Noyce Scholar Profile
Molly Schaefer
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: M.A.T. Secondary Education
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, grades 6-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Master Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
Towson University
Current academic or teaching status:
Graduate Master's Program
School and school district:
Hammond High School, Howard County, Maryland
Background:
I received a B.S. in Mathematics from Dickinson College in 2011 and plan to graduate from Towson University Graduate School with a Master’s of Arts in Teaching for Secondary Education with a concentration in Mathematics. I have completed several internships working in schools, including Lamberton Middle School (Carlisle, PA) and Cumberland Valley High School (Mechanicsburg, PA). I am currently doing an internship at Hammond High School (Columbia, MD) as part of my Towson program.
Why do you want to teach:
My fascination with Mathematics began in the sixth grade when I discovered that I could use my love for puzzles to solve algebraic equations. I have always been interested in the learning process. Throughout high school and college, I was fortunate to have extraordinary teachers and professors who made the material interesting and relevant. They inspired me to push on, even when the subject matter was most difficult. In a similar way, I want to pursue a career in education and inspire future students.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
Seeing a student master a concept and achieve his/her “a-ha” moment is the greatest event a teacher can witness. When I was an intern in Pennsylvania, I worked with two sixth grade students. I was able to give them additional instruction time and explained the challenging material in more depth. By the end of the semester, it was so gratifying that they had fewer and fewer questions and were able to solve the math problems on their own.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program will help me achieve my career goal of serving in high-needs school districts and working in schools where I can make a difference in students’ lives.
