Future Learning Goals: Connecting Globally, Leading and Empowering
As an educator, I see learning opportunities in everyday situations. I see the potential a seven-year-old has to really achieve. I see that my students need more, and I do everything in my power to get them what they need. As I finish my Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) degree, I am seeing how I can really help my students (and myself) move forward. When thinking about the future, I know that I cannot help my students and colleagues unless I also help myself. My goals for the future center around the ideas of connecting globally, leading, and empowerment. I want my students to see how technology can open new doors to the world. I see myself taking on more leadership roles in the district, and I know that to start doing that I need to feel empowered through personal reading and reflection. Even though my degree may be in technology, not all of my future goals are. I am taking my learning and themes from the educational technology program courses and applying those ideas to life in my classroom.
One of my goals for the future is to keep my students (and myself) connected digitally to literature and peers across the globe. Technology can connect us to places we have never seen and to people we might otherwise have never met. Accomplishing the things we never believed we could do often leads to the most memorable school experiences. By participating in the Global Read Aloud, my students will see the doors that reading can open. They will also see the places and people that reading and technology together can lead them to. My students will see that they are not alone in this big world. I will be able to work with educators across the globe, increasing the reach of my professional learning network. I plan to use The Global Read Aloud site to get started, as well as collaborate with colleagues who have participated in the past. My hope is to make this a routine part of my beginning of the school year, every year.
Aside from opening my eyes to the importance of specific use of technology in the classroom, the MAET program also showed me the importance of being a leader. I found myself in many of my courses wanting to share my new learning and knowledge with others. My goal is to become even more of a resource for my colleagues. Not everyone is comfortable with the changing role of technology in the classroom, and I want to be there for my colleagues when they feel uneasy. I plan to start with this article from Educational Leadership magazine titled “Ten Roles for Teacher Leaders”. Though not ALL of the ten roles center on technology, I plan to think about the roles from a technology perspective. I plan to read it before the back-to-school professional development begins, and start the year with a fresh technology mindset. This article will really help me figure out how I want to lead in my school next year, and where to get started.
While in the future I hope to inspire my students and colleagues, I cannot forget that I am the “learner” in “life-long learner.” I must make sure that I take the time to empower myself and form an even more positive mindset. I’ve heard before that teachers need their summers off to “recharge” for the next school year. There is no better way to recharge than by opening your mind to a positive environment. My last future goal is to inspire myself to be a positive, innovative educator - so that I can inspire others to do the same. I plan to do this by immersing myself in books about empowerment and positivity, starting with The End of Molasses Classes and The Essential 55. I believe these books will be the perfect place to start with adapting a positive mindset to head into future school years with. I plan to read them in the summer, outside of the time I spend in my classroom. I will not feel stressed to implement any ideas right away, but rather I will begin the year with fresh, new ideas. I do believe that these books will inspire me even more to positively impact my students and colleagues.
With something as unknown as the future, it’s often tough to think about where to start. Putting myself first is one of the easiest ways to get started. I truly believe that after a summer spent “recharging” I will find myself in a better place to assist my colleagues and students in achieving their goals. Overall, I want to be a more connected educator. By showing my students how reading and technology can open new doors, I will be helping them to be more connected as well. Thinking of different ways to lead in my school setting will help me to connect with staff. Reading books to empower will help me to feel more connected with myself as an educator. In the end, I will feel ready to globally lead and empower.