~ Future as a Learner Essay ~
Paris, France
Hanging out with the girls
Paris, France
Celebrating the 4th of July
Graduating from UCI
A Glance Forward: Achieving Inspiration
by Amy Strange
I find myself wading through the murky waters of life with one overarching goal in mind... inspiration. I want to be inspired, live and breathe in a perpetual state of inspiration, and ultimately be an inspirer. I love the feeling of the serotonin rush that I get when I am inspired. I love the endless possibilities that abound when I am in a state of inspiration. And I love the intrinsic motivation that I receive from being able to be an inspirer.
It is this inspiration that has helped shape me into the multifaceted person that I am today... the overachieving daughter, the eager to please sister, the fun-loving friend, and the adoring wife. It is this inspiration that has guided me down the windy path of life, albeit sometimes beautiful and sometimes treacherous. And it is this inspiration that will continue to facilitate the composition of the chronicles of my life.
While composing this story of my life, I have experienced and continue to learn from many momentous and inspirational events that I encounter both personally and professionally. I have found and married an amazing man, we have recently bought our first house, and we are constantly figuring out how to learn from each other while sharing our lives together. I have also traveled to and experienced the beauty of many wonderful places. I have experienced the lights of the Big Apple, I have felt a part of the history in our countries capital, I have wandered the vast hills in Ireland, I have become immersed in the beauty of London, and I have experienced the culture shock in Paris. The insurmountable beauty found in each one of these experiences has had an inspirational impact on me. Not to mention, I am also constantly learning through engagement in experiences that inspire me such as writing poetry, scrapbooking, playing guitar, and fostering new friendships.
Professionally I have been able to unearth and tap into a passion for helping children. I find that it is inexplicably rewarding to be able to offer something to someone else that they can't obtain on their own. Acquiring this realization has shaped and will undoubtedly continue to shape all of my future endeavors. Pursuing my Masters of Arts in Education (MAED) is one such endeavor. When reflecting back, the initiation of my MAED program was a starting point of sorts for me to begin my professional journey of inspiration. This undertaking brought with it many challenges and rewards. One of the most challenging aspects of completing my MAED program was learning how to balance and prioritize the many responsibilities in my life. Although I didn't always succeed at obtaining a good balance, I am hopeful that this is something that I can continue to be cognizant of and improve upon in the future.
While challenging, my journey down this road has been extremely rewarding as well. I have been able to increase my knowledge about educational theories, effective ways to teach children, and how to modify curriculum for students with disabilities. Not to mention, this program has afforded me the opportunity to be inspired through the process of learning about education.
I found myself in a state of inspiration throughout my entire time at MSU. Delving into the many scholarly journal articles, newspaper articles, books, websites, and lectures allowed me to develop a foundational level of understanding about education. Engaging in the on-line chats, discussion forums, and responses to discussion posts facilitated a more thorough understanding of education and educational practices. Composing reflection papers, power point presentations, and online websites afforded me the opportunity to synthesize the new information that I was presented. This perpetual state of inspiration during my MAED program has spurred a desire to continue to expand my knowledge of child development, educational theories, and instructional practices.
Glancing forward, I can see that the next chapter in my life story will be one of contemplation. After having spent the past two years of my life immersed in a voyage to increase my knowledge about education, I am craving time to process, reflect upon, and come to a decision about where the windy road of my life will take me next.
The road map of my future holds many possibilities... perhaps I will continue to provide behavioral therapy to children with Autism, perhaps I will transfer my new-found knowledge into the classroom, perhaps I will continue my education with initiation of a doctoral program, or perhaps I will find a new niche that allows me to continue to learn from life while being inspired. Whatever the direction may be, I am confident that I will continue to delve into a profession that allows me to help others. I will strive to find a career that challenges me, one that is ever-changing, one that allows me to foster relationships with others, and one that provides me with a sense of accomplishment. What is more, I am confident that my future will allow me the opportunity to apply the insights that I gained while at MSU.
