College Experiences That Helped A Science Teacher At Education For Change Succeed
Christina's undergraduate experience, while not initially geared toward teaching, unexpectedly equipped her with crucial skills for her current role at Education for Change. The independence and autonomy developed while navigating college as the first in their family to attend, "grinding through college to make it out the other end," directly translates to supporting students from similar backgrounds, empowering them to pursue their own goals.
Autonomy, Independence, Resilience, Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Goals
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Christina Craig
Science Teacher
Education for Change
UC Davis 2015
Loyola Marymount University - Masters in Urban Education
Psychology
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Education
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Developed strong autonomy and independence by navigating college as the first in her family to attend, which allows her to better support students from similar backgrounds.
2. Actively sought out and utilized available resources to overcome challenges and succeed in college, a skill she now shares with her students.
3. Used her personal experience to help students achieve their college goals, seeing this as a major success in her teaching career.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
For my undergraduate degree, my intention was not to be a teacher; I wanted to be a doctor. I don't think any of my choices back then were made with the goal of succeeding in the career I have today. However, through the undergraduate process, many of the choices I made have indeed led to my success now.
One of the biggest factors was autonomy and independence. I moved away from my family to attend college. I practiced my autonomy and independence in a way that I can now share with my students and support them in their decision-making.
To provide more context, I was the first person in my immediate and extended family to go to college. My parents lacked information, so I had to figure things out for myself. I had to research how to be successful in school, what resources were available, and how to access and use them for my benefit.
I truly had to work hard through college because my parents couldn't help me; they didn't know how. As the older sibling, I also didn't have anyone who had gone before me.
A lot of what I learned in college, that independence and autonomy, is valuable because many of my students come from similar backgrounds and circumstances. I can share that knowledge with them. I feel this makes me successful in my career. If I can help even a few students reach their goal of going to college, should they desire it, then I have succeeded. I have peaked because I have helped students achieve that dream.
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