Annotated Masters Transcript

TE 849: Methods and Materials for Teaching Children's and Adolescent Literature
Instructor Ashley Johnson
My first course in the program, this class focused strictly on reading and discussing the types of literature we're likely to be teaching our students. Each bi-weekly unit, by reading one full novel and composing a response, I was able to put myself in the shoes of our students to understand which types of literature and prompts resonated most with us. Also of note was the use of "non-traditional texts," such as graphic novels, showcasing how other mediums of literature can be effective and engaging educational tools.

CEP 815: Technology and Leadership
Instructors Kyle Shack and Michael Lachney
This course was not about how to use technology, but instead how to be a technology leader in an educational setting. Operating under the assumption that students already have a solid interest and knowledge base about instructional technology, in the class I learned how to use technological resources to best support our education community, promote professional learning and development, and handle professional disagreements about use.

TE 843: Secondary Reading Assessment and Instruction
Instructor Dr. Douglas K. Hartman
Knowing how to ask the right questions is an important part of teaching, and this course is focused closely on how we as educators can use effective questioning to encourage our students to engage deeply with our content. Furthermore, this course asked me as an educator to question myself and my own methods to ensure my lessons are as effective and relevant as possible. Here, much work (such as lesson and unit planning) was done considering students' unique backgrounds and personalities and how these elements should affect our instruction.

KIN 856: Physical Bases of Coaching
Instructor Dr. Tony Moreno
This course is the lone course in my program which focused on professional growth outside of the classroom. As I've discussed elsewhere on this site, I'm of the firm belief that extracurriculars are just as important to the growth of students as their in-class learning. In this class I was able to grow as a coach, learning more about the role science and physics play in successful, safe coaching. I am now better prepared to help my athletes grow safely and with more intentional direction.

ED 800: Concepts of Educational Inquiry
Instructors Dr. Steven Weiland and Nathan Clason
This course tackled education from a philosophical perspective, asking me to consider the history of educational philosophy and how it does/should shape the way we teach. By learning about and questioning the major "movements" in the history instructional theory, I was able to develop a better understanding of why certain "best practices" really are best, why some are outdated, and why educators seem to disagree so fervently about which ones are which.

CEP 813: Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning
Instructors James Kerr and William Bork
This course, centered on designing quality assessments and exploring different mediums and styles of assessment feedback, was the most immediately useful and applicable for me. Between designing assessment checklists to ensure my students are given high quality, relevant work and learning about ways to help my students grow beyond written notes and rubrics, I've already implemented ideas such as video feedback and collaborative peer review that have improved my lessons. It's easy, as a teacher, to forget what it's like on the receiving end of feedback, and it was a great reminder to be back in the shoes of a student.

CEP 816: Tech, Teaching, and Learning Across Curriculum
Instructor Dr. Liz Boltz
While it doesn't encompass the entire domain of the course, the main focus here was the "Dream Project" in which we were asked to focus deeply instead of widely on one particular unit that we could improve with technology and modern educational theory. Much emphasis was placed on cognitive load, the "weight" that is placed on our students as we work through our class content. In redesigning one of my lessons on origin mythology, I was able to concentrate on making sure my resources aren't challenging students in unnecessary, irrelevant ways separate from the actual content. This course changed the way that I think about the physical layouts and organization of my classroom content.

TE 846: Accommodating Differences in Literacy Learners
Instructor Rae Oviatt
As an educator teaching English at the upper secondary level, my initial collegiate work was much more focused on how to help students work with what they read than the act of actually teaching how to read. This course was incredibly helpful in developing strategies to work with students who are still missing foundational reading skills not covered in the high school curriculum. In this course, I was able to practice focusing on individual students, considering their needs and backgrounds, and designing intentional plans to improve specific skills. While this may not come directly into play very often in my day-to-day work, the principles and practices are valuable tools for students I may have that are struggling with basic reading.

TE 848: Writing Assessment and Instruction
Instructor Dr. Vaughn W. M. Watson
In this course, the question wasn't about how to write, but instead why we write at all. Rejecting the idea that writing should always (or even often) follow strict organizational and topical restrictions, the content here stressed the importance of writing as a way for people of all ages to become interactive members of the various communities they belong to. In this course we were asked to look both outward, considering what we ask students to do and how we foster their growing identities, and inward, considering how and why we write as adults and professionals.

ED 870: Capstone Seminar
Instructors Dr. Matthew Koehler and Aric Gaunt
You are currently exploring the fruits of this course. Here, I was tasked with reflecting upon my growth as a professional throughout my masters program at Michigan State and compiling an online portfolio to showcase what makes me unique and effective as an educator. This course stressed the importance of closure and self-assessment in the growth process and aided greatly in understanding and solidifying my two years of learning.