Jessica Oliver
Teacher, Learner, Thinker
The Stepping Stones that Keep Me Going
By: Jessica Oliver
Most of these goals, both personal and professional, remained consistent throughout the last three and a half years. As I near the end of my Masters program, I continue to be excited about learning new practices and forms of literacy and technology. Utilizing a variety of digital pieces in my classroom has really become a focus for me. I have made a commitment to rely on technology; from online lesson planning to a classroom blog, my students and myself continue to look for ways to make ourselves more digitally equipped. I also continue to share with my students and give them new perspectives on learning. During my time in the program I took the literacy expertise I was building and fufilled my professional goal of becoming the K-2 English Language Arts Department Chair. This has allowed me to apply my goals and knowledge in a leadership position. It has also changed my view on where I want to go from here. Within this role I have seen literacy coaches and reading specialists through a new lens. Although my zeal still lies in literacy, I don’t know that I want to step out of the classroom or take on the responsibilities of a specialist. I do know, however, that I want to keep pushing myself to be more innovative, more knowledgeable, and more inspiring!
When I began this journey my goals were by no means simple, but today I see them as a stepping stone. They were a stepping stone to greater opportunities and even bigger goals. They have now become pieces of the foundation that keeps me going and keeps me passionate and dedicated to a profession I love!
Muhammad Ali once said, “What keeps me going is goals.” I couldn’t agree more! Whether they are daily goals, yearly goals, or lifetime goals, goals are the foundation of my success. In 2011 my goal was to embark on an educational journey that would support my, “passion for and dedication to the art of both teaching and learning” (Original MAED professional statement, 2011). At the time I was in my sixth year of teaching and had recently earned my Masters in Literacy and Language from Michigan State University (MSU). My first Masters degree was enlightening and engaging and although the courses had ended, my learning hadn’t. I took a little break, but knew that it wouldn’t be long before I would go back for more. I wanted to continue exploring literacy, continue adding to my strategies and best practices, and continue doing so through MSU. After perusing the school’s website, I came across the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program.
Immediately I was excited to see that all of the courses were offered online. Not only did this afford me the convenience of avoiding a long drive, it also fulfilled my goal to incorporate technology. I had always dabbled a little here and there in the realm of technology, but had never moved much further than Microsoft Office and my classroom website. With this format of learning, I was eager to build my technology skills and build a stronger background to share with my students. I looked forward to trying out new forms of digital media and gaining the confidence to expand it into my classroom. Along with the addition of technology, I also wanted to strengthen my knowledge base in reading and writing. I was sure that one day I wanted to advance into a literacy coach or specialist position. Beyond the personal gains, my goals were also established for my students. By continuing my education and hard work, I wanted to exemplify the power of life-long learning. I set out to show my students the importance of education and the importance of challenging yourself. My goal was to encourage them to invest in their own education and achievement.