DIRECTIONS:
Your application must include a Statement of Purpose of approximately 500 words indicating your purposes and objectives in undertaking graduate study, your special interests and plans, and your strengths and weakness in your chosen field. In reviewing applications, considerable importance is placed on the applicant's relevant experience as well as his or her interest in and commitment to advanced study and professional development.
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Life's meaning is not defined by its length or the material abundance that one can acquire, but by its richness and wonder. As I age, many things in my life have changed. But one thing remains constant: I insist on doing what I am passionate about and hope that my endeavors can be valuable to others.
From the time I was fourteen, I have been working with children in multiple settings. I started off as a summer camp counselor, responsible for nurturing children's self-esteem and assisting them in their personal development. I quickly discovered that working with children was my passion. During the school year, I then began babysitting for numerous families and my reputation as one of the most trustworthy and engaging childcare providers in town grew. Soon after, I began tutoring children after school, and continued to work as a camp counselor for four consecutive summers as high school continued.
These experiences ignited my passion to educate children and pursue my bachelor's degree in early childhood education at Florida Atlantic University. While working towards my bachelor's degree, I began teaching an after-school enrichment program to gain more experience with children and supplement my income to afford my education. This experience allowed me to create a dynamic connection with my students to make their learning a much more entertaining process rather than a perplexing thought. My undergraduate education has given me a solid grounding, ensuring proficiency in reading, writing, communicating, calculating, and problem-solving, as well as field experience.
After graduating from Florida Atlantic University, I immediately began teaching kindergarten in a school based on a Multiple Intelligence philosophy [Gardner, H. (1983,1993)] and the belief that learning is an individual process. In turn, I learned to teach for understanding and not just test scores, and gained skills that could not be acquired in a traditional lecture hall or course.
As I was teaching, I took on the role of becoming a volunteer for The Friendship Circle, which is a non-profit organization that provides support to the families of individuals with behavior disorders and special needs. I became inspired working with children and thrived off of making a difference in their lives. I then became a mentor for Big Brother Big Sister Volunteer Program, where I provide guidance to children and I assist helping them reach their full potential. Through this experience, my character improved as I learned the importance of withholding judgment. Rather than jumping to the ignorant conclusion that these children's behavior I was encountering was due to personality flaws, I explored the possibility that perhaps it was I who was lacking. Thus, I sought to better educate myself concerning these children and other factors that were potentially causing their misbehavior.
In the future, I want to work directly with children who have behavioral disorders. My relevant experiences working with children aside from being personally rewarding, has also been a valuable learning experience. It has not only contributed to the development of my interest in this field, but has also better prepared me for my intended career path. I envision myself creating learning environments for children with exceptional learning needs while incorporating cultural understanding, positive social communication, and dynamic engagement. I plan to promote and advocate for children with exceptional learning needs across a wide range of settings and a range of different learning experiences.
Hunter College is my sole choice for further development in childhood special education focusing on behavior disorders. I bring with me a solid academic foundation in early childhood education. I have discovered the unique learning needs of exceptional students. I have knowledge of theories and principles of psychology in the classroom, and I am educated about the instructional practices involving behavioral and cognitive approaches to learning. I am committed to developing the highest potential of exceptional individuals.
Hello,
That was a very well written essay.
I would suggest that you state why you want to go to the university earlier. They say that this is very important so I would work it in from the beginning.
I would suggest that after the very first paragraph you add a "Thesis" statement stating why you want to go there. EX: I love working with children and believe that the program at your university will be very will suited to help me achieve this goal" or something like this.
Then add in other sentences in each paragragh to reinforce this. I would add these sentences in at the end of the paragraph so it sticks in their mind.
Other than that it was a great essay. If you stick just a little more to the guidlines and make sure they understand from the beginning why you want to go there I think it will be a great essay.
Hope this helped
