Goal Reflection Essay
Goals: Then & Now
My Goals When I Applied to my Master Program:
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In my classroom I want to meet students where they are at. In our ever more globalizing world, understanding and being able to implement creative uses of technology is crucial to meeting that goal.
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I know that there is so much I don’t know. I want to continue to grow. I love being challenged in new ways. I have a goal of not becoming complacent in my critical lens and am eager for how this program will continue to hone that in me.
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(These were taken directly from my application to the program back in the spring of 2021)
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My Goals Now:
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I want to creatively understand and implement technology in my classroom that meets students where they are at and encourages them further.
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This remains a goal of mine as it’s the core of my pedagogy, of who I am as a teacher. This program has broadened my understanding of what it means to understand technology, considering not only its affordances and constraints but also the broader implications and biases. This program has also introduced me to so many more technologies and places to find new technologies to help give authentic experiences for my students. I now have a better understanding of technology and ways to manipulate it to meet my students where they are at and to encourage them to where they’re headed.
2. I want to keep growing, as an educator, as a learner and as a person.
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This program has stretched me in so many ways. I want to continue to do that. This has been an incredible foundation for me to be challenged. I will continue to pursue learning and growing through resources introduced to me through this program as well as fellow educators.
My goals have largely remained the same but have a greater depth to them now. I understand more about what I don’t know. I have a broader network of professionals and tools to draw upon as I seek to meet my students where they’re at and to grow professionally.
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I won’t ever “achieve” these goals. Having them in my sights though and continuously creatively pursuing them makes me a better educator. Being humble about where I’m at in the process and choosing to be a learner myself, willing to try new things and make mistakes is excellent modeling for my students.
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It was a delight to look back at the goals I wrote a year ago and see how much I’ve grown in those areas through this Master of Arts in Educational Technology. It was also comforting to see that these goals are still things that I value and want to continue even after the completion of this program.
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