My Answers…to reflect upon later…when I may be wondering…WHY?
April 2, 2008 — Ms. BeauchampQuestion #1
Why are you interested in the Education Specialist/Doctorate program? What can you contribute to the program and what do you expect to take with you?
Lifelong learning is deeply embedded in my overall philosophy of education. No, make that my overall philosophy of life! I am passionate about teaching and am excitedly looking forward to the role education will play in our future. The idea of working with a group of people to learn, discuss and problem solve issues in education is one that invigorates me. As a teacher we are socially isolated during the day. It always amazes me when a group of teachers assembles just how excited they are, how interested they are in learning from each other. I am an avid reader of current issues in education. I am a visionary and believe that my role in this program, my participation, will provide another viewpoint that can be melted into the discussions, conversations and overall personality of the group.
Question #2
What are your career goals and how do you expect this program to enhance these goals?
I do not remember a moment in my life when I didn’t want to be a teacher. I remember clearly my days spent as an undergraduate in Introduction to Education with Dr. Oates and the eager anticipation I felt. I remember starting my graduate work and taking Philosophy of Education with Dr. Covaleske. His excitement for learning and knowledge of pedagogy made me want to return to my classroom and be better every day. I can’t really explain in full detail what I expect to get from this program. I want to earn my doctorate degree for a variety of reasons. I want options as I work through my career. I don’t want to miss out on opportunities because I do not have the proper credentials. I want to keep learning and learning and learning and I want to discuss, argue, fight, advocate for what I believe is right for education in this country. I want to have an impact on future teachers. I want to inspire them to think and learn and use the skills they have to change the lives of the children they teach. Most of all—it just feels right. Like this is what I was meant to do, right now, at this moment in time.
Question #3
If you could improve the leadership of education locally, statewide and nationally what areas would you emphasize and what strategies would you initiate?
I would challenge every educator to remember that the goal of education is to create a love for learning. That if we believe that there is a set amount of things to learn in this world and that they fall into simple binders, documents, units or chapters then we are really missing out on a multitude of opportunities. I would challenge our leadership to look and think globally. Learn from other countries and take the best of the best and mold it into an education system that would shine above all others. Finland, Korea, Japan, Sweden, Canada, New Zealand. All of these countries have something to offer. I would challenge them to put fears aside as we ride this wave of change that is occurring. Information is all around us. We need to gather it all up—personal connections, professional communities, our own knowledge and assemble it into networks of learning so we can share with each other and grow as a community of educators. We need to use technology as a tool, a gateway for learning. We need to utilize it in a way that it becomes invisible to the learning process. Educators need to be committed to lifelong learning—for themselves as well as for their students. The days of waiting for professional development opportunities are over. Teachers need to reach out and get the information they need to learn in order to move forward into this new century of learning. If there is ever going to be any real change in education, it has to come from within. As a group of professionals we need to take it upon ourselves to make change happen. There needs to be a running dialogue for the continual evolution of education and learning. Just as we don’t teach each unit the same year after year, education can no longer be static. It is ever-changing, twisting, growing and blooming. Changing the way we think about teaching and learning is going to the greatest challenge of the next generation.
