Going Beyond Content, the Search for Understanding
By Helen Smith
“Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content.”
- Louis L’Amour
After two years of teaching internationally at an American school in Thailand, I found that I could no longer simply be content with the education I had received upon graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. Applying for the Michigan State University Masters of Arts program in April 2010 was my first step towards becoming a better teacher for my multicultural students. The challenges I daily faced in successfully teaching overseas, the difficulties in reaching past cultural differences, the competitive nature of international schools, as well as the push to incorporate new technology and teaching strategies all combined to motivate me to seek higher education.
Throughout this program, my courses of interest were in Mathematics, Science and incorporating Technology into the classroom. Besides having a real passion for science, I originally applied for these two areas as I was teaching 7th grade science at the time and these would be the most applicable for my classroom. However, the next year I moved to a 2nd grade classroom. As my goal was to teach for understanding, not just content and vocabulary, these courses helped me to find strategies I could apply to a younger group of students that would root out misconceptions held by students, as well as instill a curiosity and excitement for the subject. I was amazed to find so many powerful strategies that I had not been familiar with and how effectively they could be used within my classroom.
Incorporating technology into the classroom was also a major goal of mine. As technology is continually changing, I was interested in seeing what new technology I was unfamiliar with and how it could be incorporated into my classroom in order to promote deep understanding. I was delighted to find many invaluable resources that I have incorporated into my classroom, from glogs and photo stories to educational resources that I have created and shared with my coworkers.
In reflecting back over the courses I took and the changes they instilled within my classroom, I am surprised at the growth I can see in all areas of my teaching, not just Mathematics and Science. From my courses, I have installed a new reading program within my classroom, started regular investigations in science, and incorporated more technology, all in the pursuit to teach for understanding. Completing these courses has also excited me about the new technology being created every day and motivated me to try new programs as well as search out new technology on my own. Each course I took through MSU improved my skills as a life-long learner and has motivated me to advance my own skills in the future.