Welcome to a showcase of my graduate work that I have completed during my Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program through Michigan State University.
The focus of my program is P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership. While compiling the resources for my showcase, I discovered three resounding themes: Adult Education, Leadership, and Classroom Pedagogy. I am incredibly passionate about all three of these areas and feel that my skills and resources in these areas has grown exponentially as a result of my coursework in these classes. Each section highlights the work I am incredibly proud of. Please click the title (in gray) to explore the full project. Enjoy!
The focus of my program is P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership. While compiling the resources for my showcase, I discovered three resounding themes: Adult Education, Leadership, and Classroom Pedagogy. I am incredibly passionate about all three of these areas and feel that my skills and resources in these areas has grown exponentially as a result of my coursework in these classes. Each section highlights the work I am incredibly proud of. Please click the title (in gray) to explore the full project. Enjoy!
Adult Education
Throughout my career, I have enjoyed working with students of all ages. I have taught at the elementary and middle school level, but would eventually love to teach adults-whether that is through leadership opportunities within my district, professional developments, or teaching college courses. Enjoy these pieces of work that showcase my work with learning about adult learning.
Proposal for Year-Long Plan for Teacher Learning
As a future adult educator, I was thrilled to be presented with the opportunity to create a year-long plan for teacher learning. I created a proposal that lays out a specific plan for teaching professional learning during the school year. In this proposal, I detailed how the teacher learning would help us to reach our school improvement plan and provided a detailed timeline that explains the various steps needed to accomplish the proposed plan as well as track it's progression. This was incredibly helpful in showing me how to develop plans for teacher learning and take on an important leadership role in my building by creating purposeful learning opportunities for the teachers.
Syllabus Project
This project allowed me the opportunity to create a syllabus for a course that I am interested in teaching. This was probably one of the most exciting projects I have completed! I am incredibly interested in teaching a college course, so I found that working through and trying to write one was valuable and motivating work! I determined course goals, outlined learning objectives, researched various course readings, provided a course outline, and wrote a detailed learning plan for the course including specific expectations for assignments and projects. This enabled me to become confident in my skills to develop a course and create a syllabus and clearly outline what my students can expect from me and my course.
This project allowed me the opportunity to create a syllabus for a course that I am interested in teaching. This was probably one of the most exciting projects I have completed! I am incredibly interested in teaching a college course, so I found that working through and trying to write one was valuable and motivating work! I determined course goals, outlined learning objectives, researched various course readings, provided a course outline, and wrote a detailed learning plan for the course including specific expectations for assignments and projects. This enabled me to become confident in my skills to develop a course and create a syllabus and clearly outline what my students can expect from me and my course.
Analysis of critical, non-western, and global perspectives on adult learning through film
Critical theory is crucial to understand when teaching any students, and adults are no different. I explored critical theory through a non-western, global lens and how it applies to adult learners by analyzing the film "The Lunchbox" by Ritesh Batara. Critical theory allows us as educators to analyze different cultures through the social, historical, and idealogical forces and structures that create and maintain it. By exploring an adult learner from a different culture through a film analysis, I was able to apply critical theory in a meaningful way. I published my analysis as a news story through the website Medium. Click the link above to explore my analysis!
Critical theory is crucial to understand when teaching any students, and adults are no different. I explored critical theory through a non-western, global lens and how it applies to adult learners by analyzing the film "The Lunchbox" by Ritesh Batara. Critical theory allows us as educators to analyze different cultures through the social, historical, and idealogical forces and structures that create and maintain it. By exploring an adult learner from a different culture through a film analysis, I was able to apply critical theory in a meaningful way. I published my analysis as a news story through the website Medium. Click the link above to explore my analysis!
Leadership
One of my personal goals as an educator is to gain more of a leadership position in my building. I have expressed interest and been asked to do exactly that this school year! The projects below provide an example of some of the leadership skills I have gained!
Summary of Leading Teacher Learning
I am about to embark on my first task of leading a group of teachers this school year and writing a summary of key findings about leading adult learners enabled me to see what traits exemplar leaders possess. In this summary, I detail the importance of trust, the development of professional capital, the importance of modeling what a "lead" learner is, and explore powerful tools called protocols. I gained valuable skills such as communication tools and tips when leading adult learners, how to facilitate purposeful meetings, and the importance of professional LEARNING, not development. Click the link above to discover more!
