Well, are you Proud?
By: Dana Greaves
I often teach my students have having a goal is a great motivator and a way to stay focused on what they want, and I often times say to them after they’ve reached their goal, “How do you feel, now that you’ve achieved this goal? Are you proud of yourself for all that you have accomplished?” I sometimes hear an immediate response of “Yes,” or can tell how they feel from the gigantic smile across their face, but now the turn to answer this question is mine; How do I feel now that I’ve reached this goal? Am I proud of all that I have accomplished?
Simply put: Yes. When setting out on this journey over 4 years ago, I just thought that I would get my master’s because I had already started the program during my student teaching with Michigan State University. I looked at completing the program as something I would do to advance my career, and it wouldn’t take much because I already had almost a third of it completed. Like it was something I needed and I expected myself to do. Now looking back, I see that all of my hard work has paid of and it was a big accomplishment.
Teaching was the only thing I have ever wanted to do. I am lucky to have had great teachers throughout my education, and this trend continued into this master’s program. I have learned how to teach through my teachers. I have learned how to show my passion and excitement about my career, and I have learned how to be the teacher that I want to be through my educational experiences.
The Teacher I Want to Be…
During my first semester of classes in this program, I was introduced to the rigor behind being a teacher; the lesson plans that were expected and the preparation that goes into everyday of teaching. I was student teaching in a first grade classroom, and taking TE 801 and TE 803. Judy Thompson, my professor, created an environment where we felt like we were the main classroom teacher, pushing every one of us in the class to create the best lessons and units. Not only did she demand excellence from us in that area, but she also created a community where we could talk about our experiences in the classroom with her and our classmates, and learn from one another. These experiences of talking with one another and having her lead the discussion, really stuck with me. I wanted to create a community where my students felt like I was really concerned about them, and cared about what they were going through. She led us and taught us, by guiding, instead of always teaching directly from a syllabus or a schedule. I learned so much through her teachings in this class about the teacher that I wanted to be, and I learned this through the teacher that she was.
Not only did Judy lead by example, but she also opened my eyes to the exciting area of teaching social studies. My focus throughout my undergraduate studies was language arts. I always have had a passion for reading and literature, and wanted to learn more about emphasizing that and helping my students feel similar about books. I had taken classes learning about teaching other subject areas, but none of them ever connected with me as much as this social studies class did. Judy would teach us about a topic by introducing it through an “attention grabber” of sorts. She showed us that by taking one small aspect of a lesson you were teaching and making it into a puzzle or riddle, or anything to create anticipation, that students are more hooked into the lesson right away. Yes, while writing lesson plans throughout undergrad, we were taught that having a lesson opener was important, but until I completed these tasks, and experienced the anticipation firsthand, it didn’t mean as much. By these small activities, Judy explained without really traditional “teaching” that social studies can be filled with excitement and anticipation. After we would complete an introductory task, we would stop and discuss it. By the end of the semester, the whole class had a repertoire of attention grabbers and ways to teach social studies that wasn’t just out of a book and taking notes.
Looking back, I can say that Judy was the one teacher that got me through that year of student teaching. Each assignment was thoughtful and meaningful, not just an assignment for us to complete for a grade. The lessons that we planned were not only for our students at the time, but for us as educators to display and discuss with potential employers during job interviews. Professional development that was planned facilitated an understanding of Michigan education laws. With everything she did, she conveyed without words what a great teacher is, and I couldn’t thank her enough for showing me, first hand, the kind of teacher I wanted to be in the classroom. Without this Master’s program, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work so closely with Judy Thompson and I wouldn’t have learned so much about having a true passion for teaching and for the education of students.
The Learning Continues…
After the completion of my year-long student teaching program, I took some time off from teaching and my education. I moved to a new city, and experienced what that city had to offer. When that year was up, I knew that my passion for teaching would not keep me away from the classroom any longer. I decided a new location, along with a 4th grade teaching position, was the solution. I also knew that I needed to continue my education and that the time to do so was soon. After applying and getting accepted into Michigan State’s Master’s program, I knew that educational technology was my path, but I also wanted to be able to take classes that I was truly passionate about.
