Noyce Scholar Profile
Adrian Medina
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Algebra, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills
Current academic or teaching status:
Junior
School and school district:
n/a
Background:
I am the oldest child in a family of six and the first to attend college. I was born in Porterville, CA, however, I was raised in the small town of Lindsay, CA since the age of two.
Why do you want to teach:
I am teaching because it feels good to know that I am making a difference in the lives of students. As a teacher assistant, I have experienced change and encouragement, and I know that teaching is the right career for me.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
One of my memorable teaching moments would be in my second year of college where my friend was having trouble with his trigonometry class. There was a possibility that he was going to fail. He asked me for help, and I showed him how to work out a few problems; also, I showed him some of my own study skills to help him out. On the last day of class after the final exam, he thanked me because he knew that he did very well and that it was all thanks to my teaching and advice. My friend passed the class passed with a B- because of the A he received in the final exam. I knew he felt great because of what he had accomplished.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has helped me financially and academically. It provided me with personal tutors when I needed them, and with a job as a teacher assistant that has provided me with great experiences to prepare me for my future teaching career.
