As the time comes to finish my Master of Arts in Education Degree (MAED), I feel that the course of my educational career is not coming to a close, but is only really beginning.  My time at Western Michigan University obtaining my Bachelors Degree was spent earning an education for my future, but I do not feel I ever really understood the importance of the process like I have for this degree.  Looking back on the past two years working towards my Masters Degree, I have developed skills and abilities to further my own career and job, but also I have further developed my own learning processes.  Looking back at the courses I have taken, I feel that I have developed the ability to continue my education on my own, regardless if I pursue any other degrees.
            I took on the MAED program to further my own education and to line myself up for future goals of my career.  Those goals are to eventually become an administrator, preferably an Athletic Director, and I feel that this program has done just what I expected.  The next step in reaching my goals is to continue to take courses towards achieving the administrator certification.  I have not looked into this closely yet, but I believe that with this degree, I have already started that process and will have more classes to take, most online, but some in the actual classroom.  The plan is to teach for a while longer and then get into administration down the road.  I realize now that the world is ever changing and with the role technology is now taking in the educational setting, it is vital to stay on top of the game.
            I am a physical education teacher and a great number of people do not realize the amount of teaching technique needed to teach in the gymnasium setting.  I have always been and advocate of the importance of physical education and now, I feel that I can be an even stronger force in the drive to educate our youth on the importance of their physical well being.  This masters program has allowed me to further my abilities of teaching physical education, but has also given me more confidence to incorporate new techniques, teaching styles, and technology into my classroom.  I will continue to use new, fun, exciting, and invigorating aspects of my education to become the best teacher and educator that I can be.
            I am one of the first people I know to have partaken in a masters degree program that was completely online and I have had many coworkers approach me about it.  I feel that the online program has opened my eyes to the possibilities of continuing education.  I have learned about how to develop websites better than I ever thought I would and feel very confident in doing so.  My goal is to become a leader amongst my staff by advocating and helping others learn about how technology is useful in the classroom and can be used to incorporate new ideas and teaching strategies for our children.
            I have my goals of furthering my own education in the formal classroom setting, whether it be the online classroom, or physical classroom but I also have goals of informal learning.  My school does a decent job of providing us with professional development and they have even purchased hundreds of iPad’s to be used with our students.  So, we have been trained with technology but many teachers need more training.  I feel that I have confidence to help my coworkers learn about new ways of teaching with these iPad’s.  I plan to seek out my own professional development opportunities for physical education, but also for the use of technology in the classroom.  I am a member of many teams and committees in my school and I plan to continue to work together with my coworkers and also to educate them on what I have learned from this program.  Doing all this will really enhance my own abilities and knowledge and allow me to become a true and complete educator.
            As I continue to embark on the journey of becoming the most complete educator that I can be, I will continue to reflect on these goals and myself.  I feel that with my experience in the classroom and in advancing my own education that I have become a solid educator, but with that knowledge I also realize that I have much to learn.  I will continue to push myself towards my goals and furthering my own knowledge base as I grow as an educator and individual in this ever-changing world and society of technology.