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Mentoring
I work with high school students on Saturdays trying to educate them more on different scientific concepts like heart anatomy or blood typing. I have gone a step further in this activity by mentoring an 11th grade student. This one-on-one mentoring allows me to establish a more personal rapport with my mentee. I encourage him to go onto college, tutor him with his ACT/SAT, and talk to him about ways that he can grow as a human being within his own community. His dream is to become a pediatrician, so I keep him updated on my progress through the pre-medical education process. I talk to him about the mistakes I have made going through college, hoping he will not make the same mistakes.
MSA
I was elected treasurer
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of the organization for two years. This requires me to be a leader, to be responsible for a budget, and to keep track of the flow of monetary funds for the entire organization. The main goal of this organization is to promote Islamic awareness around campus. We organized a Hijab day, in which female students could wear the traditional Islamic headscarf for a day. We also conducted philanthropic events such as an “Eid Banquet” to help the Syrian Refugees, and a “Women in Islam” event to benefit Palestinian children. However, due to the recent terror attacks, our organization has made it a priority to spread the word of peace throughout campus. Transformative nature or meaningfulness of research: Every day I go to school, I work tirelessly in order to grow as a seeker of knowledge, as a scientist, and as a life-long learner both in and out of the classroom.
One of the most prominent ways in which I have done this, is through my research. Research transforms science, opens doors of inquisition, and allows man to explore concepts beyond what is written in a textbook. My research has put a lot of the concepts I learned in the classroom into perspective because I saw the applications first hand. While in the lab, I learned how to work in a team, under a supervisor, and independently. When I first came to the lab, I quickly realized there is a lot that I do not know. As I continue to gain more experience, I am able to read a complex paper, acquire a basic understanding of it, and able to pinpoint the parts that apply to my research. I think more critically about the content I read. I have gained a better insight into asking questions, creating experimental designs, and interpreting data in an efficient manner. In this way, this research experience has fostered my growth as a scientist. I personally have come to appreciate scientists who dedicate their lives to research in order to progress the development of humanity, and one day I hope to follow in their
footsteps.
My experiences with tutoring others has taught me that it satisfies me to help others understand and learn. As you teach others you learn about the different ways you handle situations and solve issues as well. I’ve always been the person that my classmates come up to for help, but it wasn’t till grade 10 until I officially started tutoring math, mainly Pre-Calculus 12. In grade 11, I continued tutoring, but this time I focused on a single individual, and that brought up challenges of creating a suitable relationship, that becomes the foundation for effective learning. This year, I took on a challenge, my teacher asked me to be a mentor towards a student with learning disabilities who was struggling with school. I
Through serving in various leadership roles, I reignited my passion for mentoring and fostering lasting relationships. Particularly as a science teaching assistant, I became a leader and counselor by teaching classes, utilizing metaphors to explain complex science, and encouraging others by relating to their struggles. Also, I discovered the importance of truly being in the moment by being receptive to others’ unvoiced problems. Most notably, this position taught me that we can all learn something new from each other as I experienced before with Abby. All these benefits incited me to create a mentorship program on my college campus that pairs accomplished seniors with younger students. As someone who entered college feeling unprepared, I felt it beneficial for others in similar situations to have a role model whom they can trust for encouragement and
One of the possible research topics I plan to undertake involves analyzing the impact that mentoring can have on the graduation success rate of African American males, particularly when the mentor is a Black male and the relationship takes place in the south. In my opinion, these relationships can have a profound impact on a student’s ability to persist towards graduating from college. Though my research, I want to hear the stories of Black males who have benefited from successful mentoring relationships with other Black men. I believe that establishing a strong mentoring relationship with Black males at a young age can greatly improve their chance of academic success. Furthermore, I believe that mentoring is a strong early intervention mechanism to prevent Black males from dropping out of high school and deterring them from pursuing degrees in higher education. At the same time, I would like my research interest to focus on African American males in the south, but I would like my scope to focus on mentoring relationships between black men; both structured and unstructured.
Throughout my life, I have found myself always striving to help others. This has been bestowed upon me since I was a young child. My brother, Justin was born with health problems. He had to be fed through his stomach from birth to he was five years of age. Because of Justin’s health conditions he was a lot smaller than kids his age. He was held back in school for a year and he was still eight inches shorter than the other kids in his class. With all of his ailments and his stature I felt that it was up to me, his big brother, to be there for him and defend him from anyone picking or ridiculing him. I later helped my mother teach second grade kids in Sunday school. This opened my eyes to a lot of learning diversities
In middle school, I felt limited by the lack of opportunity in my community, but I made due with what I had. I took it upon myself to volunteer my extra time to tutor other students who didn’t understand the material as well. Tutoring benefitted me as well, for
After joining however I quickly realized the difference I could make in someone’s life by simply donating a few hours of my time. The school children I mentor 2-3 times a week are one of the greatest delights. Many of them do not receive any one on one time with another individual except for when I am tutoring them. These children have such great potential if only their parents and other adults around them would take the time to see it. It fills me with great satisfaction knowing that I am making a difference in those who one day may be leading this
I often tell the story of how my mentors changed my life. For a long time, I was unsure about the direction I wanted to take my career. It was only when I had a long conversation with one of my mentors that I realized education was the right field for me. My mentors were also instrumental in changing my mindset about school, work, and life.
