The Best is Yet to Come
Katherine Hinkson
Spring 2009 marked the end of one of the best chapters in my life: four years of undergrad at Michigan State University. Blessed with the gift of knowing that I had wanted to be a teacher for as long as I could remember, I worked diligently through four years with my dream of having my own classroom, my own students, and my own little minds to mold. As I posed for pictures with Sparty, I thought about how my life was going to change for the better. Post-graduation, I grappled with moving back home to begin my student teaching in what I thought would be my perfect situation: a first grade classroom. I had no idea what lay ahead of me, and how drastically my feelings would change.
Four years later, summer 2013 marks the end of another important chapter: the completion of my master’s degree, and the completion of two years teaching. As I come to the conclusion of my Master of Arts in Education at Michigan State, I can reflect on the balance of theory and practice that I experienced during the past two years. Not much has turned out the way I expected: I have taught fifth grade for two years and am making the move to eighth grade, and my graduate degree has a Special Education concentration, in contrast to the reading or language emphasis I was so certain would be the next step.
During and after my student teaching internship, I went through a time where I seriously questioned my judgment when I made the decision to pursue teaching. First grade was not what I had expected, my management skills were weak (at best), and my confidence plummeted. I dreaded going to school every day. I hated that I didn’t know all of the answers, hated feeling inadequate, and hated asking for help. I agonized over things going wrong in my lessons, especially when I was being observed. As a result, I isolated myself, and I began to understand why so many new teachers don’t make it past a year or two. On Thursdays, graduate classes once a week gave me a chance to be a student again. One of my favorite instructors from undergraduate, Sarah Little, taught one of my classes, for which I was beyond thankful.
After my internship, I was very disheartened. Needing time to consider my options, I spent a year serving with AmeriCorps in Austin, Texas. The nonprofit that I served with (ACE) gave me valuable skills and experiences that helped guide me back toward education. Through a friend, I got an interview for a 5th grade teaching position. I accepted it apprehensively. What did I know about 5th grade?
After the 2011-12 school year, my confidence grew, and I remembered why this had been the career path I chose for myself. I had (quite unexpectedly) fallen in love with fifth grade. I learned that a classroom full of preteens and I got along pretty well. My passion for teaching reading remained, and I was thrilled to discuss Harry Potter and The Hunger Games with my students. Though I had an amazing first year, I realized how much more I still had to learn and how far I had to go. The next logical step for me was my master’s degree. I considered three possible concentrations but ultimately arrived at Special Education.
The decision to complete my graduate coursework online was one of convenience. However, I feel that I am part of a larger learning community, and part of a growing trend in education today: blended or even entirely online learning. As technology permeates our society in the forms of smart phones and iPads, I have grown to see the huge benefits that technology brings to education. Had I been sitting in a traditional classroom, I’m sure I would have incorporated some aspects, but learning completely online is unlike anything I have experienced before. Online learning forced me to be proactive, to read emails and directions carefully, and to step out of my comfort zone many times. During all of the classes I took, I learned some type of new technology or teaching tool, from Prezis to digital story creation and much more. I also pondered and reframed my thoughts on using technology responsibly, as a student and as a teacher. I concluded that we must model appropriate use of technology for our students, and discuss with our colleagues what we want these uses to look like. Above all, we have to be flexible and willing to learn, and change our methods if necessary.
There were many courses that helped to shape me as a learner and as a teacher. CEP 801A, Consultation in Special Education, was one of the most meaningful courses I completed. This course gave me insight to the importance of successful collaboration among all school professionals. Many of the assignments that I completed for this course helped me think about my current role in my school, as well as possible roles I might enjoy in the future. One of the most challenging aspects of educating students receiving Special Education services is behavior. In CEP 801A, I conducted an interview with a colleague about a child who was struggling with behavior. After detailed and careful observations, I created a Functional Behavior Analysis with a plan for more positive behavior choices and rewards. This class, coupled with my everyday experiences with our school’s amazing Special Education teacher, emphasized the importance of collaboration. I thought about what a valuable resource my own knowledge about Special Education was becoming. When I picked up my phone for the tenth time each day to call Gabby (our Special Ed teacher) about formatting an IEP, or a behavior strategy, I imagined myself someday as a resource for my colleagues navigating the complexities of Special Education.
