Professional Growth Plan

Posit, why did I want to become an educator? That question is at the core of my beliefs as an educator, a Servant Leader, and a person. Several attributes of Servant Leadership that were inculcated in me early in life resound with me to this day, such as everyone’s voice counts, be willing to assist and aid others in need, and be open to other viewpoints while constantly striving to put forth your personal best. Though these tasks might be difficult to manage, they are the essence of who I am. A perfect example of this was when I was younger; I struggled with math. My mother was a science teacher in the Jersey City Public Schools for 30 years, and her motto was that “Failure of any kind is not an option.” My mother then decided that I needed a tutor to help me become a better math student. I continued to struggle with math. Over time, I discovered and valued the various study skills I obtained through the process. These study skills, resources, and techniques provided me a source of confidence that allowed me to achieve excellence in both math and science for years to come. While attending McNair Academic High School, I develop a passion for studying Physics. I thought physics and math were the perfect matches. In time, due to my diligence, constant hard work, and the subsiding of my fear of math, I became a natural problem solver. I now hope to combine my passions for math, physics, and problem-solving with my commitment to be a servant leader in my community. The only possible solution is to become an educator who helps young people who fear math and science reduce or defeat that fear and achieve careers in science and math.

My vision is to continue seeking innovative strategies to teach math that resemble real-world applications and experiences to my middle school students. Technology is the bridge between innovation and real-world applications that will provide my students with math topics that are current and relevant. It can easily segue into developing a natural curiosity for problem-solving in science, technology, engineering, and math. Pursuing my doctoral degree equips me with the latitude to research, experiment, and design a class environment that explores the creation and implementation of these practical everyday applications. I hope to incorporate these technological advancements into my classroom and eventually institute a chain of STEM-based, literacy-rich programs.

My professional goals for the short-term as an educator:

Conduct workshops for parents that will keep them abreast of the technological tools and resources at their disposal and will aid them in supporting their middle school math students while at home.
Continue to present and conduct professional development workshops on infusing various technological applications, techniques, and strategies in a middle school math classroom.
Continue to research effective teaching strategies, approaches, and techniques that utilize the Adaptive Learning strategy as the primary focus.

My professional goals for the long-term as an educator:

To create a website to showcase various technological tools that parents can use to stay informed and support their child mathematically.
Convert my classroom into an effective Adaptive Learning Model for the middle school math classrooms for students in grades sixth through eighth.
Enroll in the New Jersey Expedited Certification of Educational Leadership (EXCEL) program to obtain my principal and supervisory certification.
Actively seek an Adjunct Professorship with a local university or community college.

Several journals such as Mathematical Thinking and Learning, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, and Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications are valuable resources for a math educator to keep abreast of research studies implemented in the mathematical field. In addition, these journals will provide me with additional insight into practical strategies and approaches used in middle school math classrooms. Finally, combining the purchasing of subscriptions to several research journals and being an active member in several social online communities, groups, and organizations will provide an overview of current, practical, and research-based pedagogy to will assist in provide my students a well-rounded mathematical education.

This doctoral program has also forced me to reevaluate my leadership styles and reconfigure my plans of action. Yes, I do value my traits as a Servant Leader, but I feel that the essence of my leadership style is blossoming towards becoming an Authentic Leader. Self-Awareness is the primary characteristic of Authentic Leadership. The skillset of an Authentic Leader requires the leader to have a reflective insight into their actions and decisions without biases. The main objective is to always lead with integrity and transparency and to fulfill goals. This newfound nuance has undoubtedly influenced my leadership style. Over the last few years, I have entered world politics within my local community. As a homeowner and a resident of my community, I could no longer patiently wait for the current community leaders and administrators to truly represent the needs of their constituents. The lack of communication between the local representatives and the residents enticed me to inquire, research, join a committee or two, and actively engage in community events. Participating on several committees and attending various community events has given me a voice, to voice my concerns publicly and the circumstances of others, find possible solutions and be formally introduced to several local state officials. These introductions have allowed me to possibly assist in changing the trajectory of quality of life for my community. This doctoral program has also enlightened and encouraged me to push beyond my boundaries, and to be an agent of change in my community, both professionally and personally.

