Jessica Oliver
Teacher, Learner, Thinker
As One Journey Ends, Another Begins!!!
A Synthesis Essay By Jessica Oliver
What began as a goal, and continued as a journey, is now becoming a reality; my new reality. I was, and continue to be, a mom, a wife, and a teacher. But now, I am all of these things along with a graduate holding two Masters Degrees! As I reflect back on how I got here, I am left feeling knowledgeable, excited, and very proud! The success I have accomplished in the Masters of Arts in Education (MAED) program at Michigan State University (MSU) is a testament to my determination and work ethic. It is also proof of my intelligence and love for learning. This journey, down this specific path, has come to an end. Yet there are new paths to be explored and new journeys to embark on.
So let’s look back, shall we. I was in my 6th year of teaching, I had my first Master’s degree, and my little boy was about to turn one. I felt like I was stable in my career and home-life and couldn’t help but miss my own schooling. At that time I was also hoping to further myself into a learning coach or reading specialist position. I was passionate about literacy and felt like I had a lot of knowledge and experience to offer. Even so, I wanted more; I wanted to become an expert. With this in mind, I searched for a program that would help me to do so. That is when I found the MAED program at MSU. I soon found myself stretching my goals in the direction of MSU. I applied, I got in, and I enrolled in my first course. Little did I know that the future courses would not only change me as a teacher and a learner, but they would change me as a thinker and they would change the direction that I thought I was headed.
I started the journey looking to become an expert in literacy and become comfortable with technology. Because my initial focus was literacy, so much of my coursework was centered on the areas of reading and writing. Just as I had hoped, my courses and instructors provided me with advanced strategies and skills to reach all of my learners and to expand their literacies across the board. From quality literature, to new approaches in writing, I gained a whole new perspective on what it means to be literate and how to instill a literacy passion within my students. Along with literacy, I was also eager to increase my technology skills. The MAED program definitely stretched my thinking and abilities in terms of technology. I was encouraged, and in my cases required, to experiment with various forms of digital media. New web outlets allowed discussions to occur with colleagues across the globe and presentations and projects developed into more than just the traditional PowerPoint.
Reflecting on all of this has made clear the fact that over the last three years of hard work and continuous study, my goals were reached and my expectations were met, if not exceeded. While this in itself is real success, it was what I didn’t expect, what I gained almost by accident, that was incredible. Going into the program, literacy and technology was in my sight. Yet, I now realize that it was what I couldn’t see that ended up having the biggest impact on me and leaving me with the greatest transformation. When originally planning my program and choosing classes I enrolled in three Educational Psychology/Technology courses to fulfill a concentration in technology. Going into it, I was hoping to learn a few more digital skills that I could use with my students. What I learned from these three courses evolved into so much more. I learned more about myself as a learner. I learned the power of creativity. I learned that I am in fact innovative. And I learned that inquiry can take you to new heights. It wasn’t the content I read about, but the processes I engaged in that truly inspired me and have pushed me to think on a different level.
The first of these courses was CEP 816 taught by Dr. Rand Spiro. The course was taught during a summer semester so it was much shorter than traditional semesters. Even so, Dr. Spiro packed those six weeks with knowledge and experiences that will last me a lifetime! Upon starting this class, I remember thinking, “Will I really be able to utilize this information in my classroom?” As the modules passed it became clearer and clearer that the kind of thinking I was required to do was thinking beyond just the surface level and beyond the here and now. My mind was opened to the abstract and the genuine use of inquiry; when I say genuine, I mean a true awareness and understanding of inquiry. The digital age has provided new opportunities that traditionally were not possible in education. So the question became, we have them, now how are we going to use them? Dr. Spiro encouraged me to think about this in terms of myself, my students, and my future.
The first task was to choose a topic of interest. Going back to my literacy passion, I chose writing, specifically writing through traditional and digital methods. I scoured the internet looking for a video that would support my ideas and spark my thoughts. That is when I found one about computer programming. Sounds irrelevant, right? Well that is what it may seem at first, but once the mind is given permission to look beyond the obvious, there is a plausible link. This link is what led to my instructional dream. My dream had no boundaries and could soar in any direction I could imagine. What an awesome concept! In education we are often tied down by something; not enough time, not enough resources, not enough help. This dream forced me to look beyond all the boundaries and essentially, reach for the stars. So I did. What resulted was extraordinary! My inquiry allowed me to ask questions, make connections, and synthesize more than I ever had up to that point. Like a bicycle wheel (the analogy Dr. Spiro used) my thoughts shot out like spokes from one central idea. I was able to let my mind go in all directions, even some that at first seemed far-fetched, all the while coming back to my central idea of writing without limits. It is amazing what you can do when you just let yourself go and explore anything and everything! So going back to that original thought, yes, this information, even more so, this experience, was, and is, applicable to not only me, but to my classroom. Like Dr. Spiro, I utilize inquiry on many different levels with my students and encourage them to think without limits.
