Graduate School Admissions -- Personal Essay

Third, I have been involved in coaching youth football for years and it is an activity that has always been rewarding on several levels. Only recently did it begin to dawn on me that coaching in the manner that I have been doing somewhat successfully incorporates many aspects of teaching, irrespective of the fact that it is unrelated to academic studies. In principle, it requires the same fundamental ability to conceptualize ideas and communicate them in ways conducive to the meaningful understanding of learners. It eventually occurred to me that teaching the elements of pass route running or reading defensive alignment indicators on a football field requires many of the same skills as teaching in general. Similarly, I realized that the sense of satisfaction that one derives from watching a football player execute plays correctly as a result of my coaching contribution must be similar to that which motivates effective teachers in academics as well.

The combination of my academic improvement as a result of positive learning environments in specific classes, the exposure to at-risk juveniles and juvenile offenders, and my experience coaching youth football have convinced me to pursue a career as an educator.To some degree, it is related to my desire to pass along the benefits I received in Mr. Selen's and Mr. Roslund's classes. In other respects, it is a function of my desire to contribute positively to the lives of at-risk youth before they encounter legal problems rather than working within the criminal justice system where most of my encounters would likely be only after offenders have already given up on their educational potential. Therefore, it is my sincere hope to begin my formal academic study of Education and teaching at Long Island University......