The role of an educator is something I have pursued throughout my life. While I never desired to teach a core subject in a traditional school setting I have sought in my life other opportunities to work in such a capacity. For me, my primary interest in audiology stems that this profession would allow me to serve as an educator to individuals with hearing loss as well as their families and the community at large. While this aspect of audiology has become more apparent as I have gone through coursework, I first discovered this essential function when I was fourteen years old. Prior to this point in my life I had never heard of an ‘audiologist’ but my own circumstances of developing progressive hearing loss facilitated my introduction to it.
At a young age, I witnessed my younger brother lodge an eraser in his ear and later have it removed by a doctor. A year later he had tubes inserted and a year or so after that, I saw those tubes fall out of his head. Besides thinking that my younger brother was really a robot with metal parts falling out of his brain, it was where my fascination of the human ear began. Since then I’ve helped my grandfather and father with their hearing aids, especially replacing the small batteries which was difficult for their large farmers’ hands. I’ve also observed my older sister, an Audiologist in California, for two weeks as she worked with patients, letting me do hearing aid cleanings, help with sales, file patient records, observe ear molds being
Hearing loss is a major global public health issue. Hearnet (2017) defines hearing loss as “a disability that occurs when one or more parts of the ear and/or the parts of the brain that make up the hearing pathway do not function normally” (para. 1). There are many different types of hearing loss, which can have multiple causes, giving each individual experiencing the issue a unique hearing loss case. These types include Auditory Processing Disorders, when the brain has problems processing sound information; Conductive Hearing Loss, a problem with the outer or middle ear which prevents sound making its way to the inner ear; and Sensorineural Hearing Loss, when the Cochlea or auditory nerve is damaged and cannot
I'm so excited to be taking accelerated English in your class this year! I've heard so many good things about you and your class. I'm not going to lie though, I'm more of a math and science person than an English person. I feel that this year with a fun class, I'll be able to accelerate in English.
One objective of pediatric audiology is to estimate hearing thresholds so that hearing loss can be identified, quantified, and remediated during critical language-learning years. Although the goal is to closely estimate hearing thresholds, not all infants and children are able to provide behavioral responses that are close to threshold. Because audiologic test methods may not result in threshold estimates, Matkin (1977) coined the term Minimum Response Level (MRL), which is now widely used in the field of pediatric audiology. Matkin recommended using the term MRL to refer to audiologic behavioral responses obtained from pediatric clients when using techniques such as visual reinforcement audiometry “…until the reliability and the validity of the initial test findings are evaluated over time” (pg. 130). The use of the term MRL, according to Matkin, implies that the response behaviors may not be audiometric thresholds but may improve with the child’s maturation. Matkin provided an example, from an unpublished pilot study, when responses may not be indicative of audiometric thresholds. He stated that if a child is “actively involved in a play activity, response levels tended to be 20 to 30 dB poorer than those obtained when there was no sensory input competition”. Karzon (2007) mirrors this definition by recommending that MRLs be used, to represent the “best” response obtained rather than a threshold, when stimulus-response control is not achieved during visual reinforcement audiology (VRA) and/or conditioned play audiometry (CPA).
I was trusted, at my audiology placement, to explain the results of audiograms, counsel patients and caregivers about their hearing aids during the initial fittings and follow-up appointments, and to inform about various strategies to improve communication. Spending time with clients, making them feel at ease, and assisting with their inquiries in person and on the phone was a responsibility I enjoyed immensely. The Audiologist commented
I am interested in being granted the “St. George’s Scholarship” because it will allow me to expand my education. I wish to one day become a Speech Language Pathologist. In order to do so I must finish my Bachelors degree of Arts in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology and eventually enter a Speech and Language Sciences Master’s degree program. This will allow me to broaden my education with speech language disorders. As an aspiring speech and language Pathologist, I wish to improve patient’s communication skills, while also reducing social isolation that may accompany someone with a speech disorder. Currently, I am pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology as well as minoring in Developmental Disabilities.