Reading and language arts are my passion in teaching. I love the excitement that I feel when I read a new book, and the wonder I see on students’ faces when they experience this feeling. It seemed logical that I would sign up to take a reading class during my Master’s degree, even though my program was centered on educational technology. TE 842: Elementary Reading Assessment Instruction was the class that sounded perfect; a class that would combine reading skills, along with assessment skills to enhance my instruction and evaluation of students’ reading abilities. During this class, we were first asked the question, “What is the best way to assess reading?” This question, being posed at the beginning of the class, allowed me to think, “Although this is the way I’m assessing students, is it really the best way to assess them?”
During my assessments of students, I was looking at more of the numbers of correct answers on comprehension tests and the number of words per minute they read every other Friday. This class allowed me the opportunity to think about why I was only assessing in this way, and to adjust my teaching and thinking about reading in my classroom. I was shown that I can assess students in a number of other ways, and one in particular that I found important was the use of classroom discussions. I learned that by meeting with students for a short conversation one-on-one, or by listening to their understanding in small groups or when we are having a whole group discussion, can afford an assortment of information that I can use as an assessment.
This class allowed me the opportunity to think critically about my teaching of reading skills, and what the best practice for teaching and assessing reading is. I walked away from this course with the knowledge that by creating time for actual discussions, whether it’s whole group, small group, or one-on-one, I am gaining knowledge about where my students are at in terms of reading skills. I am attaining this knowledge in a more informal way, but in a way that can be completed more frequently that every other week written assessments. I am also being supportive of students who might not feel comfortable speaking in a whole group setting, but that have an equal understanding of students who are sharing all the time. I am also gaining knowledge about the student who gets stressed out with multiple choice tests and receives low scores; I am learning that that student does understand what is being asked of him, but I am gaining this knowledge in a way that is more conducive to that student. This class showed me that I can create an environment where reading is fun and exciting, while assessing student knowledge in a way that is informative and conducive to supporting each student in my classroom.
Sea of Creativity…
My journey continues with a stretch in my personality. When planning my courses in this program, I wanted to gain as much knowledge as I could about my chosen area of educational technology and I wanted to use this program as an opportunity to branch out of my comfort zone a bit. CEP 818 was the solution to me leaving the comfort of my usual course choices. Punya Mishra was the course instructor, and the captain of the “I’m branching out into a Sea of Creativity” ship. I have never considered myself a creative person. I never took art or music in high school, and when I would come up with a great idea for an art project at home, I felt like it never panned out the way I had imagined it. I wanted to see if I could be a “creative person” not only inside the classroom, but in general as well. The course started off with each student photographing an object of their choosing in a way that it would disguise what the object was. We weren’t supposed to hide the object, but rather shoot the pictures in a way that was not giving the identity of the object away immediately. Instead of excitement about this assignment, I felt anxiety about picking an object and whether or not it would be right and if people would be able to figure out what it was. Needless to say, it wasn’t my favorite assignment. At the end of the unit, I completed the activity, but I wasn’t happy with how it turned out.
I continued to move through this course, moving from feeling like I didn’t know what I was doing, to building on the ability to let an open mind lead me through assignments. With each assigned activity, the anxiety of not being able to come up with something was lessening. I was feeling pretty confident that I could make it through the class, and that was a big step for me. I think that my creativity really came through in an assignment where I had to create a kinesthetic way of teaching or learning a topic in my 4th grade classroom. I created an activity where students had to pick a science term that we had studied, and act it out without using words. The students LOVED this activity. By allowing myself to be creative, my students could be creative in a way that they weren’t used to in school. They got to act out their term in front of the class, and the rest of the class guessed what their term was. When my students were so excited about this activity, I think I really felt confident that I can be creative, and my ideas can work out in the end.
I think my success in this class really was aided by Punya. He wouldn’t just assign the activities, but he would complete them as well, not only to give us an example, but to show that assignments can be completed in lots of different ways. He conveyed his love for creativity and the ability to look at tasks in lots of different ways. I feel like he did guide my “Creativity Ship” and I don’t think I would have been as successful in this class without his guidance.
Great Accomplishments
To again answer my initial question, yes, I am very proud of what I’ve accomplished in this Master’s program. I have learned invaluable skills and attained priceless knowledge in every class I have completed. This program allowed me to stretch myself as a teacher and as a person. I have successfully completed tasks that were out of my comfort zone, and done well at them. None of my accomplishments would have been possible without the teachers that I have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from. From some of the teachers I have learned about how to be the teacher that I want to be and the qualities I want to encompass, from other teachers I have learned teaching strategies from, and others I have learned the skill of letting my mind go and allowing the creativity flow so that I can be a more inventive teacher. I have learned that this is the correct path for me, and being a teacher is the greatest accomplishment I have had so far.
