Deanne Woityra's Synthesis Essay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Do It: Another Perfect Routine

 

    “Breathe.”  This is the only word I can say to control the nervousness that is building from within.  I can hear my heart beat, thump, thump, thump, almost as if the world is moving in slow motion.  Coach Kelly is attempting to get me mentally prepared and all I can think about are the hundreds of people that are crammed into the bleachers of the high school gymnasium.  I try to keep my eyes focused on the judge, while going over the words in my head.  I tell myself, this will be the day; this is my chance to shine and show my family that hard work pays off.  I realize that I have become distracted and attempt to bring myself back to reality when suddenly my world freezes: the judge raises her flag, I salute, and walk out onto the floor.  Waiting is the hardest part.  I begin thinking, “Who came up with my starting pose, it must look like I am about to fall over,” then remind myself to stay tight and listen for the music.  As the notes begin to play, I transition to competition mode and tell myself, “Just do it!”  When the music stops playing, I freeze in my ending pose to signal the end of my routine and hope that my mother has her camera ready for this photo opportunity.  I salute the judge and exit off the floor.  Beads of sweat drip down the side of my face as I high-five each of my teammates.  When I get to my coach, all I can remember her saying is, “You did it!”  

     Nike’s famous phrase, Just Do It, has been a continuous theme throughout my educational and professional journey.  I have always had a love for teaching/coaching children and I was fortunate enough to find a career working at Stars & Stripes Gymnastics Academy (now known as Stars & Stripes Kids Activity Center) back in 2005 and continued to work part-time throughout my college years.  In 2010, I completed my teaching certification year (with master’s credits that could be applied to a degree within the requirements at Michigan State University).  After almost 18 years of schooling (grade school and college), I felt that I deserved a much needed break from all of the mental and financial strain that accompanies additional schooling and the thought of getting my master’s degree slowly wandered to the back of my mind. I wanted to test my abilities in the real world, see what I could do with the degree I earned and revisit the thought of getting a master’s degree a few years down the road.  My search for a teaching position began with high hopes and ended with a great deal of frustration.  I reached the point of accepting that I may not be destined to teach in a classroom.  Just when I thought all hope was lost, I was given the opportunity to “teach” full-time as a gymnastics coach.  Stars & Stripes has been a part of my educational and professional journey for nearly nine years, and every day brings new obstacles to tackle and new challenges to conquer.  Even though I am not in a “traditional classroom” I am able to apply the knowledge that I have acquired from my Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education.  My gymnasts test my abilities and often lead me to wonder what else I could learn to give them the best learning experience possible.  

     In the winter of 2013, I realized that Michigan State University’s five year time limit was approaching quickly and I needed to fulfill my goal of earning a master’s degree.  Working full-time presented challenges that MSU could handle with their online Master of Arts in Education program (MAED).  As the world continues to change daily, so does our Junior Olympic Competitive Gymnasts Program, as well as the resources, teaching styles, techniques and practices that are available to all educators (including coaches).  As a member of the educational profession, there is a great deal of importance in keeping up with the best teaching/coaching practices and learning new ideas to incorporate into my daily lessons.  Michigan State University’s MAED online program offered the convenience of completing a higher level of education in the comfort of one’s home, the flexible schedule and concentration, and course options that one could choose from that best fit the needs of the individual.  I decided to choose an area of concentration that would better my teaching and coaching abilities on all levels.  I wanted to learn how to reach all students, including those with special needs, so I chose a special education concentration.  My MAED journey consisted of a few mandatory core and elective courses, with the freedom of being able to choose classes to best fit my goal as a life-long learner.  Each course presented me with a bundle of information and I would like to talk about a few courses that really taught me the most about who I am as an educator and helped me discover new ideas to bring me to the next level of teaching and coaching.  

     The start of my master’s routine began with one of the first courses I took in the MAED program that helped ease me into the overwhelming field of special education.  CEP 840, Policies, Practices, and Perspectives in Special Education was the starting foundation to the amount of knowledge that I would obtain throughout this program.  One of the best parts of this course was learning through different technologies.  Carol Sue Englert, otherwise known as Carol Sue, conducted her course through googlesites, which was my first experience working with a new website platform.  Not only were her weekly lectures and assignments interactive, they introduced me to a whole new perspective on teaching.  Throughout the course I became familiar with the current trends in special education and learned how to incorporate these features appropriately to build an educational foundation fit for all students: inclusion, collaboration, response to intervention (RTI), evidence-based practices, universal design for learning (UDL), positive behavior interventions and support (PBIS), and assistive technology (AT).  Out of all the projects designed for the course, the most intriguing was the assistive technology project that was completed by a group of educators working towards a common goal: identifying, learning and incorporating assistive technology in our classrooms to create a better learning environment for all of our students.  Our focus revolved around (PBIS) and bully-proofing schools in relation to assistive technology.  I had the opportunity to research information regarding assistive technologies, locate resources that could be used in the classroom to promote PBIS and reducing the issue of bullying in schools and collectively learn how to present our findings through technology (develop a googlesites webpage).  Even though my classroom is unlike those of my fellow group mates, we found common ground amongst the different technologies that could be used to benefit all students.  I discovered that a simple piece of technology such as a white board (that I use on a daily basis) can be used in many ways to help meet the varying needs of my students.  I also learned that my iPad is an assistive technology and there are hundreds of applications that are made specifically for coaches and athletes.  The Coaches Eye App is one of the most useful applications that I discovered throughout this course and it has made a positive impact with all of my athletes.  

