Noyce Scholar Profile
Evadney Browne
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: B.S., Biology
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Science, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
William Paterson University
Current academic or teaching status:
Senior
School and school district:
I am not currently working or teaching in a school/district; this semester I am finishing up my content area.
Background:
When I was a child growing up in the Caribbean, my ambition had always been to enter a career that would allow me to influence the lives of children in a positive way. I had thoughts of becoming a nutritionist, pediatric nurse or a guidance counselor. But after graduating from high school, a career in the education sector presented more satisfaction and lucrative offers so I became very much interested. As a result, I went on to a Jamaican Teacher’s College where I obtained a three-year Diploma in elementary education. Upon graduation, I taught for the ministry of education in Jamaica as a grade four teacher at Kendal Primary, Jamaica for three years. As a young person with a Diploma in education from a Jamaican Teacher’s College, it is absolutely necessary for me to upgrade my qualifications so that I can be a more qualified and efficient teacher.
Why do you want to teach:
When I was in grade four, my teacher changed my life. I was very bad at spelling. This day the teacher gave spelling, and I got 4 wrong out of 10. I was punished, and the teacher told me that I would not come to anything good so I should go have “babies and cut sugarcane.” To this day I can still remember everything about that moment. I was so disheartened. When I went to high school and took the Caribbean Council Examination, which another teacher inspired me to take, I passed. From that day on I became more focused and determined to do my work. I went on to become a certified teacher in my country. I disproved my teachers predictions, and this is one of the reason why I want to become a teacher so that what I went through will not happen to another child. As teachers we must be mindful of what we do or say about students. Maybe, you are scarring that person for life. Be caring and sensitive to their needs, culture, and feelings.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
My most memorable teaching experience occurred during my 20 hours (Teaching As A Profession) when the classroom teacher did not come to school, and the substitute teacher was a little shy. The substitute teacher told me that she does not know where the students were in their lesson and if I knew I could take over the class. Since I was there the day before and knew what the teacher did with the class, I commanded their attention and told them that their teacher was out, and I was going to be the teacher for the period. Whatever we spoke about that day in the class, the students understood. When they were given questions from this section afterwards, and I read what the students had written, I was very proud of them because they understood what was taught and could reproduce it. I was proud of myself because in these schools it’s hard to gain a student’s attention.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
As a student, wife, and mother of two children whose husband is unemployed currently, the Noyce Program means a lot to me and my family because it has relieved some of the financial strain and stress on my family. And this has also helped me to move one step closer to acquiring my goals.
