If the roles were reversed, which academic subject would you teach and why? by Alan

If the roles were reversed, which academic subject would you teach and why? by Alan - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

If in some alternate universe I were to become a professor and teach a subject, I would have to pick mathematics. Personally, I’ve had a quite a lot of trouble with the subject but that wasn’t always the case. It was my favorite subject up until the 5th grade, which was when they started mixing the alphabet with numbers. The reason I’d pick this subject is because after the trouble I’ve gone through to understand this subject, I feel like there isn’t anybody I can’t help to better their math skills.
For example, during my second year in college I began taking calculus II. I went through about three tutors to help me understand what was going on in that class and that was just enough to help me pass so I know what it takes to be successful in the subject, but in the process I realized that the reason many students don’t understand the subject is because they lack some of the most basic math skills which are needed to understand the more complicated things. I remember thinking “If I were a teacher I’d make sure I reviewed these basic things with my students so that they’re not as lost as I was”. The feeling of being lost in a class is one of the worst feelings there is because as time passes you only get more and more clueless.
Another reason I would teach mathematics is because I feel that because of all the help I have received, compared to people who understood the subject right away, I know what teaching methods actually work and which don’t. Of course not all students learn the same way but that’s exactly the reason I would want to teach it, since there was more than one way I was taught the same thing over and over again until I finally understood it. Many professors are quick to dismiss a student when they have questions on the “basic” things and tell them they should have learned them before they got to their class instead of trying to help them. Some even tell students they should consider changing majors if they can’t pass their class.
A final reason I would want to teach this class is because I would want to change how many students look at math. I’ve met many students who automatically limit themselves to majors or careers that require no math because they’re intimidated by it or because they think they’re not good at it so they would rather not try, when really all it takes is practice and the right explanation. I feel like I could make students understand math is not as bad as it seems and that it is possible to achieve something they believed couldn’t be achieved.
These are the main reasons I would chose mathematics if I were to teach a subject. I feel that I not only know what it takes to become good at math but also I know what methods work and which don’t and most importantly because I would change the mentality of students when it comes to math. I would like to be the that one teacher that helped students overcome an obstacle they thought couldn’t get over.