​

​

            I first started taking graduate courses towards my Master of Education (MAED) in the fall of 2011 while completing my teaching internship at King College Prep in Chicago, IL.   Within the first few weeks at King, I found myself eagerly volunteering to chaperone for my first field trip, a trip to local colleges.  There were 680 student participants, 24 college campuses, 20 buses, countless questions and one mission – college.   This trip was not only inspiring to students, but also motivated me to become more focused on my goal of preparing students for college. Over the next year, I spent countless hours learning and implementing ACT prep within the courses I taught, researching nearby colleges, and helping students with their college applications.

​

            Almost five years later, I am still very involved in helping students prepare for college.  However, my current goal is to provide my students with an education that not only focuses on students’ immediate future such college, but also their success 5, 10, or 25 years down the road.  An education that puts emphasis on developing students with strong skills desirable to future employers, that are intrinsically motivated to learn and that have the ability to thrive in changing and technologically driven world.    

​

            In order to grow motivated learners ready for the tomorrow’s world, it is key that students are provided with activities and lessons that spark student interest and promote student engagement.  Project-based learning gives students the opportunity to learn and apply significant content, build skills valuable in the workforce, engage in a rigorous in-depth inquiry in areas that excite them and give students the opportunity to make important decisions with regards to their education. My goal is to enact an innovative education program and implements project-based learning to increase student achievement and engagement while providing students with the opportunities to grow as a strong leader, problem-solver, effective communicator and reliable team member.

​

            In addition to implementing project-based learning, my goal is also to use new and exciting educational technology that help students interact with content through augmented reality apps, online interactive simulations, virtual reality devices and 3D printing.  These various technological tools can be used to differentiate or personalize learning for students, provide students with exciting inquiry-based learning and give students interactive visuals that can help them to better grasp and apply new information.  By implementing a more technology-based learning environment, students will not only get a better understanding and appreciation for the content covered in class, but will also learn to use 21st century technology.

​

            Over the past five years, my goals have remained focused preparing students for their future, however, my idea of the future has expanded to include the many years that follow after their college graduation.   I have began to realize that I am likely preparing my students for jobs that don’t yet exist, solving problems that have yet to emerge, using technology not yet been invented.  As an educator, I can’t possibly predict future changes or the possibilities they may hold for my students.  Instead, I must work to prepare my students for a changing, innovative and technology-driven world by promoting the development of skills valuable in the workplace.