My Capstone

As surreal as it seems, I am 3 weeks away from completing my Master's program at Azusa Pacific University. My journey began in January 2013. I had just graduated from CSU San Marcos and had been accepted into APU to begin my credential journey. (Not to mention that I also got engaged on the same day I graduated from CSUSM!) I knew that I was in for a whirlwind of a journey. "One step at a time" quickly became my motto for the 2013 year. With that motto, I somehow ended up at the end of January 2014 as a credentialed teacher. It was a lot of work, late nights, early mornings, and seemingly endless TEPs and TPAs, but I did it! My newest journey was about to begin. I was going to be the first person in my family to pursue a Master's degree. With the given rise in technology in the classroom (and conveniently, everywhere else too!) I decided to get my Masters of Arts in Education: Digital Teaching and Learning. Five classes later, and I can easily say that this was an excellent decision.

Technology is constantly changing. Because of this, I greatly respect my professors who keep up with the changing technology as well as keep up their enthusiasm for this technology to share with us. I would say that the most important thing that I have learned in this technology program is: Do whatever is best for your students. My students are and will always be at the center of anything I do in the classroom. Sometimes, an amazing iPad app will be the best way to reach them and allow them to experience a new topic. Other times, a student might need a quiet moment with a pencil in hand to write down their thoughts on a new topic. Technology is a tool for teachers to use. It is not a robot taking over the classroom brainwashing students. It is an avenue that teachers can explore in order to lead their class to its fullest potential.

With this mindset, I can easily say that I have taken great strides in my professionalism as a result of this program. I have learned how to access and determine which resources are best for my students. I can implement videos, webquests, and social media into my classroom confidently. I can use resources such as google drive to collaborate with staff members and even parents. By pursuing this degree, I understand the value of technology as well as the role that it has in the classroom. It is necessary to have both in order to successfully implement pieces of technology into my classroom. Most importantly, I have learned that as long as technology is around, there will always be a need for lifelong learners. I committed myself as an educator to live out the life of a lifelong learner for myself and for my students. My hope is that my display of this mindset will allow my students to have the same passion for learning that I do.