1. Give reasons for your interest in teaching. Suggest and describe the personal qualities that will make you a valuable member of our staff.
2. . If you have had previous teaching experience, write a description (size, location, socio-economic and racial composition of the student body) of the school in which you were last employed.
3. Describe any personal, professional or social experience you have had with minority youth or minority organizations.
4. Describe any personal, professional or social experience you have had with special education youth.
5. Describe your philosophy of education.
1. Please explain how your past personal and professional experience make you a quality candidate for the position for which you are applying.
write a letter of introduction
here are my personal statements ive written before that may help you with any answers: you will live in your parents’ basement while they hose you with food and water”. This statement was made by my chemistry teacher at my highschool. Although this statement had the potential to discourage me from pursuing my love of science, I decided to use this as a strength to fuel me instead. I refused to let anyone else assess limits and capabilities. Science was the most fascinating subject to me, it seemed as the only thing that had mattered in life to me. It was the one subject that kept me searching for more answers. Out of everything, science was the most interesting. Without the answers provided by experimental data, analysis, and scientific investigation, we wouldn’t have a basic comprehension of the world. When I started college, I knew this was my purpose in life. This is what I was able to use in order to pass on to other individuals also seeking this passion but my approach to this goal would be different from my chemistry teacher.
Although dentistry is a form of teaching such as providing information to your patients on maintaining oral health, addressing certain conditions, finding solutions through treatment plans and medications, it wasn’t the type of teaching that I found satisfying. I could never imagine myself as a dentist for some reason and always felt as if I was forcing this to be my purpose in life. Even with this thought, I tried extremely hard to make this a reality for myself by ignoring the thought of working as a schoolteacher during my undergraduate studies in favor of concentrating on dentistry. I gained a lot of experience in dentistry through multiple shadowing opportunities with over ten dentists, working in the field for over four years, and volunteering at Chicago Dental Foundation Society, my heart was not set into it. I believe and truly feel as if I’m on the right path now. There are times in life when getting to your destination requires crossing a mountain. I believe my life experience will make me an amazing educator in the future.
While my journey began with a different form of teaching in dentistry, I eventually came to the realization that it wasn’t the form of teaching that resonated with my true passion of sciences. Instead, my goal is to serve as a teacher and mentor for these students in a way they deserve and guide them along their own paths allowing them to discover their futures. I may not have much experience with youth or teaching but I am deeply committed to providing a healthy, positive, and engaging learning environment for future students.
I believe that with my academic background in biology alongside my desire to guide future students, I am able to help students overcome the intimidating subjects of sciences. With my lack of teaching and working with youth, I have had the pleasure of being involved in other opportunities that have allowed me to work with my peers instead through the organization of study groups, tutoring my peers in biology courses, and allowing my peers to feel comfortable and welcomed. I also mentored a lot of pre-dental students as a president of the dental club in college. I was able to guide multiple college-level students in discovering their passion and deepening their involvement in the dental community. I was able to help enhance their path in dentistry through the help of managing volunteer opportunities, dental admission test tutoring, and personal statement workshops. These were some of the mentoring I was fortunate enough to help with at my college which allowed me to experience teaching in my own unique ways. Despite not working with children or official teaching, I was able to grasp and understand some of the attributes that are required to be a teacher.
I am hoping this Masters in Science Education will allow me to pursue a career in being a dedicated educator in the field of science. This program will open up opportunities not only for myself but future generations of scientists. By learning to properly educate students as there are different approaches and methods, I will be able to help them see the beauty in science and not steer away from this intimidating subject. I am eager to learn all the different ways I am able to change the lives of the younger generations in the educational system. The experience that I will receive from this program is crucial in order to become the type of educator these students deserve. I will be able to further enhance my expertise, confidence, and passion in order to make an impact in the educational system. I am filled with excitement and a sense of purpose through this transformative journey. I continue to use my chemistry teacher’s remarks to fuel my love for the field and to remind me how an educator can impact your life. I hope to devote the rest of my life to helping these young curious students find the right path in life through positive and impactful ways.
My educational goal is to receive my Master’s in Science Education in order to become a high school educator, helping students explore their interests in college. I aim to serve as a teacher and mentor in a way they deserve by guiding students to discover their potential and future paths. I want them to realize their capabilities and encourage them to embrace their true selves, knowing they can achieve great things in life.
I was drawn to pursue a professional program in education science because science has always fascinated me deeply; it felt like the most significant purpose in life. It kept me searching for answers, and I knew others students were just as curious as I was. Education and science together made sense to what I should be contributing to towards the community. When I began my college career, I knew my focus had to revolve around science. Initially torn between choosing education and dentistry, I chose dentistry, believing it was the right path.
Despite dentistry involving teaching such as educating patients on oral health maintenance, addressing conditions, and developing treatment plans, it didn’t satisfy me as teaching would have. I never envisioned myself as a dentist and felt like I was forcing it to be my purpose. Even though I tried hard to pursue dentistry during my undergraduate studies, my heart wasn’t in the right place. I always thought, “I should be a teacher instead.” Now, I feel like I’m on the right path. If I had devoted myself to a career that didn’t align with my passion, I can’t imagine how much more I could give back when truly passionate about education.
The Master’s program in Science Education at Northwestern University is the best fit for me for several reasons. The program offers a flexible schedule, allowing part-time attendance while working. The clinical experience provides first hand teaching opportunities under teacher mentorship, providing the necessary skills to adapt to various learning methods and meet student needs. The university obtains a reputable faculty, research resources, and a supportive community that will help me achieve my career aspirations in education.
Throughout my educational journey, I’ve encountered various experiences within the education system, ranging from instances where expectations and promises were fulfilled to those where the system failed. One notable occurrence is when the educator is caring, empathetic, and goes above and beyond to ensure the students’ needs are met with proper support. I distinctly recall moments when my anatomy professor made sure I understood not only his class but other subjects in which I required aid, and he spent time learning in order to help me succeed. The dedication and willingness to help allowed for an environment where I felt cared for, valued, and respected. This motivated me to excel and strive to do my best in all classes.
Although there are many great experiences I have encountered, there have been times where there was inequality, broken promises, and a dent in the educational system. I horrifically remember an occurrence within my college organic chemistry course when I required assistance on a problem in which I was struggling. I was belittled as the professor stated I should know the material, even though we had just learned it, and left me feeling disheartened and unsupported. Rather than receiving guidance or being offered help during office hours, I was given harsh treatment, which was noticed by my peers. This experience was similar to my encounter in high school when my chemistry teacher made the taunting statement, “Areeba, you will live in your parents’ basement as they hose you with food and water.” Hearing this as a 17-year-old student in an environment that claims to be supportive, positive, and non-discriminating felt humiliating.
Despite these negative encounters, they served as a reminder of the responsibilities and duties I’d have as a future educator. I believe the good and bad experiences allowed me to pursue a graduate program in education because I want to be there for the kids such as my anatomy teacher, but in a different way from my organic chemistry and chemistry teacher. As I reflect on these experiences, I am reminded of the importance of a supportive and positive environment where students can feel respected and valued in order to succeed. Moving forward, I am fully committed to providing the same qualities that a teacher should embody, such as being empathetic, patient, and wanting to be involved in their development as a student.
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