Professor of Nutrition -- What and Why by Cecily

Professor of Nutrition -- What and Why by Cecily - August 2017 Scholarship Essay

Being an educator of any capacity is an incredibly important profession, and post-secondary education is becoming a more sought-after accomplishment with each generation’s growth. In considering teaching, individuals should be concerned with the subject that they are most proficient with, why they believe it is important to know, and their preferred style of teaching along with methods and tools. For those reasons, I would choose to teach nutrition. I would teach it on the fundamental level.

Nutrition science is the science of how food nourishes the body. The subject covers recommended every day nutrition practices and those used in disease prevention, maintenance and recovery. Even basic knowledge of how food, macro-nutrients, vitamins, minerals and other such substances affects our bodies’ functions is helpful for students (and the general population, in fact) and can be applied to everyday situations. This is information that a person could find themselves using every single day, long after their studies are done.

Another important and perhaps understated factor in deciding on a subject to teach is employment opportunities. It makes sense to teach a subject you’re knowledgeable on, but job searches can be stressful enough under normal circumstances and are even worse when opportunities in one’s chosen field are scant. Though nutrition is a growing field and is not offered as a major in too many universities near me, it’s notoriety is on the rise in college level education and nutrition knowledge may be taught in other subjects related to physical health.

Choosing a subject that I am proficient and interested in is another important factor. It goes along with the saying, “If you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life”. Teaching something that comes naturally and is impact on students’ lives could greatly enhance the experience for both student and teacher. In addition to loving what one does, significance of job is rated as a high priority for people when considering careers.

Teaching is a big responsibility, no matter what age or stage of life – no ifs, ands or buts about it. Because it is such an significant undertaking, prospective teachers and professors should take put great thought into what they teach and how they teach it. It could make a huge difference in a student’s life. For these reasons, I would choose nutrition.