Professional_Goals

Shawana Johnson EdD; Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment I understand this program does not lead to licensure or a credential. Professional Goal Statement As with most people who choose the field of education, one of the reasons I became a teacher was the desire to affect the lives of others. Most of my students are living in a world where their parents are limited in financial and educational resources. I want them, as well as my two young sons, to see that they, on the other hand, possess unlimited potential to be successful. Consequently, my professional goals are all related to my inherent need to ensure the success of my family, my students, and my community.  Personal/Professional Goals My fundamental professional goal is to significantly contribute to the field of education by engaging in meaningful work. I aspire to strengthen the educational domain by devising, utilizing, and sharing curricular and instructional methods that are proven and effective. I also intend to train other educators and publish scholarly research in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Without a doubt, a graduate program specializing in curriculum, instruction, and assessment would help me in my endeavors.  Learning about new educational theories and practices will help me to become a more effective teacher and educational leader in my district.  In any school district, curriculum specialists have considerable influence over the direction that the district takes in terms of what and how students learn.  A position such as this appeals to me because a curriculum specialist is able to become more involved with the administrative aspects of education, but is still able to interact with and assist students, Academic Experience I graduated magna cum laude from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia with a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology. As an American Psychological Association Minority Fellow, I continued on to graduate from Saint Louis University (SLU) with a Master of Science degree in Developmental Psychology. While at SLU, I also received a Graduate Fellowship. As a graduate student, I took several classes in educational psychology and developmental theory which will, I am sure, prove useful as I further my exploration into how children learn best. Research Experience During my undergraduate matriculation, I was involved in animal research in the Psychology Department under the direction of the department chair. This research involved collecting, analyzing, and publishing data pertaining to the effects of drugs on learning. I have two publications as a result of that research. In graduate school, I had the opportunity to join fellow graduate students and my graduate advisor in researching the influences of valence on preschool children's social judgments. This research was not only published, but was featured on Dateline NBC. Finally, as part of my graduate requirement, I completed and defended my thesis research on children’s use of conflict resolution strategies. Work/Other Experience As an adjunct professor at Saint Louis University, I taught Developmental Psychology of the African American Child. I am currently a fifth grade teacher in the Hattiesburg Public School District where I have taught for the last 8 years. In this district, I have also worked during the summers on curriculum mapping, Response to Intervention (RtI) and Quality Classroom Instruction trainer in an underprivileged district in my state. This year I initiated a girl empowerment organization called PINK (Pretty, Intelligent, Nice, and Kind) which seeks to uplift girls academically, socially, and emotionally. Other committees that I have had the privilege of serving on this year are the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee, the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Committee, and the Teacher Evaluation System Steering Committee. Personal Qualities Recently, I read a quote that said, “Pessimists find difficulty in opportunities, but optimists find opportunities in difficulty.” I am an optimist for sure! I would describe myself as a positive, self-motivated achiever who has a strong grasp of time management, organizational, and collaborative skills. I possess excellent verbal ability which enables me to express myself and present topics clearly and succinctly. I am driven to do exemplary work, however demanding, in any setting. Professionalism and use of sound judgment are assets that make me valuable to any organization. Why Walden' Because I have always learned well by reading and teaching myself, I am choosing to complete my graduate education on-line. I believe that the intensive focus of this graduate program will be extremely beneficial to me in reaching my goal of becoming an expert in curriculum and instruction. In addition, as most academics know, teaching is an extremely demanding occupation.  Furthermore, along with teaching, I also am involved in several committees at my school and ministries at my church. My need for flexibility in time is great and I feel that an on-line program will help fill that need. Walden’s description of its Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment specialization states that it is “designed for educators who want to drive innovation and change at the systemic level, including the district, regional, state, and federal levels.” The program’s design and my goals mirror each other perfectly: the schedule, courses, and requirements are all aligned with my needs.