Noyce Scholar Profile
Melanie Shivraj
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Secondary Science Education
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Biology
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Long Island University Brooklyn- SESSE Program
Current academic or teaching status:
2nd Year Graduate Program
School and school district:
NYC Department of Education- Urban Assembly for Arts and Letters
Background:
I graduated in 2011 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BS in Biology and minor in Chemistry. Additionally, I performed over 5 years of research at Duke University Medical Center aimed at detection and prevention of breast cancer. After that, I decided to move to Brooklyn, NY to pursue a teacher career in an urban setting. At this point I started my MS in Adolescent Science Education and will graduate in December 2013!
Why do you want to teach:
Teaching in an urban setting is a fulfilling way to to truly make a difference. With so low a graduation rate (and especially among certain groups), I wanted to work to improve the situation. Science especially is a problem area within many schools. Many times ELA teachers or math teachers are asked to teach science and students miss out on a truly exhilarating experience. Teaching and studying science is dynamic and fun and something that I believe all students should find accessible. Science skills are transferable to all walks of life and as a teacher I intend to improve the state of science education among the minority groups of NYC and other urban areas.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
In my first year teaching, almost every day feels as if it will be memorable. Multiple students and staff have marked a permanent place in my memory. One student in particular has become like my little brother. He looks up to me and asks me for advice as he enters high school. This students has grown to love science this year and now intends to pursue higher levels of science. This students is also an amazing athlete and has asked me to attend multiple basketball games to cheer him on. Our close personal relationship in which we discuss movies, music and sports has created a bond that I will miss immensely after this school year finishes.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
This program has allowed me to experience the classroom in a new way. Because my student teaching experience was a full year, I feel very prepared to enter my own classroom as a full time teacher. Additionally because of the financial benefits, I did not have have to work and instead devoted all of my time into teaching full time and my classwork. I would gladly recommend this program to anyone!
