College Admissions Essay: My Career Path In Primary Education

As a non-traditional student I have a plethora of experiences that have led me toward the path I am pursing today. I chose not to attend college after high school, but instead opted to spend the next few years traveling the country, on a mission to find my true self. Throughout my journey I learned more about life than I had ever anticipated. I was not only forced to expose the true depths of my soul, but I also experienced the very essence of mankind. Seeing what the land had to offer conjured a level of personal strength that I never knew I was capable of. As I learned more about myself, and about the world, I became remarkably aware of my personal morality code, my beliefs and values, and ultimately discovered my purpose. Stemming from an

While my repertoire in education developed and I gained classroom exposure, I was able to better define the role I most desire to play within the system. Teaching preschool, directing a school-age latchkey program, substitute teaching, and volunteer work both in special education and typical development classrooms has afforded me familiarity with classroom routines, schedules, and common struggles. Throughout my work within the public school system, and in self-contained autism treatment, I quickly realized that no matter the environment, the material, or the teacher, there are always children struggling to keep up with their peers. In some cases, these struggles present themselves as disruptive or inappropriate behavior, and sometimes in silence, however, regardless of the symptoms they are suffering none-the-less. As a classroom teacher, all too often there simply isn’t enough time or resources to pay these children the academic or emotional attention they need. Seeing these children struggle, to no avail, is the reason I am choosing to pursue a career in school psychology. By helping these children get the appropriate support that they need to prosper, I am helping to provide them with an opportunity for a rewarding

In researching her work, Dr. Kristin Schrauben stood out as a potential mentor largely due to her interest and work using MTSS (multi-tiered support systems) in reading and literacy interventions, as well as use of curriculum-based measurement to increase student motivation and self-efficacy in reading. I am currently studying and utilizing MTSS plans in a local community school with developmentally delayed students. Her work with literacy intervention, and motivational studies relate directly to the work I am currently participating in, and intend to pursue throughout my endeavors. Dr. Schrauben is heavily concentrated on literacy intervention, which is among my most critical areas of focus. I believe undoubtedly that literacy is one of the most powerful devices of society, along with autonomy, skilled decision making, and communication. It has the power to keep the impoverished in poverty as well as to raise them above it. The key to making it in this world is communication. Without the skills to communicate, we have no hope of building a better future; therefore, it is vital that all children have the tools they need to build and implement success strategies and practice self-regulation.

***The work of Dr. Amy Campbell also caught my attention as her research focuses on prevention and amelioration of social problems and behaviors for at-risk students, which also