I'm Halfway There...
A Goal Statement Reflection
By: Leslie Gerth
Photo courtesy of The Design Work
I was a "late bloomer" in terms of my teaching career. When I finally began my teaching journey, I had two teenagers of my own. I mention this because my first few years of teaching elementary school happened at the same time as my own two children were in middle school and high school. This gave me a unique perspective on technology in the classroom. I saw how it was being used in the upper grades and then made a goal to incorporate more of that into my own early elementary classroom and to become a resource person in my building to help others do the same. This was my primary motivation for beginning the Educational Technology certificate program at Michigan State University back in the spring of 2009. Then, when I decided to apply to the Master's program in 2011, my second goal was to make myself more marketable so that I could open up more options in the future for myself, perhaps in some arena other than a public school. I saw this as more of a long-term goal.
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I titled this essay "I'm Halfway There..." because, well, I feel like I am at the halfway point to achieving both of my goals. One of the two goals has been met at this point. I am incorporating technology into my daily lessons, to the extent that it is possible and appropriate with second graders. Also, more and more, colleagues in my building are asking for my help or suggestions on technology-related issues. I don't always have the answers, but I do have a fantastic network of very intelligent and resourceful people who I have come to be acquainted with through the MAET program and who have always been extremely willing to help and answer questions.
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One of my second graders having fun in the computer lab.
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The other goal of perhaps one day venturing away from public education and into the business world may happen or it may not, but what I have come to realize is that I have so many other options as well. The world of technology is really just beginning to open up and I am so excited to see what the future brings. Perhaps my title is not correct after all. What if I'm not even halfway there? Maybe this is just the beginning!
