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Welcoming Address to the Stan Hill June 4, 2007  Stan Hill You number 20 students. Most of you are just beginning your graduate work, while others — four of you — have completed master's programs to one extent or another. You come from six different states: Indiana (8), Ohio (5), Illinois (4), Oklahoma (1), Kansas (1), and Pennsylvania (1). You have attended 29 different undergraduate and graduate institutions with nicknames ranging from the Lords to the Quakers, from the Jayhawks to the Bulldogs, and from the Red Hawks to the Scots. More of you were born in September than any other month; your dates of birth span three decades. One-fourth of you have birthdays this summer. Your academic accomplishments have been admirable. Together you scored 9,457 points on the Praxis I exam. One of you received the Shane Smith Award, exemplifying the characteristics of an outstanding college student-athlete. Two of you graduated cum laude. Seven of you spent significant time on the Dean's list and six of you graduated with college and departmental honors. One of you was the president of a gaming club. On average you completed 124 hours worth of undergraduate work and, collectively you submitted 42 essays and 63 letters of reference. One of you completed 31 hours last semester just to be eligible for the program. Your references used many words to describe you, here are a few: energetic, enthusiastic, thoughtful, relaxed, compassionate, articulate, fun, open-minded, considerate yet tough, approachable, morally committed, confident, passionate, caring, creative and hard working. The essays accompanying your application helped the admission committee learn more about who you are, what you think and why you want to be a teacher. The characteristics you think are most important to your success as a teacher are passion, creativity and communication. You mentioned them 213 times in your essays. You also mentioned leadership, empathy and an endless desire to learn. A couple of phrases that were particularly memorable were: "teachers should not teach because they are knowledgeable, they should teach because they want to share their passions." Also, "without a solid foundation of respect, equality, care and interaction, much is lost in education." Your previous jobs include: homeless shelter volunteer, technician in a limnology lab, special education aide, construction worker, Taco Bell cook, a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu team coach, a chemical hygiene officer, an English teacher in India, a water fitness instructor, a greeter, a tutor and a waiter. You have been employed as a substitute teacher, volunteer soccer coach, a liquor store clerk, a lifeguard, an outdoor recreation coordinator, a fleet and materials worker, a concession stand attendant, a reporter and a gospel revelations singer. You were camp counselors, dorm supervisors, engineers, basketball coaches, literary magazine editors, environmental technicians and property managers. Among you is the student who has incorporated the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Power Rangers into classroom instruction, a stockroom supervisor, an ESL (English as Second Language) tutor, a bacteria grower, an underground security guard, a golden key scholar, a presidential scholar, a crystal award winner for service and mentoring, and a Sunday school teacher. When you came to interview for the program, we asked your group to act as the new board of trustees and create a list of characteristics of outstanding teachers to help guide future hires. Here are some of your ideal characteristics for teachers.
Hopefully somewhere in all of these mindless statistics, admirable commitments, visions for the perfect teacher and just "fun facts," I hope you have been able to find yourself. The M.A.T. office has enjoyed getting to know you. — EC — Contact: Denise Purcell, public affairs assistant
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Earlham
College · 801 National Road West · Richmond,
Indiana 47374-4095 |