Another class that strongly influenced my philosophy and practice was CEP 800, Learners in Schools and Other Settings. I took this class in Spring 2013, and it ended up fitting perfectly with one of my classroom goals: increasing student participation and engagement. We began the class by investigating the different ways that students acquire knowledge and make learning meaningful. Next, we explored a wide variety of technologies that can be used for teaching tools, while carefully considering how the use of technology affects content and student learning. I was stretched beyond my comfort zone as I learned to create digital stories and podcasts. Not only did I learn to use new technology, I studied student work samples for evidence of learning styles, misconceptions, and enrichment opportunities. As the culminating activity for this course, I planned a sequence of lessons into which I incorporated a new technology. This course taught me that using technology doesn’t just mean passing out iPads with educational aps downloaded. It is to be used with caution and consideration of all students and their unique needs. Technology should not replace quality education by distracting students with bells and whistles.
ED 800, Concepts of Educational Inquiry, started off as one of my least favorite classes in my master’s coursework. Who really wants to read about learning theories and different educational scholars? I certainly did not. However, as the course progressed, I realized that I had been laying the foundation to think deeply about what learning and education should be. It reminded me of teaching my students about war (for some reason 5th graders love learning about wars.) They groaned through the historical facts and background information, but they could not understand the significance of action, battles, and combat until they processed the former. It reminded me of the saying that ED 800 pushed my thinking on traditional roles in education and how culture can affect learning. The course also forced me to think about my philosophy on certain aspects of education and asked essential questions. What should classrooms look like? What is the teacher’s role in a student’s learning? By the end of the semester, I recognized the class as an important lesson in history that will help shape my future.
Though courses, articles, instructors, and colleagues have been invaluable in shaping me as a teacher, they pale in comparison to the most significant people in my career: my students. The feeling of helping a student reach a breakthrough –academically, socially, behaviorally, or otherwise—is unparalleled. The twenty seven faces staring into mine (or sometimes at the ceiling or out the window) are the reason I get up in the morning, spend hours searching for “Parts of Speech” raps on YouTube, stock my cupboards with granola bars, and buy out entire sections of the teacher store. My students steered me toward a concentration in Special Education so I could better advocate for them and help them reach their goals, even if they didn’t know what their goals were. I was so intrigued by the differences in two students with the same diagnosis that I took a class devoted to Autism Spectrum Disorders. The boy who wrote profanities about me on the bathroom wall challenged me to learn about the psychology of learning and how to motivate all students. I learned that if you yell, they yell louder. I learned that attitude problems can sometimes be cured with unconditional love, and that the most flagrant disrespect and hallway swagger can mask fragile self esteem and deep feelings of inadequacy. More than anything, I learned that I am extremely lucky to spend my days with these incredible people who have changed my life for the better.
I have been incredibly blessed with the precious gift of education, supportive colleagues, and many opportunities for growth. Today, discussions about the field of education quickly turn to politics, salaries, and test scores. Thankfully, the controversy and negativity haven’t had much of an impact on me. I do wonder about new curricula, how many standardized tests we can squeeze into a school year, and how I will survive on my teacher’s salary. However, teaching is so much more than that. I hold tightly to the firm belief that teachers mold minds, shape the next generation, and have the potential to change the world. I accept my crucial role as teacher with humility and huge dreams for the future. Perhaps someday my naiveté and joy in the classroom will fade, but for now I am content to work towards the goal of positively influencing as many students as I can, one lesson at a time. Though my master’s degree is complete, I am nowhere near done learning. I eagerly anticipate the best that is yet to come.
