of being a teacher. In high school when I realized that being a teacher was a career I was destined for, I spent a year and a half volunteering in my former fifth grade teacher’s classroom. As I moved onto Western Michigan University for my undergraduate degree, I spent many more hours volunteering in schools outside of the required pre-internships.
My efforts paid off while interviewing for my first teaching job. A passion for teaching along with those past experiences helped me connect with a pair of administrators in Carbondale, Colorado which resulted third grade teaching job. Being a teacher consumed me. By year two, I found a groove and discovered a passion for teaching with technology. Instead of spending hours outside of school planning lessons, nights included looking up web resources to support classroom instruction. Outside of technology lessons, I realized that I was pretty tech savy as co workers called on me to set up projectors and design lesson with technology. I started to feel a real purpose in my building, being able to take what I had learned from troubleshooting my own technical problems and using that knowledge to support my colleagues.
Strong family ties in Michigan lead my then boyfriend, now husband, and I back to Michigan. The economy was still in a struggling state. Teaching jobs were difficult to come by but after applying for numerous positions, I landed a job as a Lead Caregiver at a daycare. The transition from a full classroom teacher to this part-time position was extremely difficult. With every experience in life, good or bad, there comes a point where one can look back and understand why they were put in a certain situation. It is very clear to me that this job was given to me so I could be lead to the MAET program. Without this turning point in my life, I wouldn’t have been so strongly motivated to pursue a challenge. My boss had me creating newsletters for her and since designing on the computer was so fulfilling to me, I was inspired to look into a technology program. I choose MSU since my now husband was in a master’s program there. Upon acceptance, things literally fell into place.
Strong family ties in Michigan lead my then boyfriend, now husband, and I back to Michigan. The economy was still in a struggling state. Teaching jobs were difficult to come by but after applying for numerous positions, I landed a job as a Lead Caregiver at a daycare. The transition from a full classroom teacher to this part-time position was extremely difficult. With every experience in life, good or bad, there comes a point where one can look back and understand why they were put in a certain situation. It is very clear to me that this job was given to me so I could be lead to the MAET program. Without this turning point in my life, I wouldn’t have been so strongly motivated to pursue a challenge. My boss had me creating newsletters for her and since designing on the computer was so fulfilling to me, I was inspired to look into a technology program. I choose MSU since my now husband was in a master’s program there. Upon acceptance, things literally fell into place.
On the last day of the CUE Rockstar Teacher Conference last summer, the closing ceremony included a presentation with the slide to the left which pretty much summarizes how my life has been enhanced by the MAET program. I finally feel like I have found my place. It is hard to pinpoint one class that made the most impact since the the entire first summer cohort is responsible for building a passion for learning and teaching with technology.
While teaching in Colorado, I was “superficially” integrating technology. I used to say superficially because I did not know the word for it, but I knew that technology integration could be more purposeful. It wasn’t until the Summer of 2011 when I joined the summer 1 cohort as a student under Jodi Spicer and Allison Keller that I began to really evolve as an individual. I have always been a creative person, took many art classes in high school and to this day continue to work on creative endeavors in my free time. However, the most creatively stimulated I have ever been in my life was during the two week face to face session of the Year 1 cohort while taking CEP 810, 811, and 812. It was one of the most intense experiences that stretched me mentally, academically and creativity. Once the creativity was unleashed, passion poured out and enhanced my productivity and passion for learning.
While teaching in Colorado, I was “superficially” integrating technology. I used to say superficially because I did not know the word for it, but I knew that technology integration could be more purposeful. It wasn’t until the Summer of 2011 when I joined the summer 1 cohort as a student under Jodi Spicer and Allison Keller that I began to really evolve as an individual. I have always been a creative person, took many art classes in high school and to this day continue to work on creative endeavors in my free time. However, the most creatively stimulated I have ever been in my life was during the two week face to face session of the Year 1 cohort while taking CEP 810, 811, and 812. It was one of the most intense experiences that stretched me mentally, academically and creativity. Once the creativity was unleashed, passion poured out and enhanced my productivity and passion for learning.