Simply put: Yes. When setting out on this journey over 4 years ago, I just thought that I would get my master’s because I had already started the program during my student teaching with Michigan State University. I looked at completing the program as something I would do to advance my career, and it wouldn’t take much because I already had almost a third of it completed. Like it was something I needed and I expected myself to do. Now looking back, I see that all of my hard work has paid of and it was a big accomplishment.
Teaching was the only thing I have ever wanted to do. I am lucky to have had great teachers throughout my education, and this trend continued into this master’s program. I have learned how to teach through my teachers. I have learned how to show my passion and excitement about my career, and I have learned how to be the teacher that I want to be through my educational experiences.
The Teacher I Want to Be…
During my first semester of classes in this program, I was introduced to the rigor behind being a teacher; the lesson plans that were expected and the preparation that goes into everyday of teaching. I was student teaching in a first grade classroom, and taking TE 801 and TE 803. Judy Thompson, my professor, created an environment where we felt like we were the main classroom teacher, pushing every one of us in the class to create the best lessons and units. Not only did she demand excellence from us in that area, but she also created a community where we could talk about our experiences in the classroom with her and our classmates, and learn from one another. These experiences of talking with one another and having her lead the discussion, really stuck with me. I wanted to create a community where my students felt like I was really concerned about them, and cared about what they were going through. She led us and taught us, by guiding, instead of always teaching directly from a syllabus or a schedule. I learned so much through her teachings in this class about the teacher that I wanted to be, and I learned this through the teacher that she was.
Not only did Judy lead by example, but she also opened my eyes to the exciting area of teaching social studies. My focus throughout my undergraduate studies was language arts. I always have had a passion for reading and literature, and wanted to learn more about emphasizing that and helping my students feel similar about books. I had taken classes learning about teaching other subject areas, but none of them ever connected with me as much as this social studies class did. Judy would teach us about a topic by introducing it through an “attention grabber” of sorts. She showed us that by taking one small aspect of a lesson you were teaching and making it into a puzzle or riddle, or anything to create anticipation, that students are more hooked into the lesson right away. Yes, while writing lesson plans throughout undergrad, we were taught that having a lesson opener was important, but until I completed these tasks, and experienced the anticipation firsthand, it didn’t mean as much. By these small activities, Judy explained without really traditional “teaching” that social studies can be filled with excitement and anticipation. After we would complete an introductory task, we would stop and discuss it. By the end of the semester, the whole class had a repertoire of attention grabbers and ways to teach social studies that wasn’t just out of a book and taking notes.
Looking back, I can say that Judy was the one teacher that got me through that year of student teaching. Each assignment was thoughtful and meaningful, not just an assignment for us to complete for a grade. The lessons that we planned were not only for our students at the time, but for us as educators to display and discuss with potential employers during job interviews. Professional development that was planned facilitated an understanding of Michigan education laws. With everything she did, she conveyed without words what a great teacher is, and I couldn’t thank her enough for showing me, first hand, the kind of teacher I wanted to be in the classroom. Without this Master’s program, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work so closely with Judy Thompson and I wouldn’t have learned so much about having a true passion for teaching and for the education of students.
The Learning Continues…
After the completion of my year-long student teaching program, I took some time off from teaching and my education. I moved to a new city, and experienced what that city had to offer. When that year was up, I knew that my passion for teaching would not keep me away from the classroom any longer. I decided a new location, along with a 4th grade teaching position, was the solution. I also knew that I needed to continue my education and that the time to do so was soon. After applying and getting accepted into Michigan State’s Master’s program, I knew that educational technology was my path, but I also wanted to be able to take classes that I was truly passionate about.
Reading and language arts are my passion in teaching. I love the excitement that I feel when I read a new book, and the wonder I see on students’ faces when they experience this feeling. It seemed logical that I would sign up to take a reading class during my Master’s degree, even though my program was centered on educational technology. TE 842: Elementary Reading Assessment Instruction was the class that sounded perfect; a class that would combine reading skills, along with assessment skills to enhance my instruction and evaluation of students’ reading abilities. During this class, we were first asked the question, “What is the best way to assess reading?” This question, being posed at the beginning of the class, allowed me to think, “Although this is the way I’m assessing students, is it really the best way to assess them?”
