In completing my M.A. in Literacy Education, I learned so many things. What is the most important thing I learned? That there is so much more that I can learn! Although technology comes easy to me for the most part, I still want to learn how to integrate it into my educational program. I also plan to go to other colleagues, as I can learn from both new and old teachers. This masters program is a starting point for me, as I know that I have so much more to learn! I plan on continuing my education in the future, both informally, and formally. I will achieve this by: continuing to be a member of list-servs to learn from other teachers, continue my professional reading to stay updated on "best practices," and to earn my early childhood endorsement (ZA) so that I am more knowledgeable about educating young children.

Coming into the M.A. program, I already had several websites that I had created and maintained so that aspect was not new to me. However, I did learn how to do things to improve the design and function of my websites, making them easier for my website visitors. I feel that although I prefer managing my websites with the use of �HTML,� it would be a goal of mine to have my students develop their own websites or electronic portfolios (in one form or another) to display their work in the future. Not only would it be a place for them to show off their hard work, they would also be learning an important skill to add to their resume in the future.

Although I have been a member of several list-servs/mailgroups since college and have obtained some great ideas from them, I feel that I really need to work with teachers within my school as well. This is crucial as they know of things that are specific to my district. I plan on learning from their knowledge and experience while I share mine with them.

I also plan on to continue reading professionally to enhance my teaching skills. I feel that that is beneficial to both my students and myself. This will allow me to stay current regarding what is �best practice� throughout the years. Unfortunately, I was not nearly aware enough during my undergraduate years regarding the wealth available in the Michigan State library�s education section. I also plan on reading articles from professional journals that MSU subscribes to online. It is amazing how a few years of time, and technology can make professional development for teachers much easier and more accessible! I plan on using the MSU library as a resource for as long as they will let me use it.

As I took the �Teach with Your Strengths� test to see what my teaching strengths are, I was not at all surprised to see that the results of the test showed that I am a �learner.� I absolutely love to learn about my favorite topics (education, American and British history and culture, and travel)! In the future, I plan on earning my certification at least if not an additional M.A. degree in early childhood development. I feel that this will aid me as a teacher because I will become better at understanding the special needs as well as development of my young students. I do not see myself teaching anything above 2nd grade, so I want to become as much of an expert at possible in early childhood education so that I am able to provide the highest quality of education for my students. I feel that I will continue to love to teach, and loving learning for many years to come. I aim to be similar to a small child in that I always want to learn more, as I know that love for learning will inspire my students to do the same.