Spring 2009 marked the end of one of the best chapters in my life: four years of undergrad at Michigan State University. Blessed with the gift of knowing that I had wanted to be a teacher for as long as I could remember, I worked diligently through four years with my dream of having my own classroom, my own students, and my own little minds to mold. As I posed for pictures with Sparty, I thought about how my life was going to change for the better. Post-graduation, I grappled with moving back home to begin my student teaching in what I thought would be my perfect situation: a first grade classroom. I had no idea what lay ahead of me, and how drastically my feelings would change.
Four years later, summer 2013 marks the end of another important chapter: the completion of my master’s degree, and the completion of two years teaching. As I come to the conclusion of my Master of Arts in Education at Michigan State, I can reflect on the balance of theory and practice that I experienced during the past two years. Not much has turned out the way I expected: I have taught fifth grade for two years and am making the move to eighth grade, and my graduate degree has a Special Education concentration, in contrast to the reading or language emphasis I was so certain would be the next step.
During and after my student teaching internship, I went through a time where I seriously questioned my judgment when I made the decision to pursue teaching. First grade was not what I had expected, my management skills were weak (at best), and my confidence plummeted. I dreaded going to school every day. I hated that I didn’t know all of the answers, hated feeling inadequate, and hated asking for help. I agonized over things going wrong in my lessons, especially when I was being observed. As a result, I isolated myself, and I began to understand why so many new teachers don’t make it past a year or two. On Thursdays, graduate classes once a week gave me a chance to be a student again. One of my favorite instructors from undergraduate, Sarah Little, taught one of my classes, for which I was beyond thankful.
After my internship, I was very disheartened. Needing time to consider my options, I spent a year serving with AmeriCorps in Austin, Texas. The nonprofit that I served with (ACE) gave me valuable skills and experiences that helped guide me back toward education. Through a friend, I got an interview for a 5th grade teaching position. I accepted it apprehensively. What did I know about 5th grade?
After the 2011-12 school year, my confidence grew, and I remembered why this had been the career path I chose for myself. I had (quite unexpectedly) fallen in love with fifth grade. I learned that a classroom full of preteens and I got along pretty well. My passion for teaching reading remained, and I was thrilled to discuss Harry Potter and The Hunger Games with my students. Though I had an amazing first year, I realized how much more I still had to learn and how far I had to go. The next logical step for me was my master’s degree. I considered three possible concentrations but ultimately arrived at Special Education.
The decision to complete my graduate coursework online was one of convenience. However, I feel that I am part of a larger learning community, and part of a growing trend in education today: blended or even entirely online learning. As technology permeates our society in the forms of smart phones and iPads, I have grown to see the huge benefits that technology brings to education. Had I been sitting in a traditional classroom, I’m sure I would have incorporated some aspects, but learning completely online is unlike anything I have experienced before. Online learning forced me to be proactive, to read emails and directions carefully, and to step out of my comfort zone many times. During all of the classes I took, I learned some type of new technology or teaching tool, from Prezis to digital story creation and much more. I also pondered and reframed my thoughts on using technology responsibly, as a student and as a teacher. I concluded that we must model appropriate use of technology for our students, and discuss with our colleagues what we want these uses to look like. Above all, we have to be flexible and willing to learn, and change our methods if necessary.
There were many courses that helped to shape me as a learner and as a teacher. CEP 801A, Consultation in Special Education, was one of the most meaningful courses I completed. This course gave me insight to the importance of successful collaboration among all school professionals. Many of the assignments that I completed for this course helped me think about my current role in my school, as well as possible roles I might enjoy in the future. One of the most challenging aspects of educating students receiving Special Education services is behavior. In CEP 801A, I conducted an interview with a colleague about a child who was struggling with behavior. After detailed and careful observations, I created a Functional Behavior Analysis with a plan for more positive behavior choices and rewards. This class, coupled with my everyday experiences with our school’s amazing Special Education teacher, emphasized the importance of collaboration. I thought about what a valuable resource my own knowledge about Special Education was becoming. When I picked up my phone for the tenth time each day to call Gabby (our Special Ed teacher) about formatting an IEP, or a behavior strategy, I imagined myself someday as a resource for my colleagues navigating the complexities of Special Education.