During my assessments of students, I was looking at more of the numbers of correct answers on comprehension tests and the number of words per minute they read every other Friday. This class allowed me the opportunity to think about why I was only assessing in this way, and to adjust my teaching and thinking about reading in my classroom. I was shown that I can assess students in a number of other ways, and one in particular that I found important was the use of classroom discussions. I learned that by meeting with students for a short conversation one-on-one, or by listening to their understanding in small groups or when we are having a whole group discussion, can afford an assortment of information that I can use as an assessment.
This class allowed me the opportunity to think critically about my teaching of reading skills, and what the best practice for teaching and assessing reading is. I walked away from this course with the knowledge that by creating time for actual discussions, whether it’s whole group, small group, or one-on-one, I am gaining knowledge about where my students are at in terms of reading skills. I am attaining this knowledge in a more informal way, but in a way that can be completed more frequently that every other week written assessments. I am also being supportive of students who might not feel comfortable speaking in a whole group setting, but that have an equal understanding of students who are sharing all the time. I am also gaining knowledge about the student who gets stressed out with multiple choice tests and receives low scores; I am learning that that student does understand what is being asked of him, but I am gaining this knowledge in a way that is more conducive to that student. This class showed me that I can create an environment where reading is fun and exciting, while assessing student knowledge in a way that is informative and conducive to supporting each student in my classroom.
Sea of Creativity…
My journey continues with a stretch in my personality. When planning my courses in this program, I wanted to gain as much knowledge as I could about my chosen area of educational technology and I wanted to use this program as an opportunity to branch out of my comfort zone a bit. CEP 818 was the solution to me leaving the comfort of my usual course choices. Punya Mishra was the course instructor, and the captain of the “I’m branching out into a Sea of Creativity” ship. I have never considered myself a creative person. I never took art or music in high school, and when I would come up with a great idea for an art project at home, I felt like it never panned out the way I had imagined it. I wanted to see if I could be a “creative person” not only inside the classroom, but in general as well. The course started off with each student photographing an object of their choosing in a way that it would disguise what the object was. We weren’t supposed to hide the object, but rather shoot the pictures in a way that was not giving the identity of the object away immediately. Instead of excitement about this assignment, I felt anxiety about picking an object and whether or not it would be right and if people would be able to figure out what it was. Needless to say, it wasn’t my favorite assignment. At the end of the unit, I completed the activity, but I wasn’t happy with how it turned out.
I continued to move through this course, moving from feeling like I didn’t know what I was doing, to building on the ability to let an open mind lead me through assignments. With each assigned activity, the anxiety of not being able to come up with something was lessening. I was feeling pretty confident that I could make it through the class, and that was a big step for me. I think that my creativity really came through in an assignment where I had to create a kinesthetic way of teaching or learning a topic in my 4th grade classroom. I created an activity where students had to pick a science term that we had studied, and act it out without using words. The students LOVED this activity. By allowing myself to be creative, my students could be creative in a way that they weren’t used to in school. They got to act out their term in front of the class, and the rest of the class guessed what their term was. When my students were so excited about this activity, I think I really felt confident that I can be creative, and my ideas can work out in the end.
I think my success in this class really was aided by Punya. He wouldn’t just assign the activities, but he would complete them as well, not only to give us an example, but to show that assignments can be completed in lots of different ways. He conveyed his love for creativity and the ability to look at tasks in lots of different ways. I feel like he did guide my “Creativity Ship” and I don’t think I would have been as successful in this class without his guidance.
Great Accomplishments
To again answer my initial question, yes, I am very proud of what I’ve accomplished in this Master’s program. I have learned invaluable skills and attained priceless knowledge in every class I have completed. This program allowed me to stretch myself as a teacher and as a person. I have successfully completed tasks that were out of my comfort zone, and done well at them. None of my accomplishments would have been possible without the teachers that I have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from. From some of the teachers I have learned about how to be the teacher that I want to be and the qualities I want to encompass, from other teachers I have learned teaching strategies from, and others I have learned the skill of letting my mind go and allowing the creativity flow so that I can be a more inventive teacher. I have learned that this is the correct path for me, and being a teacher is the greatest accomplishment I have had so far.