Noyce Scholar Profile
Katelin Loeffler
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Liberal Studies/Integrated Math and Science
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Math and Science, grades 5-8
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
William Paterson University
Current academic or teaching status:
Senior
School and school district:
Substitute Teacher-Roxbury (NJ) School District
Background:
I graduated from Roxbury High School in 2007 and acquired an Associate’s degree in Psychology Education from the County College of Morris where I graduated Magna Cum Laude as a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I transferred into William Paterson University as a Liberal Studies: Integrated Math and Science major with a mathematics concentration. Furthermore, I am an Elementary Education major with an endorsement for grades five through eight.
Why do you want to teach:
Henry Adams once said, “A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops.” This is why I want to teach. I want the opportunity to have an impact and help students enjoy and appreciate education, especially in math and science which are rarely viewed positively in post-university schooling.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
During my required observations at Mount Olive Middle School, I had the opportunity to study a sixth grade math class. My cooperating teacher gave me the opportunity to get in front of the classroom and teach for a day as well as help one struggling student with group work. This student had come from a very urban district to a generally affluent school and refused to speak to her classmates and only responded with “yes” or “no” when necessary. I spent one class period (40 minutes) helping her with the area of a circle. She was non-responsive and the day itself became very frustrating. However, the next day I had the amazing opportunity to be with that same class; this same timid, lost girl walked straight to the back of the room where I was sitting. She pulled out her homework on the area of a circle, smiled the most precious smile I have ever seen, and said, “I finished all my homework, and I finished it all by myself.” This just solidified my teaching aspirations. Some days you may be frustrated, maybe many days, but little moments make anything and everything we do as teacher worth it.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
Having college loans can be an intense experience, and I have made it my goal to work as hard as I can to get the education I want without spending years trying to pay back what I owe. The Noyce program made this possible for me. In addition, I have always wanted to teach in an urban district, but tend to struggle with the idea of being able to–for lack of a better phrase–“take the easy way out” and teach somewhere with less baggage. But then again, this would be contradictory to my goal of being where I can have the biggest impact. The Noyce program will force me to do what I want to do, but may be reluctant to follow through on.