     The next step that helped jump start my enjoyment for learning more about special education was CEP 841, Classroom Management in the Inclusive Classroom.  The focus of this course was to provide educators with the opportunity to assess their beliefs about learning, classroom management practices and vision for what an inclusive learning community would/could look like in their own classroom.  My instructor Dr. Troy Mariage helped me realize that I am not alone with the struggles of classroom management.  As I reflected on my abilities as a coach in all of the above mentioned areas, I discovered two different elements: that time management is something that I struggle with on a daily basis and all of my gymnast learn in different ways (some needing additional attention due to their special learning needs).  The final special topics presentation project for this course allowed me to really analyze my coaching techniques, time management skills and gymnasts as learners.  One of the course textbooks, Teaching Self-Control Through Management and Discipline, helped me understand why management plays such a crucial role in the classroom or in my case, the gym.  Distractions come with the territory.  Creating an environment with established expectations and routines help my gymnasts stay focused, increase learning time and identify/minimize time robbers.  At the conclusion of this course I felt confident with my improved management practices and leadership abilities to create a learning environment that is inclusive to all learners.  Time management is now a priority since gymnasts only get to perform their routines for a small fraction of their lives, so why not make the best of their time in the gym; time is a precious resource. 

     Another course that had special meaning to my master’s routine was KIN 857, Promoting Positive Youth Development Through Sport.  Coaching youth sports is rewarding and challenging on many different levels.  The nature of the sport comes with a certain amount of complexity that I never fully understood until I completed my trek through this course.  Dr. Daniel Gould opened my eyes to the difference one coach can make in an athlete’s life.  Sports are more than just preparing the body physically, it is developing a child’s mental capacity to learn and grow with the sport, understand the emotional roller coaster and learning life skills that will carry on throughout the child’s life, long after the game has come to an end.  The literature that we explored further expanded my knowledge on the role that youth sports play in youth development. The text Game On!, provided some perspective on the different factors that surround youth sports.  Many chapters covered topics that I have only skimmed the surface on and have found the information to be extremely useful in helping youth understand competitive sports.  When I am in the gym, I often have to remind myself that the gymnasts need to learn how to perform the skills with proper technique and also learn how to be a competitive gymnast.  One topic that was covered in Game On! was that age greatly affects the connection between child and sport.  Children usually begin to understand the premise behind the sport when they reach adolescence.  Many children are introduced to sports at such a young age and it is the role of the coach to help the child understand all of the elements that surround being an athlete.  A child will not understand what motivation means, if you simply ask them “What motivates you?”  They will understand more fully if you explain what it means to be motivated and how they can become motivated with the sport.  I immediately applied this knowledge and was amazed by the conversation I had with my gymnasts.  To my surprise, many of them have not fully grasped the meaning of motivation, so this opportunity could not have come at a better time.  This course has made a difference in what I bring to the gym on a daily basis.  

     Lastly, my routine would not be complete without a course that collectively brings everything together, ED 870, Capstone Seminar.  At the start of this course I knew that technology would be involved, however, my experience with developing websites was amateur at best.  I became intrigued by the exploration of technology and knew that creating an online portfolio posed a challenge rather than an assignment to conclude my master’s program.  The reflection element of each course in my MAED program played an important part in developing the perfect routine.  The essay components of this course gave me the opportunity to reflect on where I started, what I have done and where I am now.  Being so close to the “podium” has made me realize just how far I have come in just one short year.  Now that I am looking at the bigger picture, I have learned what it takes to make myself a better coach and educator.
 

     Continuing my professional education was one tough task.  In the beginning it seemed rather simple since I had been going to school for years prior to this journey.  As I reflect back on my experiences in the MAED program, I am reminded of all of the skills, knowledge and tools I have acquired in such a short amount of time.  Not only have I become a more educated teacher and coach, I now have the confidence to know that I CAN and WILL reach all of my students (gymnasts).  My master’s degree has given me more than I could have ever imagined.  Every time I enter my unique classroom, I am always prepared with established lesson plans (with room for variation in the event that things do not always go as planned), along with time frames to maximize the time spent in the gym.  Earning a master’s degree is one thing, continuing to grow as an educator and coach is something that will take a lot of hard work and determination. 

     As I am nearing the end to my educational journey, I can see my goal coming to life.  Instead of telling myself to, “Just do it!”  I am telling myself that, “I DID IT!”  If someone would have told me that I would be coaching gymnastics instead of working in a classroom at the start of my professional career, I probably would have been in disbelief.  However, with one goal completed and others being added to the list daily, the theme of “Just Do It” will continue to keep my routines alive.