Relishing the Journey
By: Kevin Moore
Hours before I began to write about my experiences, I took my daughter to Growing Years Christian School…where I inadvertently locked my keys in my own car. While waiting for a towing service to come rescue me from my predicament, I spent time talking with one of the staff members. One of the topics we discussed was about education; she shared stories about her son and daughter.
Her son always knew what he wanted to be when he got older: a pilot. However, her daughter did not know what degree program she wanted to pursue until she was into her second year of college. The conversation made me reflect on my own voyage through Michigan State University’s College of Education; more importantly, I began to think about everything – both the good and the bad – that led me to this point in my life. As I prepare to receive my Masters of Arts in Education through the MAED program, I have come to the realization time and time again that Florence Welch’s quote rings true, “It is always darkest before the dawn.”
If you were to look at my transcripts, you would notice about a year-long gap during undergraduate years. I touched upon the reason behind that here; however, I did not give the complete picture of the journey I embarked on from there. When I took my self-imposed exile from the College of Education, I was significantly worn down. I had NEVER been unable to accomplish something academically that I truly wanted; the situation as a whole was a blow to my ego, pride, and self-efficacy. I felt like I let down myself and those around me. The same questions and fears began to creep into my head: Did I really want to be a teacher? Was I good enough to handle a class? What if I just wasted the past few years pursuing a profession that I did not inherently did not want to be a part of?
Her son always knew what he wanted to be when he got older: a pilot. However, her daughter did not know what degree program she wanted to pursue until she was into her second year of college. The conversation made me reflect on my own voyage through Michigan State University’s College of Education; more importantly, I began to think about everything – both the good and the bad – that led me to this point in my life. As I prepare to receive my Masters of Arts in Education through the MAED program, I have come to the realization time and time again that Florence Welch’s quote rings true, “It is always darkest before the dawn.”
If you were to look at my transcripts, you would notice about a year-long gap during undergraduate years. I touched upon the reason behind that here; however, I did not give the complete picture of the journey I embarked on from there. When I took my self-imposed exile from the College of Education, I was significantly worn down. I had NEVER been unable to accomplish something academically that I truly wanted; the situation as a whole was a blow to my ego, pride, and self-efficacy. I felt like I let down myself and those around me. The same questions and fears began to creep into my head: Did I really want to be a teacher? Was I good enough to handle a class? What if I just wasted the past few years pursuing a profession that I did not inherently did not want to be a part of?
I made a vow to myself during this strenuous time: I would find out, one way or another, if I truly had the desire, skill, and passion to be an educator. With this promise, I began to challenging task of substitute teaching. I worked in the pre-dominantly inner city schools of Flint, Michigan. I took assignments at all levels of education, from 1st grade all the way to 10th grade; as a result, I dealt with a wide-range of behavioral and disciplinary issues. When I encountered a truly frustrating day, I made myself take the next available assignment, in that classroom or another building entirely. I was determined to see if I could find the passion to not only make through each day, but enjoy the experience.
Much to my enjoyment, I discovered I really enjoyed working with students. Buildings began to notice my enthusiasm and actually requested me for assignments! My confidence grew each as every day I was thriving – and not simply surviving – as a teacher. I took all of this energy and confidence into my student teaching placement at Lewton Elementary in the spring of 2008, where I completed the requirements to earn my Bachelor’s Degree.
Fast forward 5 years: I am working as a 5th-6th grade teacher at North Saginaw Charter Academy. I have been teaching here for the past 5 years, but I am unsure if I want to be in the classroom forever. After being able to assist my school’s administration, I discover a passion to pursue my Masters with an emphasis on K-12 Administration. Realizing I have previous credits from my undergraduate work at MSU, I decide to use the MAED Online Program to earn a Master’s in Education. This way, I can upgrade my Provisional Certificate to a Professional Education Certificate, and enroll in classes that involve best practices in Reading (my initial passion) as well as Administration.
I was very blessed to have the opportunity to take two classes with a professor who has quite possibly become one of my favorite teachers ever: Professor Nancy Colflesh. In EAD 801: Leadership and Organizational Development, Professor Colflesh helped me to see that qualities that connected great leaders in a variety of professions. We read books like Kouzes and Posner’s The Truth About Leadership: The No-Fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know. This book gave me key insight into the ideals, beliefs, and convictions that would help separate me from a good leader to a person who individuals would truly follow. Through class discussions, Professor Colflesh demonstrated the importance of establishing group norms and expectations to ensure that EVERY member within a learning community feels appreciated and respected for their contributions.
Much to my enjoyment, I discovered I really enjoyed working with students. Buildings began to notice my enthusiasm and actually requested me for assignments! My confidence grew each as every day I was thriving – and not simply surviving – as a teacher. I took all of this energy and confidence into my student teaching placement at Lewton Elementary in the spring of 2008, where I completed the requirements to earn my Bachelor’s Degree.
