While attending high school, I always enjoyed volunteering at a school close to my home. During my time there, I encountered a diverse group of children. A girl caught my attention due to her aggressive behavior. The young girl was always getting into physical altercations because she was very defensive, especially towards the boys. I took it upon myself to advise her when I was volunteering in her class. I gave this young girl my ears and she was able to open up to me. She explained to me that she always felt as if she had to defend herself because of her situation at home. She lived with her aunt and uncle (her guardians) where domestic violence impacted the household. She opened up to me because of the empathy that I demonstrated to her. This young girl inspired me to take action in helping other children that are in the same situation. I decided to study at University of Illinois in Chicago to become an elementary teacher because I thought it was the only way I could reach out to children and adolescents.
As I further my career path, I continued volunteering as a catechist teacher for the Blessed Sacrament Parish to gain teaching skills. Although I enjoyed educating students, I felt that I had something more to offer within another field. A student helped me realize that the career path I was in was not the right one because I would easily become frustrated with her. I would focus on educating the materials instead of getting to know my students. I lost my passion for helping children and teenagers until she revealed to me how domestic violence impacted her life. From then on, I started advising her after and before classes. I kept in contacted with her to give her support and resources she needed to overcome this part of...
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...ls, but also to improve my leadership skills that I have within me.
Through this program, there will be hard times, but I have the determination to complete the program. I have the strength to expand my knowledge because of my family. As a Latina, it has always been instilled in me the importance of obtaining an education. My parents always told me that an education was one of the greatest treasures that they could give me and that it could never be taken away from me. My education will help me stay strong in any obstacles that I encounter. So I want to further my education by obtaining my masters, I always remember their words of inspiration because it drives my determination to overcome anything. This determination will help stay through the rigorous demands during my graduate study. My motivation and my family will help me push myself in accomplishing my degree.
As a college student, I often find myself inundated with work. To make it worse, these assignments usually are uninteresting and irrelevant. It is in the midst of these tedious exercises that I begin to wonder whether all of this work is worth it. When this issue creeps into my mind, I think back to my reasons for choosing to pursue this profession. When I started college, I knew that I could not function in a typical nine to five job. The banality and predictability of such a career simply did not appeal to me. So that essentially ruled out any course of study which would lead to such an occupation. I also knew that I wanted a job that would allow me to make a difference in people’s lives. My mind carefully contemplated the list of possible vocations, and ultimately the field of education seemed to possess the strongest appeal. A teaching career, I figured, would allow me to have a strong impact on the lives of young people. I wanted to help them grow both as students and as people, just as my teachers had done for me. So, despite the warnings of many current teachers, I enlisted myself in a curriculum devoted to teacher preparation.
...in being successful in my counseling. The final area in which I identified is obtaining more knowledge on the effects of abuse. This is critical when reaching out to others in their time of need. In order to provide a comfortable environment for someone to share freely, one must truly feel safe and free. My previous preconceived notions no longer obstruct my ability to reason and understand. Domestic violence is an unspoken epidemic where countless women live in silence because they have been faced with people who just don’t understand. To put it more accurately people who just don’t want to understand. As before mentioned often it is through someone else’s pain that we can subtly begin to see the good. My own personal pains have offorded me such an opportunity. With my continued growth I can only remain optimistic about the counseling which is yet to come.
I grew up with people who helped for a living. My mom’s job was helping girls that had got themselves into trouble and needed help, that is when I learned as a toddler, that helping is what I wanted to do. I soon got into elementary school and I was a big helper. I still am. Last year I was in Mrs. Harkabus’ class and had the greatest opportunity
Volunteering at a children’s crisis treatment facility, volunteering with Special Olympics, coaching children’s sports teams for 10 years and working as a substitute education assistant has increased my understanding of childhood development. Grandmound Elementary School provides me with opportunities to strengthen my leadership and collaboration skills, through teaching art (as a volunteer) to the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade and serving as PTA president. I was able to implement many enriching opportunities for students in areas of art, science, and reading. I learned to work as a team, set targets, achieve goals, give and receive guidance. Participating in these activities has confirmed that working with families and particularly children are my purpose.
The frequency of women who had been abused as children was much greater than we had thought. We soon had 4 groups and more than 50 names on a waiting list. I learned about the tremendous cost of keeping the family secret. I learned of the emotional pain that can result from feeling different. As an educator I was appalled at my previous lack of awareness of the consequences of abuse. I vowed to somehow assist in giving a voice to those survivors who can teach us what it was to live with abuse and how to help today's
There are several populations that interest me however possible preferences include families that deal with domestic abuse and those who are disabled. Working with families that have experienced domestic violence is an interest because in the past I had friends whose family was dealing domestic violence and the impact could clearly in all members of the family. Seeing the difference that was made by those who worked to help their family made this population a preference. Another population that is a possible preference is are those who are disabled. The interest to help those who were disabled started when a faculty called Edelweiss opened. Up to that point there had been no interaction with those who lead different lives than myself. Through the year that was spent volunteering the changes in those that had lessons became obvious. Being able to see the achievements of those who had lessons made it a continued interest. In the past couple of years a new side of this interest was shown. There is someone that is a close friend who is disabled because of seizures who has had trouble with employers. Seeing how she has been treated made it even clearer that this population needs help and has made it a continued interest professionally and personally.
