Master of Arts in Teaching, 2008
School of Education
December 1, 2008
ICS Major Found His Passion in Education
My passion to teach was reaffirmed the moment the bell rang for 1st period Algebra in my own classroom at La Quinta High School. On this first day of school, thirty students were seated quietly wondering who this new teacher was and if he actually was old enough to be a teacher.
My drive to teach came about each day as the students stumbled across their own epiphanies and “ah-hah” moments during the engaging lessons plans that were implemented using instructional strategies I acquired from the Intern Teacher Credentialing Program at UC Irvine.
I entered UC Irvine with the intentions of working in the technical field as an Information and Computer Science major. After taking several upper division ICS courses and obtaining an internship through the SAGE Scholars Program working in the IT field, I found myself content but not satisfied. I decided to explore something that was always lingering in the back of my head- education.
I became a part of the Community Teaching Fellowships in Math and Science (CTFMS) and worked closely with local high school teachers. During each summer in my undergraduate study, I became involved with a variety of programs including the California Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) and the Gifted Students Academy (GSA). There was little turning back, and I soon after decided to obtain a minor in Education and pursue my teaching credential upon graduation.
With a good amount of experience in working with students, I decided to obtain my credential through the Intern Teacher program since it allowed me to jump straight into the classroom in the Fall quarter. Though I was able to utilize the instructional strategies and pedagogy acquired through the credentialing courses, I found that I learned most through my experiences as a teacher in my own classroom. From differentiating instruction for special needs students to dealing with situations that questioned my own values, each challenge and obstacle allowed me to grow not only as a teacher but as a person.
Currently, I am teaching Aerospace and Forensics at the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim. I never cease to be amazed at the technology and resources available to engage my students in inquiry-based learning. I cannot ask for more than to be working with a great staff who are truly passionate in encouraging students to achieve their greatest potential. I believe that all students have the capability to be great in whatever their passions are, and as a teacher, I am given the opportunity to help these students find their own passion just as I have found mine in education.