1. WINTER 2017
FULL NAME: Nicole Wallace
MAJOR: History Education (B.A.)
MINOR: English Education
While I claim Kansas has my home, I have lived in four different
states where I attended school. Each school and its teachers
had their own way of working and teaching. Two teachers that I
remember the most are my Freshman English teacher and
Freshman History teacher. These two women brought their
subjects to life for me, and they enjoyed teaching and their
subjects. This, coupled with the two years I taught young child
at my church, brought me to the idea that teaching was the
right course for me to take.
I am the second oldest out of five children and the oldest girl. I
have had many opportunities to help my siblings learn and
grow. I am also known in my family for being full of random facts; this can be attributed to my
love of learning and my desire to share my knowledge with others. Most of my life, there has
always been the desire not only to teach, but to help others learn and gain the love of
learning that has been instilled in me by teachers and my parents. My parents read to us; I
gained a love and respect for books listening to them read. As I got older, I took on the
responsibility of reading to my younger brother as he got ready for bed. I love the ways that
stories are brought to life through books and reading them aloud.
My compassion is something that I am known for. I have the ability to listen to and comfort
others. I also have learned to adapt to my surrounding. I am currently a Teacher’s Assistant
for two different teachers on campus. This has given me the opportunity to learn to work with
students in different situations, and I have learned different teaching skills from them as well.
I have also had the opportunity to substitute for classes.
I believe that one of the best teaching philosophies is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. I feel that
this is the groundwork for any educational process. I have come to understand that students’
needs have to be met before they have the ability to learn. Building off of Maslow, I love
concept of Bloom’s Taxonomy; I think that we have to build upon what is taught in class. My
major’s field of study is history, and I consider that this gives on of the best examples.
Students need to learn more than just the dates and locations of events; they need to learn
what the events means, how did it affect people during its time period, and how it is affecting
people now. We as educators have to build upon knowledge, so students can analyze and
evaluate what this information means to them.
I believe that education is a noble cause to pursue. We have the opportunity to work with the
next generation. I can hope that one day I will help change a life for the better and plant a
seed that grows into a lifetime love of learning.