CEP 818 was the next course to come my way. I was beginning to near the end of my program, and to be honest, I was initially excited to just get it done. Right away I realized the challenge that this particular course would be. I was used to getting clear directions and examples to follow. While setting high expectations, Dr. Punya Mishra and Rohit Mehta were not quite so transparent. What I mean by this is that they didn’t put their personal thoughts or opinions into everything. Instead, they encouraged us to come to that conclusion ourselves. The second assignment we had came with a lot of challenges for me and even a little frustration. We were expected to take an image of our topic and perceive it from a new angle in order to reimage it. Early on in the course I had chosen Nonfiction as my topic. Just picking an image to represent Nonfiction seemed like an impossible task. I remember sending an email questioning my topic and asking for confirmation or assurance of some ideas. I expected to receive a “yes, use that” or a “no, that will not work.” Well I didn’t. Instead, I received a copy of the syllabus directions (which I had already read) and a “we are looking forward to what you come up with.” They put it right back into my hands. This was my first glimpse of what was to come!
The entire semester was centered on me, my ideas, my questions, and my personal discoveries. It was not about what the professors wanted. Like CEP 816, it was about what I wanted. So when I think about that first project, it is now clear that Dr. Mishra and Rohit were very strategic in their response. I was forced to truly think for myself, to take my ideas and expand them independently, and to work through my thoughts carefully and deeply. Wow did it work! That first project, which became a Stop Motion video, was not only fun and exciting, but it became a representation of what I am capable of when I really put forth my effort and creativity. With each new module I continued to surprise myself with what I was able to accomplish. By the end, I had experimented with new technology, but more importantly I had realized that I was creative!
Everything that I did that semester was eye-opening to what is possible. If I could do these things and unleash an unknown creativity, then so, too, could my students. I will never forget the feedback I received for one of my assignments that said, “Every week we think Jessica must be having a hard time with her modules; every week you come up with something fascinatingly simple, yet so brilliant” (Mishra and Mehta). I read that comment and smiled. I smiled because I knew that this was genuine confirmation and assurance, better than any “yes you’re doing it right” or “no you’re doing it wrong.” Both professors wanted to get me to a place of innovation and they wanted me to get there on my own. Looking back now it is clear that they, and even more importantly, I, were successful!
Now this leads me to the third course, CEP 817; a course built on design. Once again, the creative and innovative emerged. Like those that came before it, this course began with a topic of choice, which became known as the Problem of Practice (PoP). I chose a topic that I had been struggling with within the classroom – conversations. At the time I was teaching a group of second graders who were not familiar with conversations and lacked the skills to participate and engage in respectful, meaningful interactions. I was at a point in my career where I felt confident teaching math skills, helping a student read, modeling good writing, or leading the class on an exciting science experiment. What I quickly realized was I wasn't teaching them something they needed to know in all content areas across the curriculum. It was great that they had the content, but they needed the skills to discuss and converse with their peers. Led by Danah Henricksen, CEP 817 gave me the opportunity to explore this problem on a deeper level and use my creativity to create reasonable, yet unique solutions.
Historically when a problem arises in the classroom, I use my past experience and knowledge to solve it. This course pushed me to think outside the box and do more than the predictable. Like the others, there were no boundaries and anything was possible. In fact, we were encouraged to experiment with ideas even if they initially appeared “off the wall” or extreme. It is hard to describe in words how valuable this was to me and to my students. Once I empathized with my audience (my students) and redefined my ideas by looking for root causes, the fun really began. Through brainstorming and incubation I developed countless ideas and strategies to build the conversation within my classroom. From creating a Conversation Tree to starting a classroom Blog, my understanding of conversations grew, and in the process, my students’ success bloomed.
What struck me most about all three of these courses is the lack of constraints. While the expectations always remained high and the directions focused, none of the projects we did had constraints that took away the personal angle or limited the possibilities. This is the kind of classroom I want to lead. I want students to take charge of their education. I want them to be accountable, to be engaged, and to be excited! The MAED program, as a whole, has instilled this in me. All that I learned and experienced throughout this journey has become a valuable addition to my teaching, my skills, and my overall understanding of the world around me. Each and every course provided me with building blocks and extensions of my learning. While I am still passionate about literacy, I have discovered that I am even more passionate about creativity and engagement. I strive to encourage these practices, along with inquiry. I have great respect for literacy coaches and reading specialists, but after this journey I realize it is not for me. I no longer was to limit myself in a role that mainly focuses on literacy. I instead was to stretch myself across the curriculum in motivating and inspiring my students to think deeper and richer.
So what’s next? That I am not quite sure, but I do know that there is another journey waiting and more goals to achieve. The MAED program has been an exciting lead into what’s to come!
