Goal Reflection Essay
" The End of The Road: Looking Back"
by Mike Bucata
When I applied to the Master of Arts in Education online program at Michigan State University, my main goal was to become a more effective teacher and work towards becoming a better leader in the classroom, the school, and in life as well.
Thinking about this takes me back to why I decided to become a teacher in the first place. When I look back on my own school experience, I am overcome with both positive and negative experiences that have shaped who I have become today. If I could help everyone that I encounter whether that is students or fellow teachers and administrators with those experiences that I had to learn the hard way, and help them become better as people or learners or teachers, I would feel satisfied and fulfilled.
My graduate school personal statement answered the question “Why did you choose to become a teacher?”. Simply, I feel as if I was born to teach, mentor, and serve people. I truly feel so fortunate and empowered to have the opportunity to play a role in a students’ education for the ten months while they are in my classroom and later throughout their entire lifetime.”
These feelings remain, only they are stronger today than semesters ago. Now that I am preparing to graduate and exit the MAED program, I am walking away with knowledge, experiences, and confidence that will make me a more effective teacher and leader, and this makes me feel even more as if I was born to teach. The passion, interest, engagement, and amount of time and energy I was inspired to invest in my work as an MAED student proved to me that I chose the right program and career path.
As I am getting ready to graduate and receive my Master of Arts in Education, I realize this is not the end. As an educator, being a lifelong learner will always remain a goal of mine. My main goal of becoming the best teacher and mentor leader I can be is going to be a journey that I will continue on throughout my entire career life, but receiving my Master of Arts through the MAED program is certainly a step I have taken towards achieving this goal.
Thinking about this takes me back to why I decided to become a teacher in the first place. When I look back on my own school experience, I am overcome with both positive and negative experiences that have shaped who I have become today. If I could help everyone that I encounter whether that is students or fellow teachers and administrators with those experiences that I had to learn the hard way, and help them become better as people or learners or teachers, I would feel satisfied and fulfilled.
My graduate school personal statement answered the question “Why did you choose to become a teacher?”. Simply, I feel as if I was born to teach, mentor, and serve people. I truly feel so fortunate and empowered to have the opportunity to play a role in a students’ education for the ten months while they are in my classroom and later throughout their entire lifetime.”
These feelings remain, only they are stronger today than semesters ago. Now that I am preparing to graduate and exit the MAED program, I am walking away with knowledge, experiences, and confidence that will make me a more effective teacher and leader, and this makes me feel even more as if I was born to teach. The passion, interest, engagement, and amount of time and energy I was inspired to invest in my work as an MAED student proved to me that I chose the right program and career path.
As I am getting ready to graduate and receive my Master of Arts in Education, I realize this is not the end. As an educator, being a lifelong learner will always remain a goal of mine. My main goal of becoming the best teacher and mentor leader I can be is going to be a journey that I will continue on throughout my entire career life, but receiving my Master of Arts through the MAED program is certainly a step I have taken towards achieving this goal.