Goal Statement for General Psychology Degree Describe

Goal Statement for General Psychology Degree

Describe your interest in the general field of psychology and the specific emphasis area you are studying.

As I proceed further in the general field of psychology, it is with a sharpening focus on a future as an educational leader. My ambition is to serve an educational community in a role such as the principalship or in an administrative capacity. With an improved understanding of what is ultimately expected of one in such a position of leadership, I recognize the importance of the role that a comprehensive education in psychology will play in building toward my qualifications.

As Black (1986) denotes, educational professionals at every level are benefited by at least some working knowledge of general psychology. For the teacher, for instance, Black recommends some education in adolescent psychology. With respect to working as an educational leader, some of the specific areas that will drive my focus are also recommended by Black, who remarks that "the higher up on the administrative career ladder one goes, the more the administrator deals with groups -- PTA's, boards of education, unions, advisory committees. A course in adolescent psychology isn't nearly as useful to a school superintendent as is an understanding of group dynamics, organizational behavior or abnormal psychology." (p. 18)

ii) Identify two professional goals and detail how graduate education will assist you in reaching these goals.

First and foremost, it is my goal to suit myself for the particular difficulties that come with the territory of educational leadership. Those aspiring to serve in the offices of the school principal, the superintendent or another school administrative position, must first understand that while the work can be rewarding, it is enveloped in obstacles and pitfalls. Few things ignite the emotional interest of such a diverse array of participants as does the educational system. That our children's futures depend on the effective management of the expectations of so many participants must be foremost on the educational leader's mind as he or she proceeds. I anticipate that a firm grounding in educational psychology and general psychology as I am seeking through this graduate program will help me to better gird myself against the criticism, scrutiny and pressure that are attendant to any educational leadership role.

A second critical goal -- one which emerges from my direct interest in the human psychological condition and the role played by education in cultivating the psyche -- is the improvement of mainstream education's treatment of special education issues. There remains a great deal of debate, disagreement and discontent over how public school's should best address the unique needs of the learning disabled, developmentally delayed, behaviorally problematic or otherwise emotionally disturbed children who must be given equal opportunity. According to Arnold & Dodge (1994), it is incumbent upon schools in light of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to make accommodations for the inclusion of special education students. Even still, much discontent over the balance between special education and inclusions remains.

I believe that we have the resources and the wherewithal to bring the proper balance to this discussion. According to Arnold & Dodge, "districts need not educate every disabled child in a regular classroom for the entire day, but have numerous options, so long as each child is carefully evaluated." (p. 22) This is to say that one of my primary goals as a leader in the educational community with a skill set particularly geared toward general psychology, would be to better understand the implications of meeting individualized educational needs. This is the primary demand placed upon our schools where special education is concerned. The better we come to understand how individualized challenges can be bested, the better an opportunity we have to help those with inborn obstacles exceed low expectations.

iii) What are you hoping to gain from this graduate education?

I hope that the chosen course of graduate education will help me to follow the advice offered in the text by Daresh (2004) which advises the aspiring educational leader to 'build a personal plan.' This, Daresh advises, is based on a high degree of self-knowledge and an understanding of how others function and perceive things. I expect that a general education in psychology will be part of the groundwork for gaining these qualifications, as well as for contending with the array of duties which would fall under my jurisdiction. Daresh notes that "among other issues, you will no doubt be responsible for the oversight of three important areas: student discipline, special education, and attendance." (p. 48) All of these call for an educational leader who is personally engaged and in possession of the psychological savvy to manage a diversity of needs within these areas.

iv) What do you expect to sacrifice to complete this graduate education and achieve your professional goals?

A graduate education must often come with a sacrifice of personal time. Though balance between work and personal life are important, this period of my life represents a point at which it is necessary to demonstrate my dedication to my chosen profession through total immersion. I anticipate significantly limiting my socializing, recreational activities and personal projects as the course of my studies intensifies. I am excited to reach a point in my studies where such focus is possible.

v) What strategies will you use to ensure that your work/school/family/personal lives remain "in balance?"

Working in the field of educational leadership is inherently an emotionally and psychologically taxing professional avenue. The natural political, practical and economic pressures of the work are omnipresent. The individual who succeeds best in such roles will be one who effectively manages to draw a line between the personal and professional dimensions of one's life. There is a tendency toward professional burnout in such fields where one does not effectively balance the daily rigors of the occupation with the need to distill time to be spend with the family, time for one's self and time simply to decompress.

Simultaneously, I would work to lessen the pressures upon me professionally be applying that which I will have learned about effective psychological engagement with others to improve the relationships upon which my performance depends. As King & Blumer (2000) indicate, "how new superintendents conduct themselves during the critical entry/'honeymoon' phase affects their subsequent working relationships and leadership effectiveness. Structured interviews with staff, parents, and students are invaluable aids." (King & Blumer, 356)