I am about to embark on my first task of leading a group of teachers this school year and writing a summary of key findings about leading adult learners enabled me to see what traits exemplar leaders possess. In this summary, I detail the importance of trust, the development of professional capital, the importance of modeling what a "lead" learner is, and explore powerful tools called protocols. I gained valuable skills such as communication tools and tips when leading adult learners, how to facilitate purposeful meetings, and the importance of professional LEARNING, not development. Click the link above to discover more!
Teaching Philosophy
Throughout my masters program, there has been a resonating theme that I believe is critical for all life-long learners: In order to continue to grow and develop professionally and as a leader, one must know themselves and their dispositions and biases. Writing my own professional teaching philosophy allowed my to critically evaluate myself and my own conceptions of learning and education. I feel that this will enable me to be a self-aware leader who accepts and honors differences in the workplace. I wrote my philosophy based off of multiple educational viewpoints and perspectives. I synthesized this information to create my personal views. Enjoy!
Throughout my masters program, there has been a resonating theme that I believe is critical for all life-long learners: In order to continue to grow and develop professionally and as a leader, one must know themselves and their dispositions and biases. Writing my own professional teaching philosophy allowed my to critically evaluate myself and my own conceptions of learning and education. I feel that this will enable me to be a self-aware leader who accepts and honors differences in the workplace. I wrote my philosophy based off of multiple educational viewpoints and perspectives. I synthesized this information to create my personal views. Enjoy!
Classroom Pedagogy
Developing a strong classroom pedagogy is critical to lifelong learning and growth as an educator. The projects below display the strengthening and expanding of my knowledge for classroom practices.
Literacy Learner Project
This analysis allowed me to develop deep understanding and awareness of individualized literacy instruction. As a special educator, I focus on student's deficits and how to best build those skills that are lacking, while enabling them to keep up in the general education curriculum. This project allowed me to explore an individual student as a case study and create lessons tailored to enable them to build up those missing literacy skills. This also enabled me to develop and hone in my literacy skills and provide me with a large repertoire of resources to continue to use in my classroom!
This analysis allowed me to develop deep understanding and awareness of individualized literacy instruction. As a special educator, I focus on student's deficits and how to best build those skills that are lacking, while enabling them to keep up in the general education curriculum. This project allowed me to explore an individual student as a case study and create lessons tailored to enable them to build up those missing literacy skills. This also enabled me to develop and hone in my literacy skills and provide me with a large repertoire of resources to continue to use in my classroom!
Classroom Management Plan
I created a Prezi that details my classroom management plan. In this plan, I explain the importance of organizing the classroom for success, creating firm expectations, building teacher-student relationships, dealing with motivation and problem solving, and implementing positive behavior supports. This enabled me to develop strong skills in classroom management and look at behavior through a different lens. I utilize, and continue to utilize multiple resources from this class! Click the link above to explore my Prezi!
I created a Prezi that details my classroom management plan. In this plan, I explain the importance of organizing the classroom for success, creating firm expectations, building teacher-student relationships, dealing with motivation and problem solving, and implementing positive behavior supports. This enabled me to develop strong skills in classroom management and look at behavior through a different lens. I utilize, and continue to utilize multiple resources from this class! Click the link above to explore my Prezi!
Clickers in the Special Education Classroom
I developed a short PowerPoint presentation that explores the benefits of utilizing clicker response systems in the special education classroom. I describe the ways these clickers can enhance student learning and detail the impact these response systems can have on the engagement of a class and how they allow the teacher to provide immediate feedback. This project helped me develop my skills of creating a presentation and teaching adult learners about useful technology in the classroom.
I developed a short PowerPoint presentation that explores the benefits of utilizing clicker response systems in the special education classroom. I describe the ways these clickers can enhance student learning and detail the impact these response systems can have on the engagement of a class and how they allow the teacher to provide immediate feedback. This project helped me develop my skills of creating a presentation and teaching adult learners about useful technology in the classroom.