2. Describe something you have accomplished that makes you proud. What did you learn from this experience that might help you to ensure high academic achievement for all of your students?

As a student, I devoted my educational efforts to certain academic subjects that interested me more than to other subject matter areas. Whereas science and mathematics were always interesting to me, I was somewhat bored by other subjects, like World History. I persevered by memorizing material covered by the curriculum, but failed to learn much of what I memorized for the sake of performance on exams.

Much later, I discovered that some of the same subject matter was available in video format and that, for whatever reason, I learned history in a much more genuine way from the audio-visual medium than from textbooks. As an adult in the education field, I realized that a moderately good understanding of world history is a functional requirement of being an effective professional educator. In that respect, I would have to admit to a certain degree of pride in having overcome an obstacle to learning in my early education and the fact that I am, in a sense, "self taught" in several academic areas that have increased my abilities as an instructor.

My professional experience and observation...

In many cases, students who learn at a lower level from traditional lecture and textbook medium than would be expected to correspond to their reading comprehension absorb the same information much more readily from audio-visual presentations. Unfortunately, many of those students never discover their true academic potential.
Unfortunately, the increased emphasis on preparation for standardized testing in the areas tested in connection with NCLB compliance only exacerbates the degree to which contemporary education programs neglect alternate instructional methods and presentation of a more enriching curriculum, particularly in high-need institutions. It is my sincere hope and intention to fulfill my formal teaching responsibilities (including those related to NCLB compliance issues) in the manner most conducive to nurturing my students' individual talents and academic abilities. In that respect, my personal experiences as student increased my awareness of the degree to which the potential academic success of many students depends on varied approaches to subject matter presentation.