CAMILA MENDEZ
Essays
New goals, new beginnings
We are constantly creating something new, moving forward, and looking for more opportunities to succeed or become better. Developing our skills is part of this learning process that reflects those experiences and helps us focus on the next steps we will take along the way.
Now that I am about to complete my Master’s in Education program, I am thinking about three specific goals that I plan to focus on in the future:
1). Basic English Conversation Club (Lesson plan creation for English Learner students).
2). Curriculum Development (Spanish Textbooks). One of my goals is to develop content and create online courses, new curriculum for Spanish and Latin America textbooks, or learning materials (educational templates, class resources).
3). Google Certificates: I plan to take online courses to learn about curriculum design and other related topics.
I was given the opportunity to start a language support club for ESL students. The purpose of the Club is to focus on developing strategies to improve English speaking skills through real-life scenarios and activities that allow learners to communicate more effectively in different social contexts. In order to have a successful experience, I have to consider the following aspects in the next weeks before the sessions begin:
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- Creating specific and achievable learning objectives.
- Promote the Club thought out the school building.
- Using various tools for delivering effective content and instruction: worksheets, presentation slides, games, and activities, among others.
- Focus on engaging activities that help students express their opinion, interchange information, and interact with each other.
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- Review grammar concepts learned in the ESL class by completing pair, group, or individual activities.
- Identify students' English level and plan according to their proficiency level.
- Think of ways to integrate other students into the language support club (English-speaking students will be invited and paired up with a newcomer student or a lower-level English Learner to enhance their ability to communicate with English speakers on a conversational level).
- Research the steps on how to create online courses
- Analyze and build learning objectives,
- Reflect on teaching methods, assessments, and online platforms.
- Create new learning materials based on my previous teaching experiences and current position.
- Review and improve my class resources using other design platforms or digital tools.
- Determine students’ needs.
- Choose subject and potential topics.
- Contact different school teachers and departments to understand their specific needs better.
- Adapt content to align the standards and incorporate sources of information.
- Ensure consistency with English and Spanish languages when translating information.
As I am looking for ways to gain knowledge in educational content and curriculum development, I plan to research more information about how to create online courses, learning materials, and new textbooks. As a Spanish teacher, I had the opportunity to use different textbooks and online resources, and I always wanted to find new ways to improve the teaching experience through other language approaches. One of my goals as an educator is to give students more options to produce the target language and enjoy the acquisition process. With this in mind, I want to focus on working on different independent projects that will need time to be accomplished but writing down my goals is the first step of the process.
As I plan to learn more about curriculum and design, I have always wanted to take extra courses to improve my skills and keep learning. The first course I am planning to take is Instructional Design Foundations and Applications. In this course, I will learn about different aspects of instructional systems design and theoretical foundations that will allow me to gain some knowledge in this field and expand my horizons as a curriculum designer. The second course I am planning to take is Google UX Design Certificate. This course is more specific about building prototypes, testing my designs, and developing practical skills such as learning about strategies, marketing research, and educational products or services.
Finding more ways to grow in different fields is part of who I am. I enjoy trying new things and exploring different career paths that allow me to create and express myself. Teaching, writing and design is part of what I do every day and being able to identify specific goals to advance in my career allows me to look for additional projects and opportunities that along with my Master in Education and my work experience will be critical for my future.
*Images created by Camila Mendez.