Student Voices - Graduate
Jenn Gaulding
Master of Arts in Teaching
Class of 2008
Orlando, Florida
My background
I grew up in Orlando, Fla., and received my bachelor’s degree in biology from Emory University in 2006. I studied abroad at a coastal field station in Baja California Sur, Mexico where I pursued my research interests in both ecology and education.
Why I chose education
The inspirational science teachers that I enjoyed from the seventh grade through college instilled in me a passion for learning about science. They showed me the difference that a teacher can make in a child’s understanding of and appreciation for the natural world. After a wide range of professional experiences in the science field, I decided my interests and strengths would be best utilized in a classroom where I could work with children while teaching (and learning!) science. I want to make the same impact in my own students’ lives that my teachers did in mine.
Why I chose the UNC School of Education
I wanted to live in North Carolina because of its reputation for offering such a good quality of life. When I completed my undergraduate education in 2006, I decided to move to the Triangle area. My friends recommended the M.A.T. program at UNC, and it turned out to be the best path for me.
My experience
Getting practical experience through the student teaching internship while simultaneously learning theory through the M.A.T. classes has been an invaluable opportunity. The strategies that my mentor teacher has shown me as I have observed and taught her classes have become the foundation of my teaching theory. Upon graduation from the program, I know these strategies will put me ahead by leaps and bounds when I teach my own classes next year.
In 10 years…
I hope to be an effective high school biology teacher who gives students an appreciation for both the science content and the process of learning. Eventually, I hope to pursue a higher degree in science education.