Personal Statement : Teaching Statement

I’ve always loved children and helping to care for them, and the opportunity to be a teaching assistant in SMIC’s annual summer camp in 2013 was perfect for me. I’ve always loved babysitting, but actually being able to teach seemed fun and different. For two weeks of July, along with the teacher I was assigned to, I helped teach basic English to eight year-olds from local Chinese schools. Although they could be rowdy or annoying at times, I grew fond of these kids and they of me. I learned to be patient with these children and not get irritated at what I thought were simple words or phrases. I discovered that teaching younger children was not only about teaching them the content in their textbooks, but also caring for them and helping them grow mentally. Situations like breaking up

Secondly, I want to make an influence on the new students like my teaching assistants for Workshop I and II has influenced me. To be honest, before taking Workshop I, I

Hearing the word “teaching” makes me think about something great, such as dedication and contribution. In my opinion, teaching means sharing everything positive to others in order to develop those people, such as knowledge and moral values. Even conveying light advice and motivation can be counted as a worthy lesson. By teaching, the teacher also can obtain a lot of benefits. Firstly, teacher may obtain knowledge that she or he did not know before from the students. Secondly, teacher’s communication skill may be improved by doing intensive interaction with the students. Lastly, teacher may get many psychological values, such as patience, passion, joy, and satisfaction. Considering those benefits, I would like to take every opportunity to teach.

On May 27, 2011, I sat in the crowd of thousands of people waiting to see the cheer from the football field. No, this wasn’t a professional football game, or even a college game. This was the graduation and commissioning of 1000 men and women from the United States Naval Academy. As the covers of all the former midshipmen went into the air, and the crowd went wild, I stood in awe, speechless. Even as an 11 year old boy, I knew that I wanted to be that young man standing on the ten yard line, in an immaculate white uniform, jumping up and down and hugging his buddy next to him. As I read stories and biographies of men like Marcus Luttrell and Chris Kyle, some of the most courageous men in the world, I realized my calling in life. I was to be an officer in the United States Navy.

My decision to be a teacher did not come easily to me. This choice was dependent on a reflection about what I was passionate about and how I could make a difference. I have chosen to become a teacher, as I believe teachers have the ability to provide future generations the stimulation for one of the most significant roles in life; to become a lifelong learner. Many teachers that I have had during my education have had a positive impact on my decision to grow and develop the skills that are fundamental to pursue a successful teaching career. My aim is to be a part of an honorable profession with the optimism that one day I will become an efficacious teacher who can provide future teachers with inspiration, as my teachers have provided for me. Through personal educational experiences and peer-reviewed academic literature, I am able to shape my approach to my pre-service teaching, as it will influence my future practice. As a teacher, there is not just one singular approach to educating students; there is a need for flexibility, diversity, adaptation and reflection.

This class has overall been one of my favorite classes that I have taken over the past four years five years at DeSales. I learned more than I expected and have implemented some of these learned lessons towards simple excel calculations into my work at my job. For my chosen project, I decided to take a look at one of my hobbies. During my senior year I took a personal finance and discussed with one of my professors about my collection of trading cards. The result of this conversation, had me start thinking about the overall value of my collection for insurance purposes and if I ever sold the collection.

As a young student my goal was to fly under the radar going unnoticed. However, time combined with life experiences changed my perspective and I am now very motivated to cultivate my academic skills to reach my full potential. Although I was smarter than most of my peers, as a product of growing up in lower income neighborhoods I was becoming as Rose puts it “ One of those rough-hewn intellectuals whose sources are a mix of the learned and the apocryphal” (3). In other words I was one of those intellectuals who was rough around the edges and my sources were limited to what I figured out along with being doubtful. The more time went by, the more I learned that I was in charge of the outcome of my life, and that I didn’t have to follow the path that was laid before me that so many of my friends and family had taken.

As a Case Manager and Educator, I am self-motivated with helping kids, elderly, and people with disabilities from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, who voices are unheard and often are ignored. I have made it a personal mission; By joining DFPS to assure that each person lives in a safe environment but have an opportunity to thrive and have an equal chance to live like others. I feel the proper approach to making sure this happens is by addressing their needs in a holistic manner. Having worked in direct services for twenty plus years as a Case Manager mainly in non-profits organizations and in the has provided me the opportunity live out my dreams by helping people to narrow their barriers to an unhealthy and unsafe environment.

I have wanted to work in the medical field since I was little girl, but just recently grew sure in what I specifically wanted to do. I have chosen to pursue a career in healthcare administration. I know that that there are a lot of preparations to do to get there, but I know that I can make it. My decision to attend Kaplan University is just one of many steps to take to achieve my goal. Kaplan is going to help me to earn the degree I need, but I am the only one in control of the personality traits and skills I need to obtain the position I seek. In this paper I will address all of these things including where I see myself in 5 years.

I have learnt many concepts that could be implemented and helpful for my career. Some of those include reading articles, preparing for class in advance, understanding the components of IT infrastructure and operations and challenges involved in management and governance. How information systems and business intelligence and analytics supports in management decision making. After a few classes I was enthusiastic to experience the activities that are going to happen in the upcoming class.

For most of my life I have worked with children as a teacher, camp counselor, mentor, nanny, and program director. Years ago, I decided I wanted to create afterschool programs for students. I have seen within my community the effects of drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and delinquency among our youth. Since we live on an island, most adolescents live in rural areas and if you are not involved in sports or surfing, there isn’t much to do; which is why many get involved in drug usage, sexual promiscuity, and delinquent behavior. An afterschool program could provide our youth the means to have access to tutoring, provide guidance and mentorship, opportunities to participate in art, dance, and gardening, all within a fun, safe environment where they

My first recollection of paid employment was as a paperboy. I remember walking my neighborhood saving money to purchase a bike, with the intention of accelerating my work hours and allowing for an efficient work model. During high school I worked as a counselor at the town summer camp. My work experiences paled in comparison to my peers, as I was absorbed in athletics and most specifically soccer. In retrospect I regret not seeking various forms of employment during my teenage years as I feel that I would have developed a positive identity of work.

When I took my USC tour before my freshman year, I fell in love with the campus and became very interested in exploring all the opportunities presented by the ambassador. I fell in love with the beauty of the Horseshoe and greatly appreciated the generosity and politeness of the people I met. I want to inspire prospective students to fall in love with USC as I did. I would also like to explore this opportunity to develop as a person and make good friends in the process. It gives me great pride to tell people I attend the University of South Carolina and cheer on my team at every football game. When people ask me why I went to school so far away, I generally stick to three answers. The weather is great, the sports are amazing, and the people who comprise the University are fantastic.

I write in pursuit of becoming a teaching assistant for EG-1003 beginning this fall. I seek this position wishing to further develop my skills in communication and collaboration. Furthermore, I would admire watching student creativity in action when they work in the labs and interacting with others when helping them solve problems. I believe my previous experience and personality enable me to be an effective teaching assistant.

My case study student is a 5th grader in Mrs. Helm’s classroom. Her name is Imani. She started school at U.S. Jones approximately a month ago. She moved to Demopolis from the state of Kentucky. In her first few days at U.S. Jones I noticed that she was very reserved. She did not want any attention directed to her. She would do the assigned work but did not want to answer any questions aloud or go to the board. When Imani moved to Demopolis, her previous school did not send any paper work or test scores with her. So the school system had no idea what educational background she had. I have over heard Imani tell her classmates that she is supposed to be in the 6th grade; no one has mentioned this to me so I am unsure of what