Annotated Transcript
Going back through my Master of Arts in Education coursework, I dug out my original program plan and compared it with the courses I actually ended up taking: excluding required courses, only half of my subsequent classes were on my original program planning form. It was a surprising finding, as I had not expected such a dramatic difference; it showed how my original vision had changed substantially in line with the evolution of my work and career opportunities.
Educational AdministrationThe core courses within my Major concentration, each of these courses looked to present a different angle to the issues of equity, equality, and unequal opportunities in American schools.
Fall 2014
EAD822 – Engaging Diverse Students and Families Dr. Christopher Dunbar Jr. Examining the challenges involved in educating children who come from ‘diverse’ backgrounds – that is, between White, Black, Hispanic, and Native American – this course complemented EAD830 in looking not only at the socioeconomic issues involved in achievement disparities, but also the cultural and structural obstacles that minorities face. Throughout the course, case studies examined policies and initiatives that had been successful in overcoming these obstacles, including school/family partnerships; programs for ELLs and LM students; and school administrative approaches. While heavily weighted toward antiracism and Critical Race Theory (CRT), it did introduce different perspectives (race versus class) that exist within the academic community. Winter 2016
EAD850 - Multicultural Education Dr. Riyad Shahjahan Examining the myriad issues involved in educating students from different cultures, races, gender, and sexual orientation, this course looked to raise my awareness of the challenges that marginalized groups faced in overcoming ingrained societal prejudices and structural barriers. Frequent group collaborations and regular peer-to-peer feedback allowed for significant exchange of ideas, leading me to new understandings and perspectives on these issues (coming from a 'non-marginal' group.) A major project involving media stereotypes allowed me to examine the persistent Asian 'model minority' myth that pervades media, education, and was even found in this course. Winter 2017
EAD830 – Racial Achievement Gaps Dr. Rebecca Jacobsen Examining the many facets of the US educational achievement gap, this course sough to explore the socioeconomic, policy, health, racial and family issues that go hand in hand with it. Using background readings that addressed the various aspects mentioned above that surround the achievement gap discussion, there was significant exploration of the different sides to the achievement gap issue. Frequent class-wide online discussion groups facilitated idea exchange and deeper understanding of the issues, with assignments allowing me to to explore the various perspectives on this issue, leading to some revealing findings that turned my prior understanding and interpretation on its head. |
Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education/Teacher Education/EducationWith two required courses and two electives that looked 'interesting', these classes provided a strong underpinning in educational theory together with practical classroom application of teaching and learning skills.
Fall 2014
CEP818 – Creativity in Teaching and Learning Dr. Punya Mishra A course unlike any other in this program, Creativity in Teaching and Learning lived up its name in asking students to explore their own creative instincts through a variety of conceptual topics, all centered on a overriding learning theme - which I chose as Leadership and Decision making. As importantly, as one of the 1st courses taken in my MAED studies, its ‘thematic’ requirement encouraged me to develop direction for my future teaching practice and ideas for classroom explorations, directions that I could take within a normal curriculum yet help students explore their own creative sides. Winter 2016
ED800 – Concepts of Educational Inquiry Dr. Steven Weiland Examining the theoretical bases of education, the different perspectives from this course contributed substantially to my further study throughout the MAED curriculum. Ideas such as Dewey and Paley’s ‘reflective process’; Noddings’ ‘caring relationship’; Bateson’s importance of ritual and connections to the past; Cusick’s ‘pillars’ and the importance of reading; and Gardner’s ‘Truth, Beauty and Goodness’ and its connection to inquiry. By design, the course was individual and self-paced, with little external interaction or opportunity to discuss topics further, and its stringent requirements on ‘word count’ and reference documentation proved daunting at times, but the discipline imposed were valuable in working through the rest of the MAED course curriculum. Summer 2016
TE845 – Language Diversity and Literacy Instruction and Assessment Dr. Patricia Edwards Taken as a summer course (half-term), this course dealt extensively with the ‘learning tools’ that students need to adopt in ‘learning how to learn’ and provided extensive reference readings for teachers to understand how difficult yet important it is. Students do not just come to classrooms knowing how to write or analyze readings; these things must be taught. These learning lessons could quite accurately be applied in other classroom environments, not just teaching English language learners. A fun and revealing aspect of this course was its 'Language Heritage' project, examining family backgrounds, where I uncovered some interesting family history/myths. Summer 2017
ED870 Capstone Portfolio Course Dr. Matthew Koehler While this chapter is still being written, the Capstone course is an opportunity to review and reflect upon my MAED studies, the twists and turns of the program, and my growth and discoveries through the process. Reflection has been a major theme in this program, an essential aspect of both coaching and teaching practice. By reviewing and organizing all my MAED work, I have been able to gain the perspective on what I have done, what it means for me now, and how I can look to build upon it for the future. |
KinesiologyMy secondary concentration, these courses provided a strong complementary foundation in athletic psychology and youth development through sports, ideas that I found could be applied both inside and outside the classroom.
Fall 2016
KIN857 – Positive Youth Development through Sport Dr. Daniel Gould Led by one of the most respected and knowledgeable national figures on youth development and sports, this course enabled students to pursue both the practical and theoretical bases of how sport contributes to children’s overall development – physical, social, psychological, and emotional. While much was based in theory, the numerous case studies and a substantial final project gave me the opportunity to develop a real-life youth development program, providing an instructive and enlightening experience in the importance of sport and balance in every child’s development. Fall 2016
KIN855 – Psychosocial Bases of Coaching Dr. Andrew Driska Probably the most rigorous course in my studies, I explored motivation, communication, imagery, the coach’s reflective practice and coaching philosophy, and ethics within the context of sports and coaching. But far from only being focused on the sporting aspects of these topics, I was allowed to pursue these topics as they connected to real life experiences, giving ample proof to the expression that ‘sport is a metaphor for life.’ Spring 2017
KIN854 – Legal and Administrative Issues in Sports Dr. Rick Atkinson A strong and detailed overview of the myriad legal and administrative issues that any coach or sport administrator must face - risk, negligence and liability; safety; discrimination and harassment; and Title IX - this course was by nature limited in its ability to delve deeply into these legal areas. Instead, it looked to raise awareness and understanding of these issues. Numerous case studies required me to examine various aspects of these issues, where clear and definitive answers were by nature lacking, facts may have been in question, and where I would be required to make hard choices in the face of incomplete information. |