To What Extent Does My Heritage Predetermine My Future

To what extent does my heritage predetermine my future? What pre-existing factors have influenced and continue to influence my relationships, education, and career? Issues such as literacy, access, and a sense of equality have presented few barriers in my life, even if at times they may have seemed problematic. Through the process of earning my master’s in curriculum and instruction, I have explored current issues in education such as, theories, practices, technology, society and the hidden curriculum and more. I have been challenged through readings, peers, instructors and reflections, to examine my personal views regarding these topics. I can see that the current issues in education are far more extensive than I would have first imagined. …show more content…
Much of what I was reading and learning shocked me at first, such as learning about corporations that wanted to segregate education based upon economic status. After the initial shock, I wondered where I had been for the last decade? I was embarrassed and horrified at the prospect that I had not heard or learned about many of the issues I was reading about. Even now as I reflect over this program, I can’t say why I felt that way I did in the beginning, my only conclusion is that it was just fear it self that was holding me back. However, within the first year of the program, I felt an overwhelming attraction to social justice issues. These issues were in the forefront of my waking hours, leaving me with a strong sense of responsibility to support these issues and the people they affected. A feeling of disgust that one life could be valued over another felt like corruption. At the end of my first year, I had made a personal commitment to social justice issues and equality. I understood now that educational issues covered a multitude of other issues such as poverty, homelessness, inclusiveness, technology and education and even more. Furthermore, I believed that education was the solution to these problems that would eventually allow access to excellent education to be …show more content…
In striving to become a more effective teacher I am trying the many skills and strategies I have learned, and I am working on making these techniques my own. Trial and error is one of the best teachers. Learning what works for one student may not be as successful for another. Finding the balance between trying new strategies and completing the curriculum in chemistry proves to be one of the greatest challenges for me currently. I am beginning to wonder if being an effective teacher means recognizing “effective” is not just about applying what I have learned, but remembering I teach individuals, unique and