Although my future is somewhat uncertain, the one criterion that is
undeniable is that it will be driven by inspiration.
I find myself wading through the murky waters of life with one overarching goal in mind... inspiration. I want to be inspired, live and breathe in a perpetual state of inspiration, and ultimately be an inspirer. I love the feeling of the serotonin rush that I get when I am inspired. I love the endless possibilities that abound when I am in a state of inspiration. And I love the intrinsic motivation that I receive from being able to be an inspirer.
It is this inspiration that has helped shape me into the multifaceted person that I am today... the overachieving daughter, the eager to please sister, the fun-loving friend, and the adoring wife. It is this inspiration that has guided me down the windy path of life, albeit sometimes beautiful and sometimes treacherous. And it is this inspiration that will continue to facilitate the composition of the chronicles of my life.
While composing this story of my life, I have experienced and continue to learn from many momentous and inspirational events that I encounter both personally and professionally. I have found and married an amazing man, we have recently bought our first house, and we are constantly figuring out how to learn from each other while sharing our lives together. I have also traveled to and experienced the beauty of many wonderful places. I have experienced the lights of the Big Apple, I have felt a part of the history in our countries capital, I have wandered the vast hills in Ireland, I have become immersed in the beauty of London, and I have experienced the culture shock in Paris. The insurmountable beauty found in each one of these experiences has had an inspirational impact on me. Not to mention, I am also constantly learning through engagement in experiences that inspire me such as writing poetry, scrapbooking, playing guitar, and fostering new friendships.
Professionally I have been able to unearth and tap into a passion for helping children. I find that it is inexplicably rewarding to be able to offer something to someone else that they can't obtain on their own. Acquiring this realization has shaped and will undoubtedly continue to shape all of my future endeavors. Pursuing my Masters of Arts in Education (MAED) is one such endeavor. When reflecting back, the initiation of my MAED program was a starting point of sorts for me to begin my professional journey of inspiration. This undertaking brought with it many challenges and rewards. One of the most challenging aspects of completing my MAED program was learning how to balance and prioritize the many responsibilities in my life. Although I didn't always succeed at obtaining a good balance, I am hopeful that this is something that I can continue to be cognizant of and improve upon in the future.
While challenging, my journey down this road has been extremely rewarding as well. I have been able to increase my knowledge about educational theories, effective ways to teach children, and how to modify curriculum for students with disabilities. Not to mention, this program has afforded me the opportunity to be inspired through the process of learning about education.
I found myself in a state of inspiration throughout my entire time at MSU. Delving into the many scholarly journal articles, newspaper articles, books, websites, and lectures allowed me to develop a foundational level of understanding about education. Engaging in the on-line chats, discussion forums, and responses to discussion posts facilitated a more thorough understanding of education and educational practices. Composing reflection papers, power point presentations, and online websites afforded me the opportunity to synthesize the new information that I was presented. This perpetual state of inspiration during my MAED program has spurred a desire to continue to expand my knowledge of child development, educational theories, and instructional practices.
Glancing forward, I can see that the next chapter in my life story will be one of contemplation. After having spent the past two years of my life immersed in a voyage to increase my knowledge about education, I am craving time to process, reflect upon, and come to a decision about where the windy road of my life will take me next.
The road map of my future holds many possibilities... perhaps I will continue to provide behavioral therapy to children with Autism, perhaps I will transfer my new-found knowledge into the classroom, perhaps I will continue my education with initiation of a doctoral program, or perhaps I will find a new niche that allows me to continue to learn from life while being inspired. Whatever the direction may be, I am confident that I will continue to delve into a profession that allows me to help others. I will strive to find a career that challenges me, one that is ever-changing, one that allows me to foster relationships with others, and one that provides me with a sense of accomplishment. What is more, I am confident that my future will allow me the opportunity to apply the insights that I gained while at MSU.
Although my future is somewhat uncertain, the one criterion that is
undeniable is that it will be driven by inspiration.
