Shannon Forsberg
Bumper Sticker Wisdom
By Shannon Forsberg
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I also have set the goal for my future self, to continue to learn how technology can better help my students learn. While I understand my formal schooling in this is coming to end, I want to continue to educate myself about new and better ways to reach my students. I plan to attend conferences and workshops on educational technology. I want to utilize the resources and connections I have made throughout my masters program to stay informed and connected with educators around the world. I know that the shape of education is changing, and will continue to change. I want to make sure that I continue to grow and change along with it. I never want to be a teacher that thinks I know it all, and do not need to change. I refuse to be bitter about new initiatives, or changes in the way things are done. I want to continue to educate myself throughout my entire teaching career on what is best for students.
Finally as I look into the future, I have set the goal for myself to continue for to create my classroom online. I want to implement an online component of each of my classes, so that my students will have access to resources outside my classroom walls. I would like to continue to add my class documents, lectures and notes to an online space for my students to access on their own time. I want to give my students the opportunity to review material covered in class online. I want to give my students access to any class papers or visual aids presented in class online as well. I have set a goal for myself to continue to learn how to integrate an online component into my classroom.
I think that today many would agree that education is changing. Information is available to everyone by the touch of a button. With this ever changing environment, I know that as an educator I must be flexible and open to change. The only way I know that this will be possible, is if I keep an open mind, and continue to learn from any and all resources available. While I soon will be awarded another degree, and again graduating, this time my thinking is different. This time I just think of that bumper sticker: “The Truly Educated Never Graduate”, so graduating I am not.
I always knew I was going to be a teacher, so when I began my college career at Western Michigan University, the decision to major in history, for secondary education was an easy one. Upon graduation in 2007, I came to the realization that the transition into my dream career of teaching high school social studies would not be as smooth as I thought. During my undergrad, state laws changed, and I was pulled out of my social studies minor, and forced to choose a specialized subject instead. However, upon graduation, I quickly found out that that law no longer applied, and I needed a social studies certification if I ever wanted to find a job. Thus, after many heated discussions with my college advisor, I was told I would have to take five more courses in order to obtain the certification I originally planned on getting.
While initially I was furious with what I now had to face, more schooling, I came to the realization that maybe there would be some good that would come out of it. Three years later, and years of long term substitute teaching positions, I finally was hired as a full time, contracted teacher at Brighton High School in Brighton Michigan. I was thrilled. A huge relief came over me, and I thought to myself “Finally, I can be done with school!”
A few weeks into my first real teaching job, I was in my mentor teacher’s classroom going over lesson plans. I noticed a collection of bumper stickers on her filing cabinet, and wandered over to check them out. One of the stickers stood out, and made such an impact on me, I still think of that bumper sticker today. “The Truly Educated Never Graduate”, it read. Wow, what a profound statement found in such an unlikely spot.
I now again am reminded of this quote as I near the completion of my master’s degree in Educational Technology at Michigan State University. While I understand I soon will be graduating again, I cannot help but think of all the things I still want to learn and achieve in my life.
One such goal I have set for myself is to always be open and willing to discuss and collaborate with my fellow educators. I have realized how much I can learn from my colleagues and other educational professionals about all aspects of teaching. I have found that by sharing ideas and strategies, good or bad, my peers have helped me become a better teacher. I have realized that as a teacher, I will never be absolutely perfect. There is not one specific path I can take in order to be the “best teacher ever”, but that is the beauty of education. While every student I have is unique, so is every teacher. I want to be sure that as long as I am an educator, I will listen and learn and collaborate with other educators, so that I may use their expertise, and knowledge to help me be a better teacher.
