Madelyn Maxbauer's Online Portfolio

When I began my investigation into the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program, I was at the end of my first year of teaching and looking ahead to the possibilities of growing and developing as an educator. Much of the make-up of my initial goal statement, and the goals that I had for myself, and for my future in education, were centered on a desire to continue in my role as an English teacher and in my current teaching position. However, they were also beginning to develop into possibilities for engagement and involvement outside of traditional classroom teaching. 

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Initially, I was able to develop my goals through reflection of my teaching philosophy at the time, my experiences at Michigan State as an undergraduate and teaching intern, many conversations with friends and colleagues, and my experiences in my first year as a teacher. I hoped to become more of a leader in my school community and explore educational opportunities beyond my current teaching position.

In the last two years, I have had opportunities to realize aspects of these goals and make changes as I have learned more about my strengths and interests and the opportunities in education. I have been able to support my colleagues in integrating technology and in developing curricular materials, serve as a leader in extra-curricular activities, and I will also be taking on more of a formal position within my school as a part of a subject area committee for English.

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Another area that I focused on in my initial goals was the coursework that I anticipated taking and learning from and what I hoped to take away from the MAED program. I hoped and believed that I would gain a lot from the courses to apply directly in my current position. I was especially focused on exploring assessment, differentiation, and technology use in the classroom. My initial goal was to be able to apply what I was learning directly from these courses in the classroom and explore innovative and effective practices in the classroom.

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However, I was unexpectedly excited and thankful for what I was able to take and learn from courses in the Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education department. These courses solidified my interest in and dedication to digital learning. Through the introduction to new tools, electronic games, platforms for creating sites and content, and strategies for using these resources, I have been able to consider new uses for technology and new areas in education. Overall, these courses have not only allowed me to learn and improve in these areas but have also contributed to developing new goals for

my own future in education and helped me find avenues, focused on education technology, that I want to become more involved in.

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My current goals, of leadership and technology integration, have transitioned as I have gotten to know myself as an educator, and as a continuing learner. Through all of the shifts, one consistency that has become apparent through this reflection has been the importance of feedback, conversation, and advice shared among teachers and colleagues in education. The ability to provide this kind of feedback and support, in formal and informal ways, is an integral part of my goals for the future.