Plans Rewritten
A reflection on the goals I once set and how they have taken a new shape.
When I joined the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program at MSU, I was teaching 6th grade math and science at a small private school. I had around 50 students total, all of which had active and supportive parents. Shortly after starting my first graduate course, I made a career move! I began teaching 7th grade science at Michigan Virtual Charter Academy in the Fall of 2023. I now have around 150 students, half of which are active participants. Parental interaction is very minimal. The two jobs, though both teaching, are very different; serving a very different population of students. Ultimately this job change made my goals take on a new shape.
My original goals were as follows: to become an expert in my field of math and science and learn how to best reach my students in special education. I planned to take courses in my concentration area, math and science, as well as special education courses, earning a graduate certificate. My goals for math and science mostly stayed the same, except I dove deeper into science. But the special education goal quickly faded away. As I began to teach exclusively online, my goal shifted. While continuing to increase my knowledge in special education would have been extremely beneficial in my new job, even more so than before, I felt a stronger pull towards online learning. I become increasingly interested in the best ways to execute online k-12 learning. I now wanted to be an expert in reaching my students online.
Becoming an expert in anything is a lofty goal, one that I am not sure anyone truly reaches. While I still would not consider myself an expert in teaching math and science or teaching with technology, I do feel one step closer. My graduate courses have helped me build my toolbox of expertise. From a fundamental understanding of Next Generation Science Standards to how best to build an online course. Completing these courses was not always easy. Between household duties, job requirements, and pregnancy there were times I doubted my ability to complete the program or to even think twice about my ultimate goal. After 3.5 years of reading, writing, and discussing I find that I am more prepared to lead my students in science using technology.