As I come closer to ending my online masters program I have to admit I feel relived. Like most students, school is a stepping stone to bigger and better things. I have been a “student” since I was four years old. I attended college after I graduated high school and continued with my masters program immediately after that. I would be lying if I were to say that I was not thrilled to be done with long papers and endless readings. I am finally ready to forget about deadlines and word counts and focus on what lies ahead in the future. What I am starting to realize though, is that because I am an educator, I will never really be done being a student either.
I began this program pretty hesitant because of its format. I knew that completing a program online would be a lot different than having a scheduled time and physical place to attend. I wasn’t sure if it would be more difficult and part of me feared I wasn’t going to get that much out of it. I quickly realized I was wrong. Not only do I feel as though I was fully enriched with curriculum, I learned more than I would have otherwise. Having to make time, and prioritize this into my life was a challenge and a success. I was able to find alone time and really get into my readings. In addition, I felt as though I became closer to my colleagues. We were sharing ideas and responding to one another in ways I
was not used to during my campus days.
Another valuable tool that the online masters program taught me was the exposure to new technologies and ways of learning. I know that I will be the first teacher in my building who has gotten their masters degree online. What I look forward to doing is sharing some of what I have leaned with them. Although there may be skepticism, in my district, online learning is somewhat of a weakness. However, I am fortunate that my building is primarily outgoing teachers who are open to new things. We have Professional Learning Community meetings on Monday mornings for forty minutes. What I hope to do is introduce to them some of the great things I have been exposed to through this program. For example, web page making, Skype chats, blogs, Prezi’s, and other ways that have linked me to a “virtual” student would make staff communication more effective and easier. More importantly, I hope to show them that technology is here to stay. Opening their eyes to new things will only allow them different means to educate.
Is this is for me? No. There is no possible way it could be. What I find most frustrating about my profession are the people in it who give others a bad reputation. We work with them every day and may even remember one of them being our own teacher. They hate change. They have been in the same grade year after year and refuse to think that nothing else works except for what they know. They are mostly negative about what is “new” and tend to be insecure about learning something they do not know. What I have learned though, in the two short years I have been teaching, is that they only way to change that is to show them what they are missing out on. I know that I cannot control a lot of what takes place in my building and at the homes of some of my students. What I do know is that I have control over what I learn and how I am teaching my students. There will always be someone who thinks that they know it all. But, with all of the things I have learned through this master’s course, knowing that I will never know it all has been the most rewarding. With that idea, I will be able to have an understanding that each year I need to learn something new, take an extra course, and participate in professional development. It is refreshing to know that with each group of students, I have an opportunity to try something new and learn with them. I know that it is my responsibility to provide each child with the best learning environment and methods I know how to and the only way to improve on that is to keep growing with them.
- Natalie DePonio
I began this program pretty hesitant because of its format. I knew that completing a program online would be a lot different than having a scheduled time and physical place to attend. I wasn’t sure if it would be more difficult and part of me feared I wasn’t going to get that much out of it. I quickly realized I was wrong. Not only do I feel as though I was fully enriched with curriculum, I learned more than I would have otherwise. Having to make time, and prioritize this into my life was a challenge and a success. I was able to find alone time and really get into my readings. In addition, I felt as though I became closer to my colleagues. We were sharing ideas and responding to one another in ways I
was not used to during my campus days.
Another valuable tool that the online masters program taught me was the exposure to new technologies and ways of learning. I know that I will be the first teacher in my building who has gotten their masters degree online. What I look forward to doing is sharing some of what I have leaned with them. Although there may be skepticism, in my district, online learning is somewhat of a weakness. However, I am fortunate that my building is primarily outgoing teachers who are open to new things. We have Professional Learning Community meetings on Monday mornings for forty minutes. What I hope to do is introduce to them some of the great things I have been exposed to through this program. For example, web page making, Skype chats, blogs, Prezi’s, and other ways that have linked me to a “virtual” student would make staff communication more effective and easier. More importantly, I hope to show them that technology is here to stay. Opening their eyes to new things will only allow them different means to educate.
Is this is for me? No. There is no possible way it could be. What I find most frustrating about my profession are the people in it who give others a bad reputation. We work with them every day and may even remember one of them being our own teacher. They hate change. They have been in the same grade year after year and refuse to think that nothing else works except for what they know. They are mostly negative about what is “new” and tend to be insecure about learning something they do not know. What I have learned though, in the two short years I have been teaching, is that they only way to change that is to show them what they are missing out on. I know that I cannot control a lot of what takes place in my building and at the homes of some of my students. What I do know is that I have control over what I learn and how I am teaching my students. There will always be someone who thinks that they know it all. But, with all of the things I have learned through this master’s course, knowing that I will never know it all has been the most rewarding. With that idea, I will be able to have an understanding that each year I need to learn something new, take an extra course, and participate in professional development. It is refreshing to know that with each group of students, I have an opportunity to try something new and learn with them. I know that it is my responsibility to provide each child with the best learning environment and methods I know how to and the only way to improve on that is to keep growing with them.
- Natalie DePonio