Technology resource speed dating, Multi Genre Project, video editing, podcasts, and screencasts reopened my passion for learning. On top of exploring resources, the introduction to TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge) helped me understand that technology integration could be more meaningful in my classroom. From the moment I heard of TPACK, my entire teaching philosophy changed. I realized that the highest quality instruction not only needs to include effective pedagogies, but also the integration of technology tools and resources to accomplish content area goals.
Through this cohort, I constructed a Personal Learning Network, which I found to be one of the most important resources for ongoing learning. One of our first assignments in the cohort was to identify who and what was in our Personal Learning Network. In the previous essay, I pointed out how drastically this personal learning network has changed since Year 1 of this program. I was so inspired by the people that were in the program with me. I remember sitting in front of Kim Powell, who now works for Bedford Schools as an Instructional Technologist, listening her talk about blogging with students, and Mystery Skypes. I felt very out of my league. I was so inspired by her passion and energy for technology integration, that I modeled much of my next year of teaching off of the principles that she shared. She is one of the many individuals who have had this type of influence on my personal growth. The cohorts really helped build community and a family and I am grateful for the opportunity to participate.
One of the individuals in my cohort was able to connect me to a principal at Island City Academy in Eaton Rapids, MI. My experiences in the Master of Arts in Educational Technology program set me aside from the other candidates for the position and I was offered the first grade teaching job. This gave me the opportunity to integrate what I had been learning into a real classroom setting.
After two years of teaching, I returned to the MAET program during the summer cohort again. By this session, I had two full years of putting TPACK into practice in my own 1st grade classroom. The addition of an iPad cart to my classroom took my technology integration to a new level. The ease of iPad use for first graders removed many technical barriers and opened up blogging and TPACK inspired lessons with apps such as Little Bird Tales and more.
With these experiences under my belt, I walked into the second cohort with a different set of eyes under the instruction of Punya Mishra, Dana Henrikson and William Cain. This session focused on educational psychology and teaching strategies to increase student understanding, concepts that have deepened not only my understanding of teaching students, but also myself as a learner. In these courses the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) model was introduced suggesting that technology integration happens on a continuum. While most people, including myself in Colorado, begin technology integration at the Substitution level where technology replaces an activity that can be done with paper and pencil, the most effective usage is at the Redefinition level where technology takes instruction to a place that were not possible without the technology. Together, TPACK and SAMR offered a solid foundation for what effective teaching with technology should resemble in my classroom.
With these experiences under my belt, I walked into the second cohort with a different set of eyes under the instruction of Punya Mishra, Dana Henrikson and William Cain. This session focused on educational psychology and teaching strategies to increase student understanding, concepts that have deepened not only my understanding of teaching students, but also myself as a learner. In these courses the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) model was introduced suggesting that technology integration happens on a continuum. While most people, including myself in Colorado, begin technology integration at the Substitution level where technology replaces an activity that can be done with paper and pencil, the most effective usage is at the Redefinition level where technology takes instruction to a place that were not possible without the technology. Together, TPACK and SAMR offered a solid foundation for what effective teaching with technology should resemble in my classroom.
When it came time to dream big with the “Dream It” project for the CEP 822, Approaches to Educational Research course, I decided to put SAMR and TPACK into practice by developing a plan to flip my first grade reading instruction. After being introduced to the flipped instructional model at a presentation, I knew it was the perfect solution to open more time for guided reading groups in my classroom. The project forced me to analyze research based reasons why flipped learning was an effective model. Through the planning this project, I learned the value of utilizing research to guide instruction and the positive consequences that blended learning can have on students.
By the end of the second summer cohort, my original intention for applying for the masters program began to shift. While I had spent the past six courses learning resources to enhance classroom instruction, I realized that my passion for learning instructional technology could impact more than just the students in my first grade classroom. Participating in discussions with my cohort and the content learned in CEP 822, Approaches to Educational Leadership, made it apparent that I had a strong desire to share my knowledge of TPACK, SAMR and best practices in educational technology with others. Our final assignment in the Year 2 cohort was to consider our next steps as we moved forward. Two major themes emerged as I reflected for the assignment, first I wanted to create an online website with technology resources that could easily be shared with others. Secondly, my goal was to put my fears of public speaking aside and start helping others integrate technology into their classrooms.
