Personal statement for non degree study at Hunter College School of Education

The prompt: A brief statement (250 words) describing your interest in pursuing non-degree graduate study at the School of Education. Applicants who plan to apply to matriculate in a graduate program should indicate their program of interest.

My Statement:
I am eager to pursue non-degree graduate study at Hunter College School of Education to deepen my understanding of effective teaching methodologies, particularly in the area of language instruction. My passion for education and language learning has led me to explore new ways to teach English to beginner-level learners, and I am excited about the opportunity to learn from experienced educators and researchers. By engaging in non-degree study, I hope to refine my teaching approach, build a solid academic foundation, and enhance my capacity to support learners from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Through this program, I aim to expand my knowledge of instructional design, learner engagement, and assessment strategies. I am especially interested in how modern pedagogical approaches can be adapted to meet the diverse needs of English learners. Currently, I create educational content aimed at teaching English, and I believe that by enhancing my expertise through graduate-level courses, I can develop more effective and inclusive teaching materials that can address a wide range of learning styles and backgrounds.

In the future, I plan to apply to the Master's program in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) to formalize my training and gain deeper insights into language acquisition. Engaging in non-degree study will allow me to explore my interests in this field while preparing for eventual matriculation into a graduate program. I am confident that this experience will not only sharpen my skills as an educator but also lay the groundwork for my continued academic and professional growth in the field of education, particularly in teaching English as a second or additional language.

Since this is a personal statement, you can go beyond just your future plans or present skills requirement. It is possible for you to discuss your experience as an educator at this point and the pitfalls that you have experienced during the teaching sessions which led to your desire to pursue this course of study. Convince the reviewer that you have a solid professional and academic foundation that relates to the study you have chosen to pursue. It will help make your future plans more believable and understandable to the the reviewers. Your idealism is admirable and your plans for the future are good. However, without the tie up with your previous experiences or background, the question becomes do you have the foundation with which to complete the course?

I have no doubt that the non-degree programs at Hunter College will enable me to accomplish my career goals and improve as an instructor. I am appreciative of the chance to be taken into consideration and eager to develop and contribute to the Hunter College learning community.