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Date: July 21, 2013

Dear Educational Technology Faculty,

In 2001, I received my Bachelor's Degree in Biology for EC - 4 from the University of Texas at Brownsville. During an interview for a teaching position for Harlingen Independent School District, one of the questions posed was "What will you have accomplished in 5 years?" My response, to pursue a Master's degree and be a Visually Impaired Teacher.  I was hired in 2005 and was welcomed into a family of caring, reliable, supportive and accomplished women who guided me and took me under their wings. I was a fairly new single mother of a 2 year old and was caring for my mother. With the guidance of my principal, Dr. Rodriguez, he allowed me the time needed to challenge the Texas Exit exam to become a certified teacher. My degree was non-traditional and I finished through the RGV A-Step program.

A close friend shared the good news of the MSTTPA grant via email. Without delay, we both signed up and were accepted. Two years later, Summer 2013, has finally come and I am closer to my longer term goal. Much to my daughter's delight, she will now have my full attention.

Fall 2011: I was excited, overwhelmed and tempted to change from the M.Ed to the MTT certification.  Fortunately, with some self motivating pep talks and surrounding my self with fellow colleagues in the program, the work load was bearable. Miss J.Casanova was my constant motivator and biggest supporter through it all. She kept saying, "It will be worth it, "Just think, you will have your Master's."  The  first two courses seemed to even each other out, 6340 Application of Advanced Technologies in the PK-12 Classroom which provided exciting and interesting Web 2.0 tools and 6320 Application in Technology was a research based in technology. This information was all new to me and it was tough to wrap my mind around the terminology, the expectations, time-constraints, and doing research. Needless to say, the semester was fulfilling. My work ethics and thinking changed drastically with a new desire to implement Web 2.0 tools into my classroom and share with my colleagues the information obtained. Many times, we want to stay in our comfort zone, and think being a teacher is an accomplishment in its own. However, technology has changed and our students have also changed.

I am grateful to have been part of the MSTTPA program and the new friendships that have formed over the past two years.  The collaboration was essential to keep us all sane and how understanding, but yet firm, the instructors were through the course, it  made the difference.

I am proud to show my daughter Jade, that with dedication,hard work and team work, anything is possible. There was a time that we were both working on Glogster, she at school with the Library Media Specialist, Mrs. Ana Cavazos, and I with the program.  We were able to assist each other.

Christine Claudio