Kristie Howart's
Professional Portfolio
Lifelong Learners and Educators: One and the Same
Kristie Howart's Future as a Learner Essay
Learning in general has always been a huge interest of mine, not only helping children learn, but increasing my own academic knowledge and personal awareness of the world around me! Learning and educating truly go hand-in-hand. In order to be an effective educator, a person needs to be a lifelong learner at heart. I am proud to consider myself an eager lifelong learner. With that being said, my journey as a learner is not finished because I reached the end of my time as a graduate student at Michigan State University. In fact, I truly believe my journey is just beginning!
By taking several technology related courses at MSU, I made a couple of significant realizations. First, I realized that today’s technology provides countless possibilities in regards to helping students experience success. When I think about how many resources, programs, and devices haven’t even been invented yet, it seems like the possibilities go from countless to endless! Second, I
realized that there is so much more that I need to learn about using technology in the classroom to help me increase my own confidence in this area! While I feel comfortable with technology on some levels, there are still areas that I tend to shy away from due to my lack of experience. For example, I want to research and learn more about how to incorporate gaming and Content Management Systems (CMSs) into my regular instruction and assessment.
My school district is in the process of getting personal learning devices for each of our kindergarten through twelfth grade students. My building is set to start rolling out devices in the 2015-2016 school year. In order to determine how
to begin using these successfully and continue to use them with a clear purpose as technology continues to expand in the future, I plan on participating in professional development opportunities, seminars, and additional classes centered on using technology in the classroom. It is my hope that this will help me increase my knowledge and skillset in this area, which will strengthen my confidence and encourage my continued exploration of technology. My building’s staff includes a fantastic technology leader and I plan on having her assist me in my endeavor, too.
I have always been interested in learning about classroom management, perhaps partly due to several experiences that I had tutoring middle school students while I was in high school and my curiosity about helping at-risk youth. I was lucky enough to fit a couple of classroom discipline and intervention related courses into my schedule as a graduate student. The class materials that these courses focused on generated many fruitful discussions that peaked my interest. A year after I was first exposed to Randy Sprick’s book CHAMPS: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom Management, my building started referring to his books and videos during professional development meetings. I find them fascinating and plan on continuing to explore them beyond what we do with them at my building. I would love to find more resources and
classes to attend that focus on the topic of classroom management. Learning additional classroom management strategies will continue to help me create a better learning environment for every learner, not just my students exhibiting poor behaviors. To aid in my search for more input on this topic, I plan on reaching out to my county’s local ISD.
Although I never see myself in a position that takes me fully out of the classroom, I would be interested in serving on a committee or board related to classroom management and/or discipline in the future. Perhaps initiating the idea of creating a position like a discipline or behavior coach in my building could be a starting point in this quest down the line. Due to the consistent urgency of finding effective classroom management techniques in every grade level and subject area, I don’t see the need for this position ever becoming completely obsolete. As I strive to continue to find quality resources and participate in programs related to
these topics, my understanding of effective strategies and how to approach establishing leadership in this kind of role would grow. It would be fulfilling to use my knowledge to help others in my field achieve success in this area. Serving in this type of position would also lead to a more in-depth understanding of the area thanks to the elements of collaboration and teamwork.
The future is bright and I see many different kinds of opportunities on the horizon. I am excited to continue to better myself as a person through my commitment to remaining a lifelong learner. It will not only benefit me, but the lives of my future students.
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