Another class that strongly influenced my philosophy and practice was CEP 800, Learners in Schools and Other Settings. I took this class in Spring 2013, and it ended up fitting perfectly with one of my classroom goals: increasing student participation and engagement. We began the class by investigating the different ways that students acquire knowledge and make learning meaningful. Next, we explored a wide variety of technologies that can be used for teaching tools, while carefully considering how the use of technology affects content and student learning. I was stretched beyond my comfort zone as I learned to create digital stories and podcasts. Not only did I learn to use new technology, I studied student work samples for evidence of learning styles, misconceptions, and enrichment opportunities. As the culminating activity for this course, I planned a sequence of lessons into which I incorporated a new technology. This course taught me that using technology doesn’t just mean passing out iPads with educational aps downloaded. It is to be used with caution and consideration of all students and their unique needs. Technology should not replace quality education by distracting students with bells and whistles.
ED 800, Concepts of Educational Inquiry, started off as one of my least favorite classes in my master’s coursework. Who really wants to read about learning theories and different educational scholars? I certainly did not. However, as the course progressed, I realized that I had been laying the foundation to think deeply about what learning and education should be. It reminded me of teaching my students about war (for some reason 5th graders love learning about wars.) They groaned through the historical facts and background information, but they could not understand the significance of action, battles, and combat until they processed the former. It reminded me of the saying that ED 800 pushed my thinking on traditional roles in education and how culture can affect learning. The course also forced me to think about my philosophy on certain aspects of education and asked essential questions. What should classrooms look like? What is the teacher’s role in a student’s learning? By the end of the semester, I recognized the class as an important lesson in history that will help shape my future.
Though courses, articles, instructors, and colleagues have been invaluable in shaping me as a teacher, they pale in comparison to the most significant people in my career: my students. The feeling of helping a student reach a breakthrough –academically, socially, behaviorally, or otherwise—is unparalleled. The twenty seven faces staring into mine (or sometimes at the ceiling or out the window) are the reason I get up in the morning, spend hours searching for “Parts of Speech” raps on YouTube, stock my cupboards with granola bars, and buy out entire sections of the teacher store. My students steered me toward a concentration in Special Education so I could better advocate for them and help them reach their goals, even if they didn’t know what their goals were. I was so intrigued by the differences in two students with the same diagnosis that I took a class devoted to Autism Spectrum Disorders. The boy who wrote profanities about me on the bathroom wall challenged me to learn about the psychology of learning and how to motivate all students. I learned that if you yell, they yell louder. I learned that attitude problems can sometimes be cured with unconditional love, and that the most flagrant disrespect and hallway swagger can mask fragile self esteem and deep feelings of inadequacy. More than anything, I learned that I am extremely lucky to spend my days with these incredible people who have changed my life for the better.
I have been incredibly blessed with the precious gift of education, supportive colleagues, and many opportunities for growth. Today, discussions about the field of education quickly turn to politics, salaries, and test scores. Thankfully, the controversy and negativity haven’t had much of an impact on me. I do wonder about new curricula, how many standardized tests we can squeeze into a school year, and how I will survive on my teacher’s salary. However, teaching is so much more than that. I hold tightly to the firm belief that teachers mold minds, shape the next generation, and have the potential to change the world. I accept my crucial role as teacher with humility and huge dreams for the future. Perhaps someday my naiveté and joy in the classroom will fade, but for now I am content to work towards the goal of positively influencing as many students as I can, one lesson at a time. Though my master’s degree is complete, I am nowhere near done learning. I eagerly anticipate the best that is yet to come.