After teaching for five years, I decided it was time to further my education and challenge myself outside of the classroom. I felt comfortable with my management skills and had taken on a variety of leadership roles, but more importantly I was becoming aware of the impact reading, writing, listening, and speaking have on the educational lives of children and wanted to do more. Applying to Michigan State University Master of Arts in Education (MAED) with a concentration in Literacy Education in 2015, my goal was to advance my knowledge and teaching strategies of literacy. I believed this would not only increase my student’s abilities to read, but their desire to learn as well across all curriculum.

 

Reflecting back, I see how important continuing education can be. Not only have my goals changed throughout the process of obtaining my masters, my mindset has changed drastically as well. I not only continue to see the importance of literacy in the classroom, but also that my role as an educator impacts students lives on a greater scale. Whether I am assessing reading levels, their abilities in spelling, or how effectively students can communicate, I am aware of what educational help each student needs, and what they need to be successful individuals. My current goals now are to always continue advancing my knowledge of how to effectively assess student’s skills in order to differentiate instruction. I strive to continue my education to become endorsed as a Reading Specialist and train other teachers on how to effectively assess and teach reading skills that will prepare young students and increase their enjoyment of learning. Another goal I strive for each day is to be a safe place and person students can rely on. By appreciating how much they are worth and how much they matter each day can make a difference.

 

When I compare my goals at the beginning of the program to now, it is apparent that I now see the bigger picture. Rather than focusing solely on advancing children’s success in literacy in my own classroom, I see how important it is to share new information and work towards a greater goal than just the 26 students I see each day. Focusing on advancing my knowledge on Literacy Education has allowed me to become more effective in the classroom and given me the desire to continue to learn more as I work towards becoming a Reading Specialist. Through my learning during Classroom Management in Inclusive Classrooms, CEP 841, a course different from the traditional literacy courses taken during my Masters, I gained insight into the importance of my role and impact I have as an educator. As I advanced my learning during the past two years, I have also grown as a mother and see more clearly now than ever that the children in my classroom are not only my students, they are someone’s child. My compassion and empathy have changed greatly throughout this time, and each day I know that I have the ability to impact the lives of children in a positive way, whether it is through a book or a smile.