Growing up, I have always known that I wanted to work in the education field. I believe helping students learn and grow is my purpose in life. I believe the purpose of education is to see students develop and grow. I believe the role of the student is to come to school and learn new information that they can apply to their lives. I believe the role of the paraprofessional is to be the assistant for the teacher and provide assistance to the students. I believe the community plays a major role in education, especially the parents and guardians. They are a part of their child 's education and provide support for them when they need it most. Education is not going away anytime soon, so we need to look at what education
An interest in the field of speech-language pathology was ignited in my mind and my heart at the young age of 9. It was career day in Mrs. Garrett’s third grade class and our school speech pathologist was speaking to the class about her profession. I knew at that moment that this was my calling. I was fortunate to have a support system that focused on helping my passion flourish, so my wonderful teacher arranged for me to spend a week with our school speech pathologist, during this time I was able to see how she helped students communicate. During high school, I was given the opportunity to spend two days per week volunteering with the elementary school speech-pathologist in our district. These experiences continued to shape my goals and dreams for the future. Unfortunately, my dreams soon came crashing down around me. As I prepared to apply for college, I realized that my parents had spent my entire college fund during a financial hardship. I was devastated by the setback, but decided to attend a community college instead, planning to transfer after two years. During my time at community college, I faced yet another setback, my parents were getting a divorce and soon I found myself without a place to live. Consequently, my grades and GPA suffered as I bounced
There is so much I can learn from this career. I can learn how to use and maintain the equipment. I can learn different ways of helping people. I can learn so much about this career and gain an abundance of knowledge and experience throughout the years I enjoy working with people, and children. I want to make a difference in as many lives as I am able too. I would love to become an audiologist for many different reasons, most of all, for the challenges I will face and hope to conquer.
When deciding on my major, I knew there were two criterias: I did not want an office job and I wanted to have a positive effect on someone's life. I needed a job that would not leave me burnt out and sad, but instead show me that I'm making improvement in a patient that needs help with something so many take for granted. Being able to talk is something that normally comes naturally and is just expected. Being able to help with such complications and seeing my patient grow will be one of the most rewarding feelings. I also realize that speech does more than just help speech impediments but also swallowing studying and cognitive thinking. By going to Misericordia’s Speech Language Pathology camp over the summer I even learned that a Speech pathologist
Becoming an educator for such an important career is not an easy task and requires a lot from those who are looking into pursuing it. It will take a lot of time and dedication to figure out what one specifically wants to do. It is a lot of pressure knowing that pursuing a career as an educator will put one
Going into the teaching profession was very natural for me. I want to make an impact on students lives and outlooks, and for me, there is no better way to do that than to become a teacher. As a future Special Education teacher, I truly believe that every student, no matter their ability, is capable of successfully learning, you just have to find a way to teach them. I work to get to know each of my students, as an individual and make them feel comfortable in my classroom. It is so important for me to find the way my students learn best and utilize their learning style in my classroom. I also always show my students how great their potential is and constantly motivate them to always do their best. I am unique from other teachers because I am
Through my own experiences, and as enforced by others' opinions in the profession, I have found that teaching is one of the most rewarding careers. Not only are you placed in the position of instructing and guiding children and young adults through the life long learning process, but you are able to give back to the schools and communities which have supported your early education and experiences that opened you up to a bright future. In becoming an educator, I hope to someday share the knowledge and lend the helping, supportive hand that I was once given, allowing students to formulate their own perspectives of the multicultural society and world around them. Teaching is a career I have been interested in pursuing throughout high school, and as my experiences and study in the field expands, I feel that my desire to teach will grow stronger and develop more soundly.
Teaching is a complex occupation that requires as much empathy and emotion as it does educational skill. I had always dreamed of becoming a teacher, and realized after having my own children, that I would not truly be fulfilling my purpose in life if I did not pursue this dream. As a volunteer at the elementary school in my community, I loved the environment and took tremendous joy in watching the children learn. I felt that I had the ability, along with the dedication and desire, it would take to become a full time educator. To achieve this goal I will strive to give my students a positive beginning, provide confidence in their individual abilities, and prepare them for different aspects in life.
Teaching is a daunting task that I do not intend to take lightly. Becoming a teacher has been a dream of mine for several years. I always knew that teaching would be the career for me, especially when I began working in the school system as a substitute secretary. I loved working in the school environment; coming in contact with children everyday made me realize how much I would enjoy teaching a classroom full of students.