In order to improve and become a better teacher, one needs to create a plan of direction, just as a teacher needs a lesson plan to prepare to teach.   This plan, as laid out below, is for me to expand my horizons and live the goal I give students: being a life-long learned.   This improvement and expansion falls into the two large fields of intellectual expansion and personal improvement.
        The first part of improving my intellectual abilities includes more schooling.  I hope to engage in graduate studies to both further my knowledge and ability in teaching, and to satisfy my personal curiosity.  Therefore, I'll be focusing on working towards my master's degree shortly after getting a regular classroom teaching position.  That master's degree will be focused on either educational research or educational psychology.  I also intend to get endorsements in reading and mathematics.  Along with these studies, I hope to take more courses in statistics.  I love the statistical work I've done in college and classrooms, and it will help me in the study of practically any other field I choose to explore.
        However, there are places for intellectual stimulation beyond the classroom.  I am a member of the NEA and read many education periodicals.   I also wish to join the American Mathematicians Association (their newsletter often has new approaches that are very useful to me as a teacher and as a "pleasure" mathematician).  Through contact with other professionals and enthusiasts, I hope to continue to expand my knowledge and interests from the exposure to new and interesting theories.
        With respect for Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory, I also hope to improve intellectually through the arts.  I plan to go to two plays a year, with one of those plays being Shakespearean (I especially want to see a stage version of The Taming of the Shrew), and the other being a more modern piece like Rent, Stomp, or Blue Man Group.  I visit one art institute or museum a year.  I try to visit at least one natural or science technology museum a year (I've only been to the Chicago Field Museum and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry before and want to see more).  Additionally, I hope to get great ideas from visiting Children's Museums, particularly the four story one in Indianapolis. 
        The line between personal expansion and intellectual improvement is very fuzzy at times, and no where is it fuzzier than in regard to my reading goals.  I steadily read journals relating to my interests.    However, my real passion is reading children's literature.  It is my goal to read every Newbery Medal book (and most of the honor books too), and thus far I'm over a third through them, though my reading isn't restricted to those books.  Many fine works of literature escape notice, such as Susan Cooper's King of Shadows.
        Another bit of personal expansion involves the cultivation of my own personal skills.  I know that my least developed intelligence is my musical intelligence.   I seek to learn how to use it better in the classroom and give myself some ability to work with.  I want to learn to play a musical instrument such as acoustic guitar or piano.  I continue to expand my skill with calligraphy, as it is something I've practiced for many years without any formal training.  Also, my diverse skills has me making board and card games, possible to be sold to game companies/
        Finally, I want to increase my volunteer activities.  My current volunteer activities include helping in a Head Start classroom and teaching Sunday school.   While I am also currently a Boy Scout Merit badge councilor, I hope to also find a local troop to help support as an assistant scoutmaster.   Also, soon I will be a foster parent, as my wife and I have completed the classes and home study and are awaiting the license.  Being involved in the community is the duty of all citizens and goes well beyond the world of "work".
        In all these way, I hope to improve myself as a person.  I feel that I can not, in good conscience, ask students to continue to improve and learn unless I do the same.  Life-long learning is more than just a catch phrase.  Everything we learn lets us be more involved in the world around us and more able to help others when the situation comes up.   We all have our gifts to share.  I only want to make mine stronger as time passes.

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