Noyce Scholar Profile
Megan LaRocca
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Biology
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Broad Field Science, Grades 6-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Georgia State/ I-MAST Scholarship Program
Current academic or teaching status:
Graduate Student (M.A.T.)
School and school district:
J.F. Kennedy Middle School (Atlanta Public Schools)
Background:
I grew up in the Chicagoland area and moved to Peachtree City when I was in the 7th grade. I graduated from Georgia Tech in the Spring of 2010 with a degree in Biology. Studying organisms and ecosystems always has fascinated me because I believe they are the world’s finest pieces of art and works of engineering.
Why do you want to teach:
I chose a career in education because I really wanted to make a difference in the world, and I believe education is the best way to empower people and make changes in society. My mother is a teacher, and she has shown me over the years how rewarding teaching can be. I want to teach science because I want to change the common misconception that science is a complicated subject only performed by crazy haired male scientists in faraway laboratories. I want to share my enthusiasm with students to reveal all the scientific phenomena that occur in their everyday lives.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
When I began my practicum, I approached a student who was not doing his work. He told me he wasn’t doing it because science “wasn’t really his thing.” He found the subject too boring. I began to attempt to get him excited about the subject, and over the course of the next few days, he became increasingly enthusiastic. A few days later, this same student was actively engaged in a classroom discussion. He was so enthusiastic to answer my questions, and he had the biggest smile on his face when he answered one correctly. That moment was really encouraging, and it was the first time I really felt like I was truly teaching.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
I heard about the Noyce program my senior year at Georgia Tech. This program is why I ultimately decided to apply for the MAT program at Georgia State. So far, it has been a wonderful support system for me, and I feel truly honored to have been selected as a scholar.
