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            To be honest, I applied to this Masters program on a whim. It was my third year teaching and I knew I was ready to be challenged and do more professionally. So, I joined a year-long professional cohort conducted through my district that focused on technology integration. One particular afternoon, I felt envious as I watched the Technology Specialists lead the program because I wanted to be in their shoes. I remember thinking to myself, “I can do that! I should be doing that job!” That very evening, without skipping a beat, I went home and applied to Michigan State University for the Technology Integration Masters Program.

 

          Therefore, as I began my program, my goal was to move from teaching in the classroom to becoming a Technology Specialist, who would work with educators in my district. I kept that envious feeling with me as I moved throughout the first year of the program. I put all of the skills I learned in my courses to use in my fourth grade classroom so I could gain the experience for when I eventually left my classroom job. Over time, I could see the impact that using the technology on a more consistent basis had on my teaching abilities. My students were engaged and I felt more confident creating online content for them to learn from. I also observed how I began to naturally shift into a leadership role in my school as the unofficial “tech help” for teachers on my hallway. As the year progressed, I could also see that my reasoning for applying all of the learned applications and strategies moved from doing it for a future job to just wanting to become a more successful teacher who used the best methods to help her students learn.

 

             As I near the end of my program, I see that my goals and motivations have changed quite a bit. I still would like to leave the classroom to become a Technology Specialist eventually, but recognize how much I enjoy applying what I have learned in my own space. I have found a new excitement in being a teacher and leading my own classroom. Essentially, I have fallen back in love with teaching. I see that this is what I am meant to do and that I am good at what I do! I applied to this program wanting to do more than be a teacher and I got just that. What I didn’t realize then, that I do now is that the “more” I was seeking and craved was technology best practices that could help me take my teaching to the next level. New heights can be reached within your own practice, not only moving vertically within the system.