Oh, The Places I'll Go...
By: Nicole Jenkins
It is a bit surreal to think that I am nearing the end of my master’s degree, as I have envisioned myself earning this degree my entire life, but viewed it as something far off in my future. As accomplished as it makes me feel to be completing my Master’s of Education, it really is only a starting point for my education as it pertains to my career. Through my time as an undergraduate and now during my master’s program at Michigan State University, it has become clear how quickly and drastically education and technology are changing for our students. I understand how imperative it is for teachers to keep up to date on the newest technologies and best practices for teaching. Our students and their families are depending on us as educators to support our children in becoming lifelong learners and developing into confident, competent individuals. It is a privilege to be in such a role, and it is the reason I know I will continue to seek out new ideas and resources in the future.
A major way that education has changed from when I was in elementary school is the technology that is available and utilized by students. I strongly believe in using a plethora of resources to create lessons and classroom activities that engage and challenge students to use higher-order thinking. While I used to find myself reluctant to try some newer technological resources in the past as it saddened me to stray away from paperback books and some more traditional methods of teaching, I have come to realize that it is possible and actually beneficial to supplement lessons with technology. I now utilize video clips on sites like Brainpop Jr. to explain concepts in clear and concise ways; I use Word Processors as options for students who have difficulty writing and just need to get their ideas down; I use my Promethean ActivBoard to teach interactive lessons in interesting ways; I have students use safe and secure internet resources to do research; I have students listen to authentic stories on DVD to hear fluent reading modeled for them; and I have assisted my students in creating a video presentation of their writing accompanied by their own voices reading the writing aloud. I frequently find that when I incorporate various technological resources into lessons, more students are engaged and thus develop a deeper and more solid understanding of concepts.
I know as I move forward in my teaching career, technology is only going to continue to advance and to be an effective teacher, I must learn about resources that are available for teachers and students. One resource I am currently interested in learning more about is classroom blogs where students can discuss classroom content from home. I have seen this done and found it to be an effective way to teach students about summarizing as well as simply excite them about classroom material. While I have used technology in numerous ways in my own teaching practice, I know I can do more with technology in my future classroom, using it more often and being more creative with how I use it with my students.
I know I will continue to be challenged to incorporate more technology in my teaching and create more engaging, challenging, and meaningful lessons as I have been fortunate to be surrounded by dedicated teachers in all facets in my life, including my mom, sister, aunt, several good friends, as well as a few superb mentors. They have all instilled in me the importance of being a lifelong learner and being open to new ideas. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by devoted, hard-working colleagues at my school that constantly push me to be the best teacher I can be. Collaboration is key as it can be time-consuming to learn about new resources, which is why I feel lucky to work with other teachers that also want to learn new methods and ideas. By sharing our ideas with one another, we can better assess which technologies are worth using and going to benefit our students.
As my master’s program comes to a close and I make a plan for myself for the future, I know I will continue my education by attending workshops, becoming more involved at my school, taking more formal classes in the future, and most likely earning another endorsement. Each time I take a new class or attend a workshop, I leave invigorated and excited to try out new ideas in my classroom. As a dedicated teacher, I plan on learning as much as I can throughout the rest of my career to ensure I am always using the best practices for teaching and staying refreshed so that I can be the best support for my students.