Noyce Scholar Profile
Connor Nelson
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Secondary Education and English Language Learners
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Language Arts and Advanced Math, grades 6-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Pacific University
Current academic or teaching status:
Fifth year
School and school district:
Woodburn School District
Background:
I studied Spanish, Math, and English in my undergraduate program at Pacific University and have tutored math and Spanish at the middle and high school level for over seven years. I also worked as an Instructional Assistant for 8th grade math.
Why do you want to teach:
I want future generations to not only have a strong grounding in reading and math, but also to develop a passion for those academic areas and continue to pursue their skills even into adulthood.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
I had the opportunity to work one-on-one with a brilliant student who was struggling in an algebra class. At her old school, she was labeled as an advanced student. Here, she experienced the disadvantage of having to learn in a new language, English. To assist her, we would often switch back and forth from English to Spanish to build both math and English skills.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has meant being a part of a community of individuals passionate about the math and sciences, who wants to see these fields grow and be a central part of the lives of children.
