Prompt: Your program is also interested in knowing your goals, particularly in relation to the program you are applying to.In 500 words or more list your objectives for pursuing this program. How will this help you meet your personal, professional, and academic goals? What is your philosophical perspective about the program? What do you hope to accomplish professionally in the next five years? Ten years?
Program: Master of Arts in Teaching (faith based institution)
Draft: What resonates most with me about the field of education is that it emphasizes the potential of each student. Every child has unique gifts and abilities, and teachers are in a position to both notice and nurture these qualities. Personally, I have been significantly shaped by teachers who took time to notice my talents, worked with me to develop my skills, and advocated for me. I did well with coursework in elementary and middle school, but my teachers also worked with me on communication and empathy. I learned that it is one thing to know the subject- it is another thing entirely to stop, notice when someone else needs help, and work with them so they, too, can discover the answers. For example, with the Pathfinders I work with at church, I ask them first to describe their understanding of the topic. Once I know where the student is coming from, it helps me figure out what questions to ask the student and what resources I can point them to. This way, not only am I helping the student with the current task, but I am equipping them with skills to conduct their own research and find their own answers, which are critical both inside and outside the academic setting.
My background is in accounting, which has taught me to track details carefully and recognize patterns. These abilities are crucial when monitoring student progress, whether academic, social, or personal. I also deeply enjoy working with children, providing them with an encouraging environment to explore new ideas, make mistakes, and create solutions. The individualized Master of Arts in Teaching program will provide me with the formal training I need to begin to grow into an effective educator. I will also be able to develop my skills in my desired content area of history. History is, ultimately, the study of people. With the study of history, students learn what events and belief systems shaped different societal groups, and how those groups used that information to act in ways that would create further change, for both themselves and the groups within their reach. History helps students understand why people in different parts of the world hold their current beliefs and attitudes, and why they make the decisions they do, even if the students personally disagree. The ability to see another person's point of view and articulate it respectfully, without ridicule or generalization, is a vital skill that grows students academically, morally, and spiritually.
After I complete the individualized MAT program, in five years I see myself working with upper elementary or middle schoolers. I will use teaching skills and strategies that I learned during the program, adjusting them to fit both my classes as a whole and individual students. I will continually seek professional development in both education and history, sharpening my understanding of my content area and creating new ways to help my students both understand the subject's significance and advance their own skills. In ten years, I see myself remaining dedicated to work in the classroom, partnering with staff and parents to ensure that student needs are identified and supported holistically. I also want to contribute to the broader educational community, working to help design curriculum that is comprehensive and thorough, yet also interactive and accessible to students with various learning styles and abilities. The subjects learned in the classroom introduce students to society, the natural world, and the world to come. These must all be experienced, analyzed, and wrestled with in thoughtful applications, not only written down and memorized.
Education is not merely a career. It is one of the most significant charges any person can carry. Educators are not only responsible for teaching lessons, assigning homework, and grading tests. It is also their duty to help students identify and develop their gifts, understand how communities function and interact with each other, learn to disagree gracefully and intelligently, and provide them with the strategies and opportunities they need to reach their highest potential. I want to enter the field of education and share this responsibility, as my teachers did, creating a space where students feel comfortable enough to explore new concepts, correct their mistakes, and try again.
Program: Master of Arts in Teaching (faith based institution)
Draft: What resonates most with me about the field of education is that it emphasizes the potential of each student. Every child has unique gifts and abilities, and teachers are in a position to both notice and nurture these qualities. Personally, I have been significantly shaped by teachers who took time to notice my talents, worked with me to develop my skills, and advocated for me. I did well with coursework in elementary and middle school, but my teachers also worked with me on communication and empathy. I learned that it is one thing to know the subject- it is another thing entirely to stop, notice when someone else needs help, and work with them so they, too, can discover the answers. For example, with the Pathfinders I work with at church, I ask them first to describe their understanding of the topic. Once I know where the student is coming from, it helps me figure out what questions to ask the student and what resources I can point them to. This way, not only am I helping the student with the current task, but I am equipping them with skills to conduct their own research and find their own answers, which are critical both inside and outside the academic setting.
My background is in accounting, which has taught me to track details carefully and recognize patterns. These abilities are crucial when monitoring student progress, whether academic, social, or personal. I also deeply enjoy working with children, providing them with an encouraging environment to explore new ideas, make mistakes, and create solutions. The individualized Master of Arts in Teaching program will provide me with the formal training I need to begin to grow into an effective educator. I will also be able to develop my skills in my desired content area of history. History is, ultimately, the study of people. With the study of history, students learn what events and belief systems shaped different societal groups, and how those groups used that information to act in ways that would create further change, for both themselves and the groups within their reach. History helps students understand why people in different parts of the world hold their current beliefs and attitudes, and why they make the decisions they do, even if the students personally disagree. The ability to see another person's point of view and articulate it respectfully, without ridicule or generalization, is a vital skill that grows students academically, morally, and spiritually.
After I complete the individualized MAT program, in five years I see myself working with upper elementary or middle schoolers. I will use teaching skills and strategies that I learned during the program, adjusting them to fit both my classes as a whole and individual students. I will continually seek professional development in both education and history, sharpening my understanding of my content area and creating new ways to help my students both understand the subject's significance and advance their own skills. In ten years, I see myself remaining dedicated to work in the classroom, partnering with staff and parents to ensure that student needs are identified and supported holistically. I also want to contribute to the broader educational community, working to help design curriculum that is comprehensive and thorough, yet also interactive and accessible to students with various learning styles and abilities. The subjects learned in the classroom introduce students to society, the natural world, and the world to come. These must all be experienced, analyzed, and wrestled with in thoughtful applications, not only written down and memorized.
Education is not merely a career. It is one of the most significant charges any person can carry. Educators are not only responsible for teaching lessons, assigning homework, and grading tests. It is also their duty to help students identify and develop their gifts, understand how communities function and interact with each other, learn to disagree gracefully and intelligently, and provide them with the strategies and opportunities they need to reach their highest potential. I want to enter the field of education and share this responsibility, as my teachers did, creating a space where students feel comfortable enough to explore new concepts, correct their mistakes, and try again.