While I tutored middle school students, I taught them study skills that have always worked for me. This process allowed me to reflect upon my experience as a student at Rowland Hall, and I felt as if I could effectively help students because I had gone through the same situations that these students also encountered. As mentioned previously, I gained communication skills from my experience as a tutor because I had to quickly learn how to schedule tutoring sessions with students, parents, and teachers. Finally, from my volunteer service, I learned how to help my peers understand certain academic concepts. Early on in the process of volunteering, it became apparent to me that everyone learns in different ways.
Today’s young children are our next generation. I love to see how well they learn what you are teaching them, like when they learn to read. It is so exciting to them to be able to read! I still love to read to this day from being inspired by my elementary teachers. My teachers inspired me to be anything I wanted to be in life. I want to have an impact like that on someone’s life one day also.
I had such experience when volunteering on the “Growth Mindset Mentoring” programme. The aim of the programme was to change children’s attitudes towards homework. First, I had to create an optimal environment to work with children. We sat down in a school’s cafeteria; I brought games to break the ice. Then I talked to children individually about its opinion on homework, in order to make a personal appraisal of them. After that, I applied few strategies to enhance their motivation, which included speculating on future prospects without good grades and spent a while developing their time-management skills. I believe these tasks are somewhat similar to what organizational psychologist has to do –
By seeking and sharing knowledge. There is something to be said about being active and a continuous learner. However, what good is it by growing smarter if you
I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel an innate calling to be a mentor/teacher. From a very young age I was always the one tutoring my peers, leading study groups, making peace amongst my groups of friends, and coaching my pals through rough times. As I aged, my passions stayed the same, what changed was my ability to find a definition for them. This semester has presented me with some serious challenges, as far as deciding my path, and my future as an educator. Though I am certain that the schools are where I belong, I am actively trying to find my exact place within that system. I walked in this door as a future teacher, and I am walking out with much more than I anticipated. Though my core beliefs are ultimately unchanged, I now have a much larger scope, and broader understanding through which to view them. If there is one sure thing in life it is that children are our future, therefore raising them is truly one of the most important jobs in the world. Calderella, Adams, Valentine, and Young (2009) assert that children need positive relationships with adults for healthy development. Due to a shift family systems and social norms, children are experiencing less parental support, and are often discouraged from, and receive fewer opportunities to form natural mentoring relationships with adults. Parents count on us, educators, mentors, and support staff, to provide their children with love, compassion, and a safe place (both physically, and emotionally) while they are in our care. They look to us to teach their children, not only how to read and write, but also to teach them self-respect, self-confidence, and self-trust. They expect us to provide their children with the tools they will need to be successful in life. ...
“Education is the key!! Always remember that”. These are the words that my mother said to me at a very early age. Getting an education was like receiving a gold nugget, but not to keep for myself. Once I received it, it was my duty to reach back and help someone else to see the value. As I continued on my journey of receiving gold nuggets, I came across many individuals, and situations that either did not value gold nuggets (an education), did not value reaching back to show others the value (mentoring), or valued gold nuggets, but only for certain individuals, while others feel like second class (suburban schools vs. urban/rural schools). It is 2015 and there is still a universal divide among our schools and communities overall.
My first mentor, Kelly Thomas, was a kindergarten teacher at the American Leadership Academy in Gilbert, Arizona. I had only interned for her once a week for a semester. Mrs. Thomas students had parents who were very supportive of them and she would remind me to communicate with parents daily. My second mentor, Ashlee Durant, was a special education preschool teacher. From her, I learned patience, and understanding. Teaching with young children who had special needs was a challenge. Patience with any child is necessary, but making sure not to raise my voice, and to count up to ten in my head before assuming a child does not know an answer, is essential. These two mentors gave me a great beginning on what to take into my field of study, but I feel that I did not really begin to feel like a teacher until I was a full-time student
I spent most of my time in a first grade classroom. In this classroom I observed the children as well as the teacher and paraprofessional. This classroom had children with special needs and that is why there was a paraprofessional in the classroom for half the day. What I observed in this classroom was how children with special need should be handle and taught. The teachers in this room loves her job and each student in her class. While in the classroom the teacher allowed me to help with children with their work, read to them and help them with anything else that they needed. During this field experience I got to give back to not only a school, but to a community that is very near and dear to my heart. I hope that I touched each student in a special way, because the students that I got the opportunity to help learn touched my