Randa Abla Cherfan

Goals Revamp: A New Perspective

As I reflect on the goals that initially drove me to apply for my Master of Arts in Education, I realize how limited and specific they were. As I started raising my children, I discovered a new passion and a growing interest in perfecting my methods of transmitting my values and learnings to them. Coming from a business and finance background, it then dawned on me that a career in education would be more fulfilling for me not only as a mother but also as a human being who has an opportunity to make a positive impact on community. I, therefore, shifted from my Business and Finance education background, and started teaching English at the French school.

My next goal became to validate and enrich the experience I gained during my 10 years teaching career, with a reputable university degree in the education field whilst I preserve my work and family balance. The MAED program seemed a perfect match for my needs because it provided me with the flexibility of pursuing my higher education while carrying on with my current job and my family duties, its focus on special education perfectly catered to my interests in teaching kids with special needs. Pursuing my degree at Michigan State University (MSU), a leading American university, was important due to the country’s advanced educational theories, technologies and information which remain at the absolute forefront and in a leading position in this endeavor.

Three years down the road…

As I finish my current master’s degree, I look at my goals from a different perspective: My old goals remain unchanged. However, I now see myself aspiring for more and adding to them.

Throughout this program I developed my instructional strategies, learned more about inclusion and accommodation in my teaching techniques, and how to apply it all in online teaching especially during the pandemic period. Being an educator is also being a learner; one of my newly developed goals is to stay informed about the latest teaching philosophies and approaches, the various inclusion strategies and classroom accommodations, reinforcement of positive behavior, and stay up to date on education topics in general. However, my aim will be to focus more on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. Additionally, I aspire to work on developing inclusion strategies and special accommodation for challenging students as this remains an important need in our region, and I believe that all learners are different and react differently to various teaching approaches. Working on both strategies together is vital as oftentimes students mask their learning challenges through their behavior and teachers fail to see the link. Hence, these learners end up being marginalized and they miss out on learning opportunities.

In a world where information has become ubiquitous, education has essentially become about understanding students’ needs and challenges and providing them with the right tools to succeed, while instilling a welcoming and positive learning environment.