Self Assessment

I have always loved learning and always considered myself to be a good student. I was recently cleaning out some boxes and discovered some high school report cards. I was surprised to discover that my grades weren't exactly what I had remembered! I was actually disappointed to discover that, because my memories of my grades were different. As a student, my favorite learning activity was reading. I read everything I could get my hands on (and still do) and read anytime I was allowed to. I read on the school bus, between classes and in bed long into the night. Reading comprehension was never a problem for me, but retention was. I understood what I read, but couldn't always retain and recall it after a period of time. I loved tests with multiple choice, because the answers were there and would be familiar. Essay questions were more difficult because my thoughts were often choppy as I raced on. Today I find I am still fragmented when I write lengthy papers, etc., because my hands can't keep up with my brain! I love to write in longhand, but find I lost some of my thoughts as it takes me too long to write it all out. I prefer to write as I think and process and then enter it on the computer, but realize that typing may be a better option to keep up with my thoughts! Because I have always like learning, my aspirations were to become an elementary education teacher and provide others with the enthusiasm and desire to learn as I had received as a youngster. I received my Associate of Arts degree from Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa, where I received much more than a degree. I also received education from people who cared about their students and provided a very encouraging learning environment. That's the kind of teacher I wanted to be! I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College in Decorah, IA., where I learned the practice of being a teacher, as I did my student teaching and spent time in schools and with young people in structured settings. After graduation from college, I worked as a Program Director at a camp for people with developmental disabilities. This experience had a profound effect on me as I worked with people who learned in different ways and who had different needs. I learned a lot about myself, which was different than the book learning I had been doing. I then spent six weeks as an aide in an elementary and middle school, and was excited to be using the skills I went to school for. As an Extension Educator, I am finding ways to use my background and formal training as a teacher as I work in the 4-H program with kids. I am also able to use the flexibility I discovered from camp, as I work with many different audiences and learning styles. I can't imagine a job I would enjoy more - as I enjoy the different programming, the different groups and ages of people I work with and the topics that I address. Some days I don't consider it "work" because I enjoy what I am doing! The University of Minnesota Extension Service has allowed me to pursue some avenues I had never been exposed to. Some of those avenues are now some of my passions! One of my passions has become environmental education, where I have developed several programs which are used in schools. I have also worked with a co-worker to develop a curriculum that is used by science and history teachers. I find another issue of interest to me is mentoring. This issue is so interesting because it surfaces in so many areas. It is brought up in any discussion involving youth, you hear about it in parenting programs and corporations talk about it for new employees. The issue I always find to be of the most interest to me is youth. I love kids and the opportunities to learn from them and to teach in environments the kids would choose. While there is never a dull moment with kids, they are terrific learners and their energy and enthusiasm is good for me - both for my soul and my attitude! The question about my professional goals causes me to pause and think. Each year I have to write my goals for the coming year and what I plan to do and accomplish. Many of those things include maintaining the current status of the 4-H program and recruiting new members, developing more lessons for the environmental programs I teach and increasing the programs I offer for youth, such as Farm Safety or day camp. Other professional goals I have include increasing my resources, both on paper and in the form of people, as they are both vital to expanding my knowledge base. I also want to attend more conferences, also to expand my knowledge base. I believe the M.Ed program fits into these goals because they all involve increasing my knowledge and putting it to use and sharing it with others. I am already liking the fact that the M.Ed program is fitting so well with the work I do. I am able to gear projects toward ongoing programming and issues I feel I would like to work on. It is important to me that the M.Ed program link with my work so I can maximize the benefits to both. The mentoring issue is one I would like to explore for my thesis project. I am very interested in exploring how mentoring new educators would impact their stay in Extension. Having been a student teacher in a very structured mentor situation, I know how important and valuable that experience was for me. I can also remember coming into Extension and being expected to know how to do the job with very few guidelines. I would like to explore how a mentor could help a new Educator in their first few years in Extension.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 1999