Noyce Scholar Profile
Jose Mendez
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics Education
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, 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 have lived in the city of Wilmington most of my life. I am the first in my family to attend college, and am most likely the first in my family to graduate from college. One of the things that I like to do is photography. As for future goals, I aspire to get my degree in mathematics education and get my teaching credential, so that I can be able to go back and teach at the high school that I attended
Why do you want to teach:
I want to teach because I would like to give back and enrich the community. Also I would like to ensure that the students get the best education possible.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
One of the most memorable teaching experiences that I have had was in my junior year in high school. Mrs. Diaz, my math teacher at the time, had just shown us how to prove the quadratic formula. This was a one of the most memorable and influential moments in my education because Mrs. Diaz did not have to teach us why the quadratic formula worked, but because she did show us how it was derived. I was completely blown away because it made so much sense. After I was taught that, I knew I wanted to study and pursue a career in mathematics.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program means a great deal to me because it allows me to develop skills that will benefit me in the future as a teacher. Also the paid assignments that they offer not only help me financially, they also help me network with other educators.
