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I'm Not Done Yet

By: Amy LaPonsie

       When I began searching for a Master’s degree program, I knew I wanted to achieve a degree that did more than look good on paper. Rather, I wanted a degree that could take me places. I have aspirations for my educational career that stem beyond that of a traditional classroom teacher. I chose the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program at Michigan State University because of the reputation of the university, as well as the specifics of the degree program. During my undergraduate work at Western Michigan University, I really enjoyed the courses in my Mathematics minor and knew I wanted one of my concentrations to be Math and Science in the MAED program. While not originally one of my chosen concentrations, my interest in educational technology grew immensely in the MAED program. I found I had many skills in technology and felt so empowered by learning new skills. As a result of my studies in the MAED program, specifically my concentration areas, I have three specific goals for my career, including: writing curriculum for my school district, achieving a higher leadership position in the district, and teaching at least one course online.

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            Next summer I will apply to write curriculum for my school district. I could have applied in previous years, but I feel my Master’s degree with concentrations in Math and Science education help me stand out from other applicants. I feel I have been prepared in teaching methods and with new ways to integrate technology into our district pacing guides. One part of writing curriculum in our district is presenting the changes in curriculum during the annual back to school professional development. Although it is a little intimidating to present to a conference room full of my colleagues, I am confident in my abilities that I will be able to help other educators understand and implement the curriculum effectively. One resource that will help me reach this goal is this article from Edutopia, Resources for Understanding the Common Core State Standards. We use a curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and although I have been trained on how to read and use the CCSS, it never hurts to review the standards and read more about them. This article also addresses the debate about the value of the CCSS. Having an alternate point of view is helpful to widen our own perspective on tough issues.

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          Next, I want to achieve a leadership position in our district. To do this, I may need to earn additional credits beyond what I have earned in my degree programs. I enjoy teaching my colleagues about new methods and helping others, especially in the area of technology. I plan to apply to be a technology coordinator in my building next year and use that as a stepping stone to hopefully keep climbing our leadership ladder and see just how far my degree and experiences can take me. This website, created by Grad School Hub, provides information about the type of jobs you can attain after earning a Master of Arts in Education. I found the information helpful because I saw several of my career aspirations on the list. I am sure whatever position I end up applying for in the future will have specific requirements, but this list is a good starting place to get ideas.

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          Finally, I want to teach an online course. I think I would be a great online educator for several reasons. I have gained innumerable skills in technology during my time in the Master of Arts in Education program, with a focus on technology. My passion as an educator makes me extremely dedicated to my students. I know I would be the online educator returning emails at 5:00 A.M. because I value communication. I feel excellent communication shows how committed online educators are to their course and the students. I plan to research the requirements for becoming an online educator at our local community college. HigherEd Jobs is one website where I found several opportunities to become an online educator. I didn’t find any right away that I would qualify to teach, but it is a good starting place for me. By simply reading some of the requirements for these online educator jobs I am learning about the future steps I need to take to qualify for one of these jobs. I am excited for the possibilities that are in my future and feel confident I am prepared for the next step in my career.