Fast forward 5 years: I am working as a 5th-6th grade teacher at North Saginaw Charter Academy. I have been teaching here for the past 5 years, but I am unsure if I want to be in the classroom forever. After being able to assist my school’s administration, I discover a passion to pursue my Masters with an emphasis on K-12 Administration. Realizing I have previous credits from my undergraduate work at MSU, I decide to use the MAED Online Program to earn a Master’s in Education. This way, I can upgrade my Provisional Certificate to a Professional Education Certificate, and enroll in classes that involve best practices in Reading (my initial passion) as well as Administration.
I was very blessed to have the opportunity to take two classes with a professor who has quite possibly become one of my favorite teachers ever: Professor Nancy Colflesh. In EAD 801: Leadership and Organizational Development, Professor Colflesh helped me to see that qualities that connected great leaders in a variety of professions. We read books like Kouzes and Posner’s The Truth About Leadership: The No-Fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know. This book gave me key insight into the ideals, beliefs, and convictions that would help separate me from a good leader to a person who individuals would truly follow. Through class discussions, Professor Colflesh demonstrated the importance of establishing group norms and expectations to ensure that EVERY member within a learning community feels appreciated and respected for their contributions.
On top of learning a great deal about the skills and abilities I would need to sharpen and hone to become a strong leader as an administrator, I really enjoyed Professor Colflesh’s drive, energy, and passion for education. It was because of the wonderful experience in EAD 801 that made me want to sign up for EAD 824: Leading Teacher Learning. We read and discussed Collins and Hansen’s book Great By Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, And Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All. The book discusses “10Xers,” which is a term for individuals who were ten times more successful than their competitors in a particular field. From this book, I learned that 99.9% of 10Xers exhibited three key components of leadership: fanatic discipline, productive paranoia, and empirical creativity. In other words, they combined structure and data to a growth mindset to become efficient and strong leaders.
This class showed me that leadership and success have nothing to do with affluence or luck; rather it is the traits mentioned above that separate individuals. As Roald Amundsen – the first person to the South Pole – wrote, “Victory awaits him who has everything in order – luck people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.” The coursework in EAD 824, along with class chats with Professor Colflesh, assisted in changing my ideology on effective leadership. I no longer considered being in that position a matter of having a certain affluence or charisma; rather, it is about how you treat others, and plan for the future that places you in a position of excellence.
While EAD 801 and EAD 824 provided me a glimpse of what I could become if I stayed committed to continually growing and improving, I did not want to neglect learning more about how to effectively guide my methodology with regards to teaching reading. TE 838: Children’s Literature in Film was a truly an eye-opening experience for me. The class, taught by Laura Apol, was a challenging and rewarding adventure. We read children’s literature; watched their subsequent film or films; and discussed any possible merits or detriments when comparing the two forms. Initially, I took the class because it sounded easy. Read a book, then watch and discuss a movie? I envisioned breezing through the course.
This class showed me that leadership and success have nothing to do with affluence or luck; rather it is the traits mentioned above that separate individuals. As Roald Amundsen – the first person to the South Pole – wrote, “Victory awaits him who has everything in order – luck people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.” The coursework in EAD 824, along with class chats with Professor Colflesh, assisted in changing my ideology on effective leadership. I no longer considered being in that position a matter of having a certain affluence or charisma; rather, it is about how you treat others, and plan for the future that places you in a position of excellence.
While EAD 801 and EAD 824 provided me a glimpse of what I could become if I stayed committed to continually growing and improving, I did not want to neglect learning more about how to effectively guide my methodology with regards to teaching reading. TE 838: Children’s Literature in Film was a truly an eye-opening experience for me. The class, taught by Laura Apol, was a challenging and rewarding adventure. We read children’s literature; watched their subsequent film or films; and discussed any possible merits or detriments when comparing the two forms. Initially, I took the class because it sounded easy. Read a book, then watch and discuss a movie? I envisioned breezing through the course.
I came to appreciate the popular phrase “Never judge a book by the cover!” TE 838 stretched me in ways I thought unimaginable. It got me to consider the quality and variety of books I was presenting to my students. The course taught me how to truly engage in close reading of a novel or story to gauge the strength of writing and content. Each story or book we discussed – from Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone to The Little Mermaid – showed me the intricacies I would need to master if I wanted my students to reach a higher academic level in reading comprehension and understanding.
Along with TE 838, I also learned a great deal about working and relating to my students from CEP 883: Psychology of Classroom Discipline with My Lien. The course focused on using a pragmatic approach to dealing with classroom behavior and disciplinary issues. I learned a great deal about being proactive, preventative, and positive (what some may call the 3P approach). The course helped me make sense of why particular students were acting in a certain way; for example, a student who is irritably and angry during a mathematics lesson may in fact be using these behaviors to avoid the task. Looking at my reading workshop with a more critical lens, I have been able to adopt and use strategies to help foster a more positive and creative culture. In turn, this positive culture lends itself to higher –achieving students.
A particular assignment from CEP 883 really aided my ability to map and chart the direction I wanted my classroom to evolve into. One of our final assignments in the class was to write a reflection piece on all of the information we covered. This project – which can be seen here – definitely connected all of the big ideas outlined by Professor Lien.
