I am extremely excited to begin my journey in becoming a licensed teacher in both special education and elementary education. Here at Bridgewater State, I am currently double majoring in elementary education and history, however I hope to participate in the Dual Licensure Program. The program leads to initial licensure in both special and elementary education, and upon completion, I would receive a masters in special education in five years.
As a student at Bridgewater State University, I hope that I can broaden and strengthen my mind; I would like to challenge myself to continue to think outside of the box. I would also like to obtain new perspectives on ideas for which I already have opinions.
I have desired to be a teacher since ninth grade. At first, I thought I was going to be a history teacher in high school; however, over time I realized I adore working with children. I currently have a job as a teacher's assistant at Extended Day, an after school program in my hometown, where children go immediately after dismissal while their parents are still at work. Through this job, I learned that being a role model for children is very rewarding. I found that being able to reach out to children on an emotional and intellectual level is also a fantastic reward. I believe that children are the foundation of our society, therefore I believe that education, specifically elementary education plays a crucial role in shaping the minds of society's future leaders. As an elementary school teacher, I hope to leave my students with the ability to think for themselves, and the desire to learn.
Five topics:
One topic I am very adiment about the difference between receiving a "learning" versus receiving an"education." Working at Extended Day along with my educational experience here at Bridgewater State, I have come to see that students don't fully comprehend the fast amount of knowledge they are given throughout their school careers, thus they are not able to apply their education to their life. The problem with schools now a days is that the teachers rarely instill in their students the desire to be educated; instead teachers simply teach students what will be on the test, and force them to memorize facts so as to make themselves look spectacular teachers. However, this bores and aggravates students, thus they have no desire to comprehend and utilize their education.
I am also very interested in the effect the use of technology has on forming strong, social relationships. Everywhere I go, I see people fully engulfed in their iPhones or smartphones while they are in large group settings. No one really makes an attempt to make contact with people surrounding them, and instead they remained glued to their phones. I believe that technology has a detrimental effect on social relationships.
Gun control is a very interesting and controversial topic that has recently struck my intrigue. As a future teacher, I was heart broken from the Sandyhook Elementary School shooting tragedy. Since this tragedy occurred, the issue of gun control has become a very heated debate: should we still have the right to bear arms? Does putting guns in the hands of people actually cause more violence?
Another topic I feel strongly about is the overpricing of college. As a college student and individual struggling to find a job, this issue really resonates with me. The cost to attend college and receive an fantastic education is outrageous. I come from a town which is home to many affluent families that can afford the large, expensive universities. However, my family really does not fall into this category. It is a struggle to pay for a state school let alone a private college. During a visit to my high school over break, a group of previous seniors were talking to the current seniors about the college process; we discussed things like the application process, how to figure out which school is the best choice, and so on. One of the graduated seniors said that when choosing a school, "You shouldn't worry about the financial issues. If your dream school is an expensive private school, by all means put that deposit down!" Clearly, this individual comes from one of the stereotypical affluent families, however there are others in different towns who cannot take that approach. Many students have to put aside their dream of attending their favorite school because of the cost, and instead they have to choose a more financially sound school. College should not be so overpriced.
Lastly, I believe that abortion is wrong. I come from a religious background, and thus I believe that it is immoral to kill anything or anyone that has a life. Life begins upon conception, therefore aborting a pregnancy is the equivalent to taking an innocent life.
