Noyce Scholar Profile
Margaret Murphy
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: B.S., Adolescence Education, Physics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Physics, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
SUNY Cortland
Current academic or teaching status:
Junior
School and school district:
Ithaca high school, AVID, and A.P. physics
Background:
I am from the small town of Oriskany, NY. Science has always been my favorite subject in school which is why I want to teach science. In high school I played sports every season, and that was a big part of my life, along with my family.
Why do you want to teach:
I have wanted to be a teacher since a young age. I enjoy helping others, and I like working with adolescents. I also enjoy passing on information and my passion for physics. It also always feels good when I help someone to understand new concepts and help them to succeed. Finally, I had a great high school physics teacher, and being in her class made me realize that teaching is what I really wanted to do.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
I currently do Supplemental Instruction (SI) for general chemistry. For SI, I sit through lectures of general chemistry, and then I hold three review sessions a week. During the review sessions, for which student participation is voluntary, I help with homework, go over lecture notes, and help students review for tests. A few students have asked me if I am going to school to become a teacher. I told them “Yes, why?” and they replied that I would be really good at it. Others have told me that they actually understand the material when I help them with it. Hearing those kinds of things really meant a lot.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
It has been a huge honor to receive this scholarship. It is one of the largest scholarships I have heard of and to be selected to receive it among all the other applicants is definitely a big deal and very special.
