The past four years that led to obtaining my Master of Arts in Education (MAED) degree with a concentration in Literacy Education have been laden with various life-altering events: getting my job at South Lyon High School (SLHS), getting married, having a baby, etc..  Not only have these various experiences taught me lessons that I continue to incorporate into my classroom each day, but they also have allowed me to establish goals for the future, even after obtaining my MAED.  These goals include working to create a Film as Literature course at my high school, incorporating new and innovative technology into my classroom, and having a better work-life balance.  Because of my roles as a student, educator, wife, and mother, I find each one of these aspirations to be equally important; they each represent three literacies necessary to be a successful teacher: visual, technological, and life.

​

Because of my background in film from the University of Michigan, I am vested in the idea that visual literacies are equally as important as traditional literacies in an English classroom.  One resource that I included discusses the importance of such visual literacies, arguing that a course such as the one I am interested in implementing should be mandatory for graduation.  While I frequently use film in order to enhance the material that we cover in each of my English classes, I think that SLHS would strongly benefit from a Film as Literature course.  Not only are students not offered as many electives as other, more successful schools in the district, but this would also give the students the tools necessary to make sense of the various forms of images that they are plagued with each day.  The other article that I included provides tips on how to effectively teach film in a high school setting, which would be useful if I get the opportunity to write the curriculum for the course.

​

Aside from visual literacies, I believe that technological literacies are important as well, not just for students, but for educators.  Because technology is such a large part of our daily lives, staying up-to-date with the newest technological resources is crucial in education.  Therefore, I plan to attend professional development seminars to obtain more tactics to teach material in an effective, modern manner.  For example, I plan on attending teaching with technology workshops next year.  Furthermore, another resource that I have and will continue to refer to provides a list of fifty different types of technology that you can use for various purposes in an educational setting. This goal will probably be one that I never completely accomplish, as technology is always evolving.

​

Lastly, and most importantly, comes my final goal: work-life balance, or life literacies.  While this does not seem related to my identity as an educator, I actually believe that this last goal is the most crucial.  Having a baby last summer and returning back to work was one of the hardest yet most rewarding things I have ever undergone.  It was difficult for me to find enough time to spend with my son, yet still devote as much time as I once did to my career.  After this year, I have found that the answer to this dilemma is that you can’t do it all; there has to be a balance.  I believe the article that I included in this section is helpful, as it provides tips on how to make this balance possible, accompanied by real-life examples.  While I do not plan to master this goal any time soon, as my husband and I plan on extending our family at some point, I do believe it is an important one; it will not only help me to be a better teacher and mother, but a happier person as well. 

​

One of the things that I love the most about my job is that it is always changing; you will never have two years as a teacher that are exactly the same.  However, your personal life is always changing as well.  Successfully adapting to all of these changes both at work and at home is the underlying theme to each of these goals.  I have no idea what the future has in store for me, but I am sure that whatever it is, as long as I continue to change with the people and situations that surround me, I will be both happy and successful.  

​

​