As I reflect back over the past year and a half of graduate school, I realize that even though this portfolio is the culmination of my course studies, it is also the beginning of my new career as an educator. To put it in the simplest of terms, Georgia Southern’s M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration has made me a better educator. Through unparalleled academics and caring instructors, I have received a wealth of knowledge that will allow me to be the best educator that I can possibly be.
Standard 1: We all know the importance of being studious and having a knowledge base with depth, but it serves us no good unless we can actually take that knowledge and combine it with hands-on experience. This practicum experience has truly been the culmination of my graduate work at GSU. My research has allowed me to take my knowledge and put it to practical use—developing a research plan, honing my interview and communication skills, researching new cultures, and interacting with other education professions that have given me a glimpse into a different realm of education. By applying my skills that Georgia Southern has imparted me with, I am able to take both the theoretical side and the practical side of education and create a cohesive foundation for my career.
Standard 2: Also, my educational experiences, as well as my cultural explorations, have allowed me to become a true “multicultural educator.” The only way that we, as educators, can truly affect change is if we start with ourselves. My studies in courses such as Multicultural Education, the Contemporary College Students, and even the History of American Higher Education have pushed my concepts beyond the norms of the traditional student, forcing me to cast aside any stereotypes that our society may have taught me. By examining Muslim culture as both a researcher and as a member of society has given me a great respect for the struggles that people in this culture, as well as cultures all around the world, have to deal with on a daily basis.
Standard 3: Even though I took courses in Educational Research and Instructional Design, nothing prepared me for implementing a research project until I actually set out to create my own. Overcoming the hurdles of constructing a successful research project has shown me just how demanding it is for professors to conduct their own research for publication. With the data that I collect from my study on Muslim women in education, I intend to publish my findings in an educational journal focusing on women in education. Through the multiple papers that I have composed over the course of my graduate studies I have been able to fine tune my writing skills and hone my research proficiencies, giving me a “heads up” on writing for publication in a professional journal.
Standard 4: Before I began my graduate education, I believed that I knew how to write—I was wrong. I wasn’t bad, but graduate school has taught me how to effectively communicate in a way that would get my point across, as well as appeal to a greater population of listeners. By learning how to successfully communicate, I am able to do more than just write an A+ paper. I can create a presentation that will capture an audience’s attention. I am able to create a step-by-step lesson plan that will guide a student in his studies from start to finish. I have even been able to employ that in my current job at NSA Bahrain when I create a “how-to” manual for new employees in the fuels management field. All of these lessons that I have learned and begun to perfect over the past year and a half will mold me into a better educator. Not only will they prepare me for pursuing my doctorate in the near future, but they will aid me in the transition from student to professor in the long term.
Standard 5: Where would the world be without rules and regulations to govern it? Just like any other field, an educator can only be successful if they know and understand the rules that govern the education field. We as educators are able to provide the best for our students and also for each other if we can fully understand the politics behind and the policies that have shaped our current educational state. Many people view educators as only in the classroom, but that is not the case. Educators are teachers, but they are also managers and administrators. The President of a university is responsible for managing the well-being of not just the student body, but also the campus itself and all those who are employed there. Georgia Southern has taught me that in order to be an effective manager, whether it is in the classroom or in an office, we must understand and employ the correct policies and procedures and are bound and shaped by the ethics of education.
Standard 6: Not only have courses in the politics of higher education and the policies that shape it allowed me to gain a better grasp on the foundations of higher education, but it has also inspired me to create change myself. Professors like Dr. Brenda Marina have taught me to seek out and expose the truth behind the policies and procedures that govern the American education system, as well as that here in the Kingdom of Bahrain. She has taught me that someone needs to stand up for the educational rights of women around the world and anyone, no matter how big or small they are, are capable of introducing change.
Overall, I believe that this M.Ed. program has given me the skills and competencies to be able to be a leader, an inspiration, a researcher, and, most importantly, an educator. I will take all that I have learned and continue to build upon that knowledge base. I do not plan on stopping here; I have my sights set on obtaining my doctorate in educational policy studies and going on to teach at the university level. I hope to one day come back to Georgia Southern University and give back in a way that will motivate other students to follow in my footsteps.
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