I was able to gather a lot of resources that pertain to addressing the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of my students. Using the book CHAMPS: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom Management as a guide, I was able to see how my preparation and diligence – in regards to establishing rules and expectations – at the beginning of the year has a significant effect on the behavior issues of my students. In addition to concepts in the classroom, we discussed what effective collaboration between faculty, parents, and students can do for a school culture. For me, CEP 883 bridged the gap between my leadership and literacy courses.
When I think about my goal statements prior to the program, and where I want to be in the future, it gets me extremely excited to see how it all plays out. When I first left the program in 2007, I could not possibly fathom where I was going to be 7 years later. Luckily, I was blessed with a great support structure to help me get back on track emotionally. I also am proud to have taken part in one of the most challenging and rigorous education programs in the nation. The classes, teachers, and coursework at Michigan State University have prepared me to be on the forefront of innovation and classroom practice. 7 years ago, I felt like the program let me down. Now, I feel like the College of Education at MSU did EXACTLY what any strong program should do: help you become the best and brightest you can be.
As a whole, I could not have asked for a more challenging and rewarding experience. Every class I took has helped me to grow professionally. In fact, I would say that I found greater satisfaction from this program than my undergraduate work at MSU! Each course I took in the MAED program forced me to develop a growth mindset, and examine my teaching practices with a critical lens. Over the past 2 years, I have taken 24 credits; the heavy workload took a toil on me. However, there is nothing about the experiences that I would change.
To paraphrase the title character of the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, “After all of this, I’m still standing! I’m still strong!” I often think about that quote when I look back at all of the trial and tribulations I faced during my years at MSU. I think about the personal, financial, and professional situations that have occurred and how they have helped to point me towards the person I am now, and who I want to be in the future.
The moments that guided me to this moment in time, on the cusp of achieving more than I previously imagined…I would not trade them for the world. If there is one idea I can say with certainty, it is this: SOME OF THE BEST LESSONS COME FROM ANALYZING AND CONFRONTING YOUR FAILURES. Without all the adversity and hardships endured, I would not be the same educator, person, and father I am today. That is why I will forever be thankful that I found my opportunity in the year between programs to truly discover what Kevin Nathan Moore was made out of.
Along with TE 838, I also learned a great deal about working and relating to my students from CEP 883: Psychology of Classroom Discipline with My Lien. The course focused on using a pragmatic approach to dealing with classroom behavior and disciplinary issues. I learned a great deal about being proactive, preventative, and positive (what some may call the 3P approach). The course helped me make sense of why particular students were acting in a certain way; for example, a student who is irritably and angry during a mathematics lesson may in fact be using these behaviors to avoid the task. Looking at my reading workshop with a more critical lens, I have been able to adopt and use strategies to help foster a more positive and creative culture. In turn, this positive culture lends itself to higher –achieving students.
A particular assignment from CEP 883 really aided my ability to map and chart the direction I wanted my classroom to evolve into. One of our final assignments in the class was to write a reflection piece on all of the information we covered. This project – which can be seen here – definitely connected all of the big ideas outlined by Professor Lien.
I was able to gather a lot of resources that pertain to addressing the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of my students. Using the book CHAMPS: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom Management as a guide, I was able to see how my preparation and diligence – in regards to establishing rules and expectations – at the beginning of the year has a significant effect on the behavior issues of my students. In addition to concepts in the classroom, we discussed what effective collaboration between faculty, parents, and students can do for a school culture. For me, CEP 883 bridged the gap between my leadership and literacy courses.
When I think about my goal statements prior to the program, and where I want to be in the future, it gets me extremely excited to see how it all plays out. When I first left the program in 2007, I could not possibly fathom where I was going to be 7 years later. Luckily, I was blessed with a great support structure to help me get back on track emotionally. I also am proud to have taken part in one of the most challenging and rigorous education programs in the nation. The classes, teachers, and coursework at Michigan State University have prepared me to be on the forefront of innovation and classroom practice. 7 years ago, I felt like the program let me down. Now, I feel like the College of Education at MSU did EXACTLY what any strong program should do: help you become the best and brightest you can be.
As a whole, I could not have asked for a more challenging and rewarding experience. Every class I took has helped me to grow professionally. In fact, I would say that I found greater satisfaction from this program than my undergraduate work at MSU! Each course I took in the MAED program forced me to develop a growth mindset, and examine my teaching practices with a critical lens. Over the past 2 years, I have taken 24 credits; the heavy workload took a toil on me. However, there is nothing about the experiences that I would change.
To paraphrase the title character of the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, “After all of this, I’m still standing! I’m still strong!” I often think about that quote when I look back at all of the trial and tribulations I faced during my years at MSU. I think about the personal, financial, and professional situations that have occurred and how they have helped to point me towards the person I am now, and who I want to be in the future.
The moments that guided me to this moment in time, on the cusp of achieving more than I previously imagined…I would not trade them for the world. If there is one idea I can say with certainty, it is this: SOME OF THE BEST LESSONS COME FROM ANALYZING AND CONFRONTING YOUR FAILURES. Without all the adversity and hardships endured, I would not be the same educator, person, and father I am today. That is why I will forever be thankful that I found my opportunity in the year between programs to truly discover what Kevin Nathan Moore was made out of.