One of my primary personal short and long-term goals is to be elected to the office of Councilperson-at-Large for my community. Once elected to office, I plan to work strategically to help change the quality of life that is beneficial to all the constituents in our township. It is vital to create a thriving community that is reflective of its residents. I would also commit to assisting my town with improving its technological infrastructure. Our town desperately needs to update our technical infrastructure, which would better serve the community and local businesses. Finally, as an elected official, I will also proactively take additional classes to understand further how to participate in local government and advocate for my community effectively.

After a year of teaching during a pandemic, I realize that mental health is just as important as taking care of oneself physically. During this process of writing my dissertation, I have to schedule short breaks or activities that I enjoy doing, such as gardening, spending time with my grandchildren, and serving my community.

In conclusion, my professional growth plan is always ever-evolving and open to new possibilities. This is a plan for my professional life and practice in my personal life as well. With that said, my mission will be to provide a critical educational and solid foundation for future generations during their most vital developmental years, with the ultimate goal of preparing them for careers in all fields and in the ones that do not even exist yet.

I hope that the successful completion of my doctoral candidacy will open new vistas of opportunity to grow and share my love of technology and learning in the hopes of leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.

2019-2020

Successfully completed Year I of my Doctoral Program.
Conducted workshops on how to infuse technology to promote social development for Golden Child Day Care Center, Tobyhanna PA
Led Professional Development in infusing technology into Grades 6 - 8 math classes (ongoing)
Achieved certification as a Level I Google Certified Instructor.
Created mini-workshops on supporting colleagues with Google Classroom implementation and various Google Applications (ongoing)
Attended varied Professional Development workshops and conferences in and out of the District and online (ongoing)
Became a member of the Association of Math Teachers of New Jersey
Ran for City Council for District 1
Appointed to the Hillside Township Municipal Swimming Pool Commission
Appointed to the Union County Advisory Board on the Status of Minorities

2020-2021

Successfully completed Year II of my Doctoral Program.
Aided in the opening launch of the Golden Child Day Care Center as an Educational Consultant with a focus on technology curriculum (ongoing)
Continued to assist colleagues in integrating technology in math instruction for grades sixth through eighth (ongoing)
Co-presented with Joyce Ayim on “Rapid Feedback and Motivation in a Virtual Learning Environment” for NJCU Spring Webinar (April 8, 2021)
Currently serving as a board member of the Union County Advisory Board on the Status of Minorities.
Editor of several quarterly community newsletters
Volunteered for multiple community events such as Easter Egg Hunt and food distribution during COVID-19
Campaigned with several Board of Education members for re-election
Announced my Candidacy for Council-at-Large for my community

Attended the following NJCU Educational Technology Leadership Department seminars:

3/2/20: Dr. John Creswell
4/15/20: “Instant Formative Assessment Tools” - Presenter Phillip Crisostomo
4/29/20: “Keeping Teacher’s Motivated During Distant Learning” - Presenter Katie Kirby
4/23/20: “The Power of Words: Introductions to Atlas.ti Qualitative Analysis Software - Presenter Dr. Schaumburg
7/7/20: Buzzwood - “The Basic”
7/8/20: Buzzwood - “Connecting the Pieces”
7/9/20: Buzzwood - “Application and Troubleshooting

2021-2022

Successfully complete the Dissertation Phase of the Doctoral Program
Attend national and international workshops on Artificial Intelligence, STEM, math, and technology in education
Continue to conduct professional development workshops on how to infuse technology in a middle school math classroom
Become certified Math Supervisor
Actively seek to obtain an Adjunct Professorship at a local college or university