Theatre Manager, Educator, and Artist
Director, Choreographer, and Composer
KIN 855 introduced me to some of coaching’s philosophical, psychological, and sociological principles for athletes of different ages and abilities. I appreciated that the instruction about these principles was founded on scientific research, much from MSU’s own Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS) program. However, it also presented a variety of best-practice knowledge in the areas of coaching philosophy, ethics, and psychology from history’s best coaches. We focused on developing the skills and abilities to apply that knowledge to maximize athlete performance and well-being. This course provided me an initial opportunity to begin to examine my experience as a coach through reflective practice, and to employ immediate, intelligent problem-solving and ethical thinking skills.
Master of Arts in Education
Annotated Transcript
Below you will find a list of the coursework
I completed while enrolled at MSU.
Fall 2013
In EAD 861, I began to develop a better understanding of learning in adulthood and what implications this knowledge holds for helping adults learn in postsecondary and other adult education settings. This course focused on the relationship between learning and development through inquiry and problem-based learning: one of these “problems” being our own methodologies and ideologies of learning. We examined our own learning styles through a “Me as a Learner” Essay, abstracted ourselves from these ideas, and then re-analyzed how our own learning styles can be made more effective and efficient. I’m glad that this course was one of my first at MSU, as this re-evaluation of learning helped me to pinpoint bad habits, nurture good habits, and become a multifaceted learner. To become a better teacher, one must become an even better learner.
Spring 2014
ED 800 is the MAED’s foundational course that provides an opportunity to think and write about essential questions in education including: purpose, traditions, recurring problems, and efforts of reform. This was developed through the examination of various domains of educational inquiry such as narrative, ethnographic, psychological, and historical. We reflected on how we learned, what we wanted from teaching, and the purpose of education outside of schools. How did our own human experiences create these ideologies that underlie our careers? It was an excellent opportunity to discover the vastness of the field of education, and how this should be motivational, not daunting, as we can also explore more and more ways to improve ourselves and our teaching in a progressive world.
Due to the increasing litigious area of athletics, knowledge of some aspects of the law, the ability to assess and manage risk, and the foresight to protect athletes, spectators, guests, personnel and vendors (to name a few) – all become valuable tools in promoting the goals and success of the coach. KIN 854 prepared me for the responsibilities associated with providing and maintaining educationally sound and environmentally safe athletic programs. One of my favorite activities in this class was the analysis of Moot Court Cases, sample scenarios that applied the concepts that we were learning into a realistic lawsuit. We were asked to think creatively and proactively about these cases, as well as write critically and scholarly in our discussions with our classmates. Ultimately, we were cultivating the capacity to make quick, wise decisions about important issues in Sports Law.
Summer 2014
It’s easy to imagine that films are the "reward" for reading a difficult piece of literature, or that they are a tool that can be used to help less-skilled readers "get" a particular text. In TE 838, we "read" a film as an independent interpretation of a text, addressed social and cultural relevance, and brainstormed how to incorporate a range of these representations of children's literature into the curriculum in ways that are both creative and pedagogically sound. We explored the various ways children's literature and film can work together to evoke stronger responses and richer conversations from students. The final project for this course allowed me to share my thoughts on the teacher as the interpreter of these texts, the role of film in the classroom, and how I can encourage my students to constructively excel from these resources.
KIN 856 was about the physical principles of training and athletic performance – information that is critical to exact the greatest results and optimize all areas of the sports. It focused on the fundamentals of musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology, the biomechanics of movement, principles of training and design, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, injury prevention, and nutrition. I began to understand how these seemingly distinct areas of sports science and medicine needed to be combined to impact performance and well being of my athletes. In particular, I developed a few coaching tools that could serve as resources and informational pieces that be integrated directly in to a youth athletic program when I begin to coach. These included a professional coaching network, exposure and experience with video analysis software, a nutrition handout and recovery solutions, and a strength and conditioning manual.
Fall 2014
A critical part of becoming creative is being able to play—to play with ideas, with concepts, and feeling comfortable in doing so. In CEP 818, I examined how creativity is defined, and explored some strategies for trans-disciplinary creativity, particularly in the context of teaching and learning. Trans-disciplinary creativity argues that there are deep and fundamental connections between art and science, applied and pure knowledge. In this course, I sought to find commonalities between strategies and habits of thought used by creative individuals in any discipline. In order to find a “public language” of creativity in teaching and learning, I created a project using each of the seven cognitive tools of creativity: perceiving, patterning, abstracting, embodied thinking, modeling, playing, and synthesizing. This course allowed me to truly blend two of my deepest passions: education and theater.
One of the thoughts that my professor shared before this class began was that “professional development is a profoundly important activity that involves an individual’s heart, mind, and body.” I had never thought of professional development in this light, and I was soon illuminated of its importance in our modern workplace. At the core of professional development is the idea of lifelong learning, what it means to be a lifelong learner, and the ways in which organizational and societal structures interrelate such learning. EAD 863 developed my knowledge and skill in the design, development, and delivery of training and professional development programs for working adults in various occupational settings.
Spring 2015
EAD 877 focused on educational program planning and evaluation as both a field of practice and inquiry. As a field of practice, program planning represents a series of activities in which most higher and adult education professionals find themselves engaged with on a regular basis. As educators, we plan courses and lessons within courses everyday. However, there are a large variety of factors to be considered when planning even the smallest lesson. This course provided a concluding opportunity to learn of and consider this variety of internal and external influences on a program. As a field of inquiry, we must seek to learn from the successes and failures of others. We must be willing to build off our own successes and implement new strategies and tools to continuously achieve better results for our students. Without evaluation, there is no growth.
ED 870 focused on creating a professional teaching e-portfolio and reflecting on my graduate experiences at Michigan State. In this course, I compiled and showcased a selection of the work that I was most passionate about while enrolled at MSU. The final product, this e-portfolio, was created as a reflection of myself as learner, a re-evaluation of my goals, and an opportunity to step back and cogitate about my time in graduate school. The most meaningful aspect of this course was the opportunity to give and receive feedback to others, all of whom were also soon-to-be graduates. It was inspirational to see their websites, hear their stories, and discuss how they were going to use their graduate studies to change this world for the better.
From www.msu.edu