Meta Reflection

Chris Vergatos

While reflecting on the work Ive done over the past year and a half of my graduate

program, I came to the realization that my understanding of education and teaching has had a

very limited scope. Ive been given the opportunity to learn about different theories, concepts,

ideas, perspectives and general topics within the education and teaching sector. Being removed

from a traditional classroom solidified my understanding that the most impactful way to become

a better educator is through experience in the classroom. Every day in every class you teach

provides more experience and a tighter grasp on the skill of teaching. Though I havent had this

traditional exposure for the past two years, I have been able to gain invaluable experience within

a relevant but often removed part of the education process. My graduate assistantship within the

Admission Office at Bradley University has allowed me to meet with hundreds of high school

students and their families from around the United States. Through this assistantship I have been

to over 30 different high schools and spoken with students from over a hundred different high

schools across the country. Understanding how well these schools prepare their students for

higher education provides me insight on what makes these schools different and similar and how

these students are collectively preparing students for the next step in their lives. These

experiences coupled with the coursework germane to the Curriculum and Instruction program

have largely impacted my perspectives and understanding relative to education. After looking

back on my graduate work and assessing the work and the point of view that I held at the time, I

understand that my views on education will continue to shift as I progress through my career as
an educator. Advances in technology, shifts in societal norms and an overall increase in

accessibility to information and resources are inevitable, so it only makes sense that ones views

will concurrently change. Educators who maintain the same views on education will fail to adapt

to the changing school environment that produces different learners and thinkers than the

generations before them and the generations yet to come.

Being a life-long learner relies on my continual effort to be an observant and reactive

participant in life throughout my lifetime. I strive to continually challenge my own way of

thinking and remain open to new ways of looking at things. A different perspective is always one

that I encourage to discuss even if it directly conflicts with my own values, perceptions or

opinions. Listening to others and trying to understand their perspective is one of the cornerstones

of my teaching philosophy and this serves as the backbone for how I would like my educational

career to advance. Without constant collaboration, discussion of ideas and an effort to try to

understand others, learning fails to be rounded and inclusive. Someone who doesnt change to

their surroundings and adapt to new learning and teaching methods will only align themselves

with their own interests and will have a very skewed perception of education as a whole. Being

an advocate for learning means that no perspective, opinion or idea should be shut down, but

rather should be discussed openly amongst other students to show a fuller understanding of the

overall concept or topic. Students are all unique, meaning their learning styles, personal interests

and methodology for learning are all different. If a teacher only incorporates a select amount of

methods or learning activities in the classroom, the potential of students isnt being fully tapped.

As an advocate for collaborative learning, I think it needs to be emphasized amongst teachers,

rather than just for students in the classroom. Teachers that can collaborate well together can
have a lasting impact on the collective whole of the student body as well as the individual impact

on students within the school.

My educational experience has been a journey and when looking at how a journey and

ones educational endeavors are related, there are a lot of parallels. Both require a starting and

ending point, resources and tools and a sense of adventure and curiosity to be enjoyable.

Journeys are often long and strenuous, but depending on the tools, resources and access to

financial means, can impact how difficult the journey really is. The same can be said for

education. If you have more access to information, specific learning resources and technological

tools, the educational process is made easier than it would be for someone without them.

Journeys, like education, require a certain drive and determination to reach the destination. If you

arent determined to fulfill the educational journey which you embark on, then you can be left in

a situation where you feel lost or desperate because you couldnt reach the end. A journey can be

short or long, easy or difficult, new and exciting or boring and familiar. Education can fit into the

same constraints. One can choose to only graduate high school or strive for a doctorate degree,

one can choose to cheat through school or study hard and one can strive to learn new

information, ideas and concepts or simply learn the material that is presented to them. Education

doesnt have to just be in the school setting, just like a journey doesnt necessarily have to be just

through the woods or simply a long car-ride. A journey and an education are flexible to the will

power of the voyager who decides to take on the challenge. One can choose to continuously trek

and make a journey never ending, with occasional stops along the way. One can also choose to

continue their education throughout their life and be a life-long learner. But one thing that is for

certain is that education IS a journey and my journey is never-ending.