“You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end, each of us must work for our own improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity.”

                           MARIE CURIE

Goal Statement - April 2007

For the past 10 years my family has celebrated the New Year by getting together to share dreams and goals for the coming year.  We have random drawings to establish New Year Angels, family members who help us retain our goals until they become realities.  While this tradition has established a valuable pattern, the goals for one year are tiny compared with trying to verbalize the long term goal required to transform a wish to be more, into a PhD candidate and beyond!

As I approach my one year anniversary of acceptance into George Mason’s Graduate School of Education in pursuit of a PhD, many changes have occurred and the glimmer of a focus has been obscured by the smorgasbord of possibilities.  As information, assignments, and insights, of the courses intertwine, knowledge is built and prospective dreams emerge.  Should I investigate the mysteries of Autism to see how Assistive Technology can help these students emphasize strengths and minimize weaknesses?  Perhaps delving into the population of those with emotional challenges, to find motivation and competence through technology could be a niche for me.  Yet the students with Learning Disabilities are so close to my heart, how can I give them a world filled with success using Assistive Technology rather than the failure that has often dogged their school lives?  As the internal struggle to focus becomes more complex, I realize that the key to assistive technology availability and encouragement rests with the teachers!  If I am to reach the students I love so dearly, I must study and influence the teachers!  In the past year and a half, I have had thousands of dollars of equipment to distribute to students in need.  Feeling like a Santa, I have allocated software and hardware to many students and classrooms, spent hours training and troubleshooting, yet when I return to see the results, many times the equipment needs to be dusted or found! 

My goal is to be one who can influence others to understand the need for, and encourage the use of Assistive Technology so that suppressed talents and skills can be unleashed and students can be proud of their academic products and life directions!