This portfolio represents the learning I was fortunate enough to engage in throughout the last couple of years. I have set it up to represent how I see my experience. I had many highly applicable, actionable courses that led to immediate improvements in the school where I teach. I also had some deep, conceptual and contemplative courses which created space for me to consider my own biases, privilege, and identity within the context of the public school system. I began this Master's program in Curriculum and Instruction in January of 2020. I could not have predicted how necessary the learning would be, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that would hit in full force in March of that semester. This program of study provided deep conceptual learning, as well as highly applicable skills that would directly translate into my classroom and district. I am so grateful to the unbelievable professors I had had the pleasure of getting to know, and the educators and peers I've met along the way.

Interestingly, the arc of my program of study seemed to follow the needs of the times as the semesters progressed. Initially, the first couple of classes I took were so important as they provided the necessary skills for taking my lessons and teaching online. In Leadership and Technology, I found a voice to help calm my teammates' trepidation and help them see the tremendous potential in reaching our students remotely. Taking Inquiry-Based Learning helped further this desire to follow students' interests and connected my students to their community and beyond, despite having to work semi-remotely. Additionally, taking Collaborative Consultation helped me reach my partner teachers in a more meaningful and constructive manner. I believe our team of teachers and support staff grew closer as a result of self-assessment, reflection, and honesty.

As the months went on and another school year started, a sense of somewhat normalcy returned to my school. Complementary to this, the courses I was taking helped me to think deeply about who my students are, where they come from, and what drives their thinking. Courses like Stress, Society, and the Brain helped inform me as to how my students might be developing as a result of exposure to trauma and even just the stressful times of the pandemic. Learning about the brain's response to fear, coupled with learning about language acquisition and phonological awareness in the Orton Gillingham Approach (OGA), I am now better able to reach my students in literacy. Additionally, I believe I have greater empathy for my students, particularly those I might have thought of as "challenging" in the past.

In Philosophy of Education and Inequalities in Education, I found tremendous purpose. Some have asked me if I have felt exhausted or even "burnt out" as a result of teaching through the pandemic. I believe I might have felt this way, had I not been taking these two courses simultaneously. Philosophy of Education reminded me of how much I do not know. It gave me pause to think about the purpose of compulsory, public education as well as my own role within a state-sponsored institution. Inequalities in Education showed me how much where you live dictates what kind of educational opportunities you might have (or not). Education can be a tool for some but a weapon for others, perpetuating and exacerbating social inequalities.

Overall, my program of study has led me to be a more pragmatic, thoughtful, and driven educator. I have learned so much about myself as a learner and educator, but even more about my role within our public education system. My goals going forward are to continue to learn about specific ways I can influence and fight biases in schools. Additionally, how to help lower socioeconomic areas experience higher levels of equitable outcomes across the state, specifically in rural areas. This program has driven me to continue to ask questions, think deeply about what and why I am in education, and continue to learn.