This class has been providing exactly what I was looking for when I enrolled last spring. I have no experience in formal teaching. Therefore, it is important to me that this class be challenging yet welcoming. There has been a perfect mix of both. As an Environmental Economics and Policy major who is planning on attending law school, it may seem like a bit of a stretch to take Teaching English as a Second Language. However, I plan on taking a year off to teach English in South Korea if my applications are not well received by my top-choice law schools.
I first began considering teaching for a year when my Political Science professor at Central Michigan University brought up the idea. He mentioned that it is great because you can take a year off, relax, work for some money, and explore the world. All of this is done while building your resume and expanding your world view. I became further convinced when I became a member of MSU Model United Nations, a group which hosts a model UN conference for high school students. I took on the role of something like a teacher. I had to pick topics for debate, prepare a background guide, learn the rules of conduct for our United Nations Environment Program committee, and guide the students for an entire weekend of participation. The experience was extremely rewarding. I then started giving more serious consideration to my professor's words. Ultimately, I hope to be able to take away general lessons and skills from this class beyond teaching in a formal classroom environment. The skills of leadership, planning, and the new perspectives that I take away will become just as valuable.
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