By the end of the second summer cohort, my original intention for applying for the masters program began to shift. While I had spent the past six courses learning resources to enhance classroom instruction, I realized that my passion for learning instructional technology could impact more than just the students in my first grade classroom. Participating in discussions with my cohort and the content learned in CEP 822, Approaches to Educational Leadership, made it apparent that I had a strong desire to share my knowledge of TPACK, SAMR and best practices in educational technology with others. Our final assignment in the Year 2 cohort was to consider our next steps as we moved forward. Two major themes emerged as I reflected for the assignment, first I wanted to create an online website with technology resources that could easily be shared with others. Secondly, my goal was to put my fears of public speaking aside and start helping others integrate technology into their classrooms.
Two weeks after the summer cohort commenced, opportunity knocked. Ingham Intermediate School District was looking to hire a new Instructional Technology Specialist. Having just presented at the MidMichigan Edcamp and at my own district’s back to school professional development, I strongly desired to continue on this track of sharing my knowledge with other educators. While my heart was still in the classroom, I knew I couldn’t pass on the opportunity. After a rigorous interviewing process, I landed the job and said goodbye to teaching on Halloween of 2013.
Transitioning from a teacher to an Instruction Technology Specialist has proved to be the most invigorating opportunity of my life. The first few months on the job presented an undefinable amount of resources, research, and learning opportunities. By attending technology conferences, working with teachers in the Ingham County area, and collaborating with other Technology Specialists from around the state, I have been in a consistent state of learning and sharing for almost a year. While I thought that the word teacher meant working with students in the classroom, it now has a new meaning. Through this program I have learned that learning and sharing my knowledge with a broader audience is my real purpose.
Our current instructional initiative at the ISD is blended learning. While developing a blended learning framework for the ISD, I was also participating in one of my final MAET courses, CEP 820, Teaching K-12 Students Online with Anne Heintz and Sandra Sawaya. The direct application of what I was learning in class made the course content authentic and purposeful.The content I learned in the course gave me a depth of understanding when supporting teachers as they set up their own Learning Management Systems for their blended instruction. I have also been asked to create Moodle courses for “blended” professional development sessions at the ISD. My newly acquired knowledge helped drive the importance of blended learning to local superintendents which resulted in the addition of an Instructional Technology position at the ISD.
Our current instructional initiative at the ISD is blended learning. While developing a blended learning framework for the ISD, I was also participating in one of my final MAET courses, CEP 820, Teaching K-12 Students Online with Anne Heintz and Sandra Sawaya. The direct application of what I was learning in class made the course content authentic and purposeful.The content I learned in the course gave me a depth of understanding when supporting teachers as they set up their own Learning Management Systems for their blended instruction. I have also been asked to create Moodle courses for “blended” professional development sessions at the ISD. My newly acquired knowledge helped drive the importance of blended learning to local superintendents which resulted in the addition of an Instructional Technology position at the ISD.
A passion for learning about blended learning lead me to an online teaching position of the Blended Learning in the Classroom (BLiC) course which is offered around the state. While I am teaching in an online environment for the first time, the most rewarding aspect is learning how my participants interpret and apply blended learning in their classrooms and being able to grow as an individual from their experiences.
When I was in college, I worked at a greeting card store in Downtown Kalamazoo. One day, a retired teacher crossed by path and offered the most valuable thing he’d learned after many years in the classroom. “Use the experiences and challenges that your students present to learn more about yourself. By learning more about yourself, you will be a better person, and better teacher for them.” These words have stuck with me over the years. I remember being in my first year of teaching, trying to make sense of this quote as I struggled to manage my most challenging students. Now, that I am in the final course of MAET program, I understand the importance to being a learner and allowing my experiences with others to shape my future.
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Use the experiences and challenges that your students present to learn more about yourself. By learning more about yourself, you will be a better person, and teacher for them. |
Participation in the MAET program allowed me to evolve from a classroom teacher to an educator of a much larger audience. Over the past three years, I have not only learned what it means to integrate technology successfully into the classroom but also how to inspire others to purposefully integrate technology into their classrooms. Given technology’s evolving nature, I will continue to be inspired through the ongoing learning experiences that I encounter on a day to day basis as an Instructional Technology Specialist. While I may be finished with formal education as I walk across the stage at graduation, my evolution as a teacher and learner will continue because of my passion for learning.