Goal Reflection

A Never-Ending Pursuit

In the summer of 2016, I was a 2nd year English Language (EL) teacher looking to grow and improve. I felt that attending Michigan State University’s Masters of Education (MAED) program would be a way for me to do this, returning to academic learning while continuing my own “on-the-ground” learning. On my application to the program, I specifically named two interrelated goals; first, to improve my own skills and deepen my knowledge; and secondly, to broaden my base of resources. The purpose of reaching these goals was to become a more effective teacher.  

    I have accomplished these goals throughout my time in the MAED program. At the same time, these goals are never completed. I can continuously pursue knowledge and skills that will make me a more effective teacher. I can constantly increase my access to resources which equip me. I’m not done with these goals. These initial, broad goals continue to motivate me while also continuing to change to encompass new specific topics.

    My first goal, to improve my teaching skills and deepen my knowledge of teaching practices and content areas,  is one which each course taken, each book read, each lesson planned allows me to achieve. During my time in the MAED program, I have grown in many ways. For instance, I have learned how to incorporate science practices. I have studied strategies and philosophies about classroom management. I have tried new literacy assessments. I have considered how writing can be integrated with content. I have evaluated my practices through the lens of anti-racism and raciolinguistics. The list goes on and on. Since each class focused on a different aspect of teaching, my goal to improve as a teacher has likewise shifted to focus on those specific topics. I anticipate that my future growth will similarly shift as different topics to learn about become of interest or are made available to me.

    The second goal I mentioned was to broaden my base of resources. Again, my classes and all the materials, websites, texts, articles, podcasts, and apps they presented have widened my knowledge of and access to resources. I will need to continue to seek out relevant, up-to-date, and high quality resources outside of the MAED program. In addition, I have widened this goal to incorporate a sub-goal; to keep these resources organized and accessible. Often, my difficulty when looking for high quality information or resources is not that they don’t exist, but that they are difficult to find or to relocate. Therefore, I also am working to better organize resources I have in ways that will allow me to apply and practice the skills, resources, and knowledge I have gained.

    The pursuit of growth is one that never ends. I am glad to see the progress I have made yet know that there is so much more progress to come. Those of us who want to grow and improve will never run out of work to do. There is something exciting about that.