Teaching Success by Hallie

Teaching Success by Hallie - January 2022 Scholarship Essay

I began taking piano lessons at the age of 8. At the time, it was just a fun way to annoy my older sibling, but over the years I have had many reasons to be grateful for the skill. I have taught myself difficult music, accompanied solos, ensembles, and choirs, and even added my sound to the jazz band and orchestra. In the initial stages of 2021, I took the application of my knowledge a step further and took on my first piano student. I was hesitant to shoulder what I view as a great responsibility. Music means so much to me, and I did not meet the mark as a teacher I would ruin an innocent elementary schooler’s musical future. Despite my fears, I persisted with the opportunity. Although I cannot claim to be a perfect teacher in any sense, I have found it extremely gratifying to watch my student’s incredible progress. I am proud of how far my teaching abilities have come in the past year and amazed at the benefits this endeavor has brought to other areas of my life.

One such area is math class. While the idea of arithmetic is repulsive to most people, the thought of being asked to do calculus is utterly horrifying. Thinking I could handle that beast, I confidently signed up to take AP Calculus this school year. This is a class where 4.0 students scrape by with C’s. We have an entire class period reserved just for working on our calculus homework. Throughout the semester, I have become the person in my class whom many people come to when they are stuck on a problem. Using the teaching skills I spent the year developing, I have been able to help my classmates work through some tough derivatives and integrals. Through teaching others, I have also been able to learn the material better myself. I always understand a concept much better after walking someone else through it. Teaching material to others is an effective study skill that will help me through the duration of my academic career.

In addition, learning to teach has lent me a measure of much-needed confidence when it comes to public speaking and presenting. School has required me to do many presentations in the past, as I am sure it will continue to do in the future. It is not uncommon to be nervous before speaking in front of one’s peers, and I was certainly a victim of that anxiety. Teaching piano, every week I must be ready to give a 30-minute lesson, make gentle corrections, and answer any questions my student may think of. Engaging in these types of interactions so often has made me feel much more comfortable giving presentations in classes.

I have also had the opportunity this year to volunteer at my local elementary school. My experience teaching elementary-age children how to play an instrument in addition to my time helping calculus classmates gave me an advantage in my volunteer work. I have been asked to take aside some students who struggle with math and help them relearn concepts. I love watching their faces when the math finally clicks for them.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had in 2021 to become better at teaching and use it to help other people. I think that everyone should try teaching at some point in their life, whether it is coaching a kids’ sports team, tutoring in a foreign language, or showing someone how to do a craft, the experience will benefit both parties. I am excited to continue teaching over the new year, and I am eager to continue learning from it.