Forever Learning
By: Christine Sherwood
As I reflect upon the completion of my master’s program, I have come to realize that this is just the beginning of my lifelong learning experiences. It is essential for educators to continuously learn and grow in order to become lifelong learners. In addition, it is critical for teachers to motivate and inspire their students to be committed to this ongoing process of learning.
ED 800: Concepts of Educational Inquiry focused on the importance of lifelong learning. That is a goal that I will always strive to achieve and attempt to pass on to my family and students. There is so much more I still need to learn in life well beyond the classroom. I recently asked my dad to teach me everything he knows about personal finances. He explained that this information cannot be taught in a short period of time, but requires a lifetime of experiences. Children need to be given these experiences throughout school and be taught to have this idea of livelong learning. It is impossible to fully prepare students for the future since we do not know exactly what the future entails. Therefore, teachers need to instill a drive and passion for learning as well as a strong work ethic.
This program may be the end of my formal schooling since I am not sure if will continue toward my doctorate or get another master's degree. However, I will continue learning in a variety of ways. I plan to sign-up for professional development opportunities which are a great way to further my knowledge. I am especially interested in technology since that is continuously developing and changing. I will always continue to participate in professional development workshops but I will also continue to learn on my own. There are so many social networks, tutorials, and scholarly articles which are accessible to everyone on the internet. In addition, the county that I work for provides many resources in which teachers can continue learning. They provide blackboard courses, Wiki sites, a web site (C-MAPP) where all essential resources for the county are located, and many more. I also attended a week long seminar at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT). This program provided me with classroom management skills, teaching techniques and methods, as well as being able to network with other teachers. In addition, one can learn a great deal from people you are surrounded by on a daily basis, by engaging in conversations. This includes colleagues, students, parents, friends, and family members. I love that my schools emphasizes the importance of teams of teachers working together. Students also need to be taught the skills needed to work in cooperative groups so they can problem solve together. Furthermore, a great deal can be learned through everyday experiences as well as traveling.
As new experiences and adventures come my way, I always want to keep an open mind and learn from these new and exciting opportunities. In addition, I am constantly striving to improve myself. I plan to keep my online portfolio up to date. I believe that I need to become more globally aware and improve my own 21st Century Skills so I am better able to prepare my students. That way I can help make connections and have my students apply what we are learning in the classroom to real world events. Therefore, I believe it is very important to continue to implement the things I have learned throughout this program with my students.
I am unsure of what the future may bring, but I am open to new job opportunities. I am uncertain if I will always be in the classroom as a teacher or be doing something else in education such as an interventionist or some type of leadership role. I would also love to pursue my passion for math by becoming a middle school math teacher.
Throughout this online master’s program, I gained greater insight into the role of technology and teaching. I was somewhat reluctant to expose myself to new technology. However, I am excited to learn and explore new technologies in order to gain a deeper understanding of their use. The process that allowed me to learn and understand these new technologies was to actively participate and create projects that utilized them. Previously, I was overwhelmed with the endless possibilities of technology but now I realized the positive effects of learning these new skills and their applications for my students and me. I will continue to explore new technology that is free and accessible online.
Taking an entire online program has changed my thoughts about the process of learning. Technology had made a significant impact on education and how one learns today. Future learning will be greatly influenced by technology. I was exposed to many social networking technologies and programs that allowed for a great deal of collaboration and interaction. I realize that collaborative learning and globalization is becoming extremely important and valuable today. It is essential to be an active member in society. Even elementary and high school students can participate in discussions with their classmates and others around the world from anywhere and at anytime of the day. This is truly amazing and the possibilities are endless. I need to stay current with new technological advances. It is imperative for me to teach children how to learn these new technologies since they are always dynamic and improving.
In conclusion, the Master of Arts in Education program is not the end of my education but a step in the lifelong learning process that is required to compete in this globalized world that we are living in today. I will continue to expand my knowledge through formal and informal educational opportunities. Technology will play an essential role in education and our daily lives. I look forward to being a lifelong learner and the various possibilities that will be presented to me.
