The "Go Getter" . . .
Personal Goal Statement
Originally Written Fall 2009
In effort to continue and further my education as an educator, I plan on achieving a Masters Degree in Educational Technology. This degree will enhance my teaching by incorporating innovating technological lessons in the middle school language arts classroom. In turn, motivation for acquiring knowledge will take place with students and myself.
My college career began at the University of Michigan-Flint. Along the path to obtaining my undergraduate degree, I saw myself mature and change in my academic perspective. I did not start strong as a freshman, and found myself struggling with the means to study and put forth full effort in my courses. Luckily, it only took one poor grade to give me the push to extend myself. Overall, I finished my years at the university strong. I found with each year, a growing drive to perform better and better. I wanted to change my previous immature habits and see just how well I could do. By my senior year, I was a straight A student; not only were my parents proud of me, but I was tremendously proud of myself! This desire to achieve continues today in my own classroom as a teacher and as a student. I look to be the best teacher I can be for my students. In my classroom, I don’t settle for half effort, and it becomes a priority for me to find ways to support and help my students make the most during their educational careers. As a student, I have the same goals and aspirations I did as an undergraduate.
When I was younger, I recall having fond memories of becoming a teacher in my future life! I admired the influential teachers I had in elementary school all the way through college. These were the teachers that were passionate about what they taught, and who greatly cared about us students; seeing this encouraged me to be the same. In order to be the best teacher I can possibly be, I know that I need to continue my education. A teacher must also be a student and never stop learning. I am not the type of person that will settle with the minimum; I want to make the most out of my life and career. By obtaining a higher-level degree, I feel that I will be able to progress to the next step in my career. When I decided I wanted to pursue a higher degree, I took some time to examine what type of degree would best suit me. I didn’t want to choose an area of study, graduate, and then not use what I learned. I wanted to select a degree that was of interest, would be used, and would be beneficial for my students and me. Therefore, I looked at those three areas closely and found the answer right away.
Personally and professionally I love using and experimenting with different types of technology. If I have it available to me, I find ways to incorporate it. It excites me to see what I can create and how I can use it in my classroom. Without a doubt, I know that it adds greatly to my lessons. While taking the courses in the Educational Technology Certificate program, I used what I learned directly in my classroom. My students became more interested in the subject matter, because they were able to learn it differently and with something they all loved, technology. By obtaining a degree in Educational Technology, I will be able to take this interest and passion even further into and out of my classroom. This is evident with what I have already acquired from the certificate program and how it worked in my classroom. I was amazed at the useful skills I learned in only three courses, and I’m anxious to see what else is available. This program is right for me. It meets the three areas I was looking for in a graduate degree; it’s an area of high interest, I have found it useful already in my classroom, and my students and myself have been more motivated to learn. In addition, I will also be successful in this degree because I have taken the work habit skills I learned as an undergraduate; I do not settle for mediocrity. I want to be the best and this attitude is what I have had with the certificate program by maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Most importantly though, this program will enable me to become a better teacher, exactly what I want in my career.
Through the years I have made it a special goal to get the most out life, personally and professionally. If I want to stick to this goal, I have learned that I most push myself to learn, achieve, and fully use what I desire. At this time in my life, I want to become a better teacher, and a graduate degree in Educational Technology at Michigan State University is my ticket to becoming that teacher.
~ Kimberly Diller-Holaday
My college career began at the University of Michigan-Flint. Along the path to obtaining my undergraduate degree, I saw myself mature and change in my academic perspective. I did not start strong as a freshman, and found myself struggling with the means to study and put forth full effort in my courses. Luckily, it only took one poor grade to give me the push to extend myself. Overall, I finished my years at the university strong. I found with each year, a growing drive to perform better and better. I wanted to change my previous immature habits and see just how well I could do. By my senior year, I was a straight A student; not only were my parents proud of me, but I was tremendously proud of myself! This desire to achieve continues today in my own classroom as a teacher and as a student. I look to be the best teacher I can be for my students. In my classroom, I don’t settle for half effort, and it becomes a priority for me to find ways to support and help my students make the most during their educational careers. As a student, I have the same goals and aspirations I did as an undergraduate.
When I was younger, I recall having fond memories of becoming a teacher in my future life! I admired the influential teachers I had in elementary school all the way through college. These were the teachers that were passionate about what they taught, and who greatly cared about us students; seeing this encouraged me to be the same. In order to be the best teacher I can possibly be, I know that I need to continue my education. A teacher must also be a student and never stop learning. I am not the type of person that will settle with the minimum; I want to make the most out of my life and career. By obtaining a higher-level degree, I feel that I will be able to progress to the next step in my career. When I decided I wanted to pursue a higher degree, I took some time to examine what type of degree would best suit me. I didn’t want to choose an area of study, graduate, and then not use what I learned. I wanted to select a degree that was of interest, would be used, and would be beneficial for my students and me. Therefore, I looked at those three areas closely and found the answer right away.
Personally and professionally I love using and experimenting with different types of technology. If I have it available to me, I find ways to incorporate it. It excites me to see what I can create and how I can use it in my classroom. Without a doubt, I know that it adds greatly to my lessons. While taking the courses in the Educational Technology Certificate program, I used what I learned directly in my classroom. My students became more interested in the subject matter, because they were able to learn it differently and with something they all loved, technology. By obtaining a degree in Educational Technology, I will be able to take this interest and passion even further into and out of my classroom. This is evident with what I have already acquired from the certificate program and how it worked in my classroom. I was amazed at the useful skills I learned in only three courses, and I’m anxious to see what else is available. This program is right for me. It meets the three areas I was looking for in a graduate degree; it’s an area of high interest, I have found it useful already in my classroom, and my students and myself have been more motivated to learn. In addition, I will also be successful in this degree because I have taken the work habit skills I learned as an undergraduate; I do not settle for mediocrity. I want to be the best and this attitude is what I have had with the certificate program by maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Most importantly though, this program will enable me to become a better teacher, exactly what I want in my career.
Through the years I have made it a special goal to get the most out life, personally and professionally. If I want to stick to this goal, I have learned that I most push myself to learn, achieve, and fully use what I desire. At this time in my life, I want to become a better teacher, and a graduate degree in Educational Technology at Michigan State University is my ticket to becoming that teacher.
~ Kimberly Diller-Holaday