Appendix Section 6: Professional Goals & Disposition

Part 2: Final Reflection on Growth

When I began my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction program I was not entirely sure
what to expect. I was interested in furthering my understanding on the development of school
curriculum and how I could improve my teaching practices, and I feel that I succeeded in doing
so through this program. The addition of the ESL/ELL education specialization to my Masters
program provided me with the most growth as an educator. Before I started this program, I had
very little experience in adopting lesson plans and teaching practices to fit the language needs
of culturally and linguistically diverse students, and I also had little exposure to curriculum
philosophies.
To start, the core foundations of the Curriculum and Instruction coursework
Curriculum Development, Learning and Technology, Educational Research provided me with
the necessary base knowledge to delve deeper into those areas in my own practice. As
discussed in Section 2 of the Appendix, each of those core courses amplified my pedagogical
knowledge, and reinforced my previous skills and knowledge. With the knowledge gained from
those courses I feel more comfortable in creating standards-based lesson plans (using the
Backwards Design/Understanding by Design lesson plan template from Learning and
Technology), I have been a teacher-leader in designing curriculum and identifying curricular
needs based on the explicit, hidden, and null curriculums found in my school, and I have
become a greater consumer of educational research. These courses have also provided me with
more confidence in my abilities as a teacher, and have given me the opportunity to become a
teacher-leader in my school due to the knowledge and confidence gained.
Furthermore, the ESL/ELL coursework has changed how I interact with students and
create lesson plans for my students. Like I mentioned above, I had little experience with ESL/ELL
courses, so I did not know about the many techniques a teacher can use in the classroom to
assist CLD students with learning English. Even when working with non-CLD students, I have
found these lesson techniques (like Linking Language and DOTs Charts) useful when
introducing new topics/new pieces of content. I also now have an actual understanding on the
basics of linguistics and how different first languages effect ones ability to learn English as a
second language. Now, once I know what the first language or native language is for my CLD
students, I can better adapt lessons so that the student is learning English in a way that is
beneficial and meaningful. Finally, by completing this specialization, I have changed the
professional trajectory I am on because I now can move from just teaching my content area, to
teaching CLD students in a mixed-ability, one-on-one setting, and/or in an ESL/ELL specific
course.
In all, I feel that my time in this Masters program was well spent. I have gained a deeper
knowledge on curriculum development, educational research, and teaching tools. This program
has provided me with the opportunity to become a teacher leader within my school, and it has
provided me with the opportunity to teach other educators through education conferences. As
I complete this program, I am a more confident teacher, and it has inspired me to continue my
education further.