... child no matter what. I feel like this story has helped me to be open-minded to the various situations that people may face and to not make assumptions. I also feel somewhat prepared for the situations that I may face in the field of social work as I continue to unpack my baggage.
Being in a school that brought students from various counties and cities with different backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives, opened my eyes to seeing just how diverse humanity is. In a time when everyone is struggling with personal problems, I know how monumental a simple volunteer act can be. One of my favorite acts of service is tutoring. I tutored an elementary-aged girl for two years in Fort Lee and I will always remember those two years as the most fulfilling. Education is so precious, and children are the most open to it. Not only was I able to teach her math and reading comprehension skills, but how to carry herself as a smart and extraordinarily capable young lady. In return, she taught me patience and how sometimes you just need to approach a problem differently to see the
Throughout high school and during my undergraduate studies, education was never a top priority for me. Only during the past two years, in the "real world", have I realized the importance of education. I look back at those years and wish I had done more and realized all the potential I had in my hands and not wasted so much time. During my undergraduate career my social activities consumed my life. My friends were not motivated to do well in school so I followed their lead. My grades were low, and I did not even care. After I graduated in 1997 with a Psychology B.A. and lost touch with my old friends and old ways, I have realized that I should have spent more time doing some soul searching and thinking what it was that I wanted to do with my life. I liked Psychology but what I really wanted to do was work with children more closely. I had spent my junior and senior years involved in internships at Head Start and at a High School in a Program for teenaged mothers. I loved my work there. At Head Start I was a Teacher Aid for the pre-school, teaching the children to read, numbers etc. And at the High School I counseled the teenaged mothers, took care of their kids while they went to school and after the school day I tutored them with their homework. After being out of school for a while, I started to miss that. The feeling that I was teaching something those kids, the feeling that I was making a difference. I was determined to find a job in education, with my background in Psychology, how hard could it be? I found work at a residential school for runaways and abused teenaged females. It was great! I was ready to go, I was going to change the world and change those girls lives. What I didn't realize is that will alone does not make me a teacher and that I needed training, a lot of training. I made a lot of mistakes in that job. I got discouraged and decided to forget about working with children, forget teaching and do something else that paid more. So, I got a job as a Secretary, I did that for about two years. Teaching, working with children was always on my mind.
While volunteering there, I was placed in a local long-term care home for the elderly. This experience was highly beneficial. Working along side, nurses, care aids and other health care professionals was my first view inside the “system”. Volunteering at the Care Home, did not necessarily make up my mind on the field of social work but solidified my desire to work in the field of human services. I learnt from this experience at the hospital how profound my compassion for others truly was. It was not until my first year of college, that I started to volunteer with an organization that I am still with today and absolutely adore volunteering with. That organization is the Vernon Women’s Transition House in Vernon BC. I started off by filling in for employees who met in weekly meetings. While on the floor, I met many women who were in a place of ‘in-between’ and safety. This experience was eye opening. After a brief stay out-of-town, I returned to Vernon and again volunteered with the transition house – this time in another program: Support to Young Parents. This is an incredible housing program where young mothers who have fled abuse (potentially without the resources or parenting skills they truly need) can live long term. This apartment consists of 6 units, with the 7th unit converted into a resource and common space. The program
I have taught multiple children who have experienced trauma that is unimaginable. To give a few examples, last year a student in my class had his house was robbed and ransacked while his
I feel that graduate study at your university will give me credentials to secure challenging assignments and ability to meet the demands of those assignments.
I have seen first hand the difference an educator can make in the life of a child; the child was my own son. My eldest son, diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, was unable to communicate. He had the opportunity to be enrolled in the early intervention program in Raleigh County. The first individual with the challenge of assisting my child was not able to fulfill her roles and think “outside of the box” to reach him. My wife and I promptly searched for the appropriate educator for him. My family was blessed when we found “Ms. Mitzi”. In the matter of weeks our son was able to tell his mommy he loved her. This impacted my life significantly and I wish to be able to pass on what was given to my child and my family.
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
During the past several years, I have developed some unique skills and education in India. Although I am sure that I will obtain an excellent education at the University of Northeastern, I will bring my own skills, education and culture to your program. I am prepared to face the rigors and demands of a graduate program at the University of Northeastern. At the same time, I believe that I will have a unique cultural experience in the United States and get a chance to meet people from other parts of the world. I am sure that with dedication and hard work, man can achieve the unthinkable and cross the toughest of hurdles. With this spirit, I intend to carry on with my further education at the University of Northeastern.