I love to see a student’s face when a concept hits home for the very first time and to know that I had that impact.
Thank you for supporting Tarra Conrad in this competition. Your donations and participation will benefit The Planetary Society in their mission to advance space exploration, inspire discovery, and empower the next generation of innovators.
I became a teacher later in my life, after other jobs and staying at home with my own children. As I set out to determine my next steps, a pattern emerged. At each stage of my life, teaching was always a part. In grad school I taught lab sections as a TA, as a vet tech I taught people about their pet’s health, and as a stay at home mom I taught my children about their world. As I looked back, I could see how I was shaped by my education and felt a calling to take part in that process.
Tell us about your most memorable teaching experienceI think my most memorable experience was more of a sequence than a single event. When I started out teaching environmental science, I told my students that if even one of them felt a pull towards environmental stewardship as a career, then I would consider the year a success. The first time a student, four years later, asked me for a recommendation for college for environmental science and quoted that speech, stands out to me a pivotal moment.
What would you do with the $25,000?As the costs of education balloon, while teacher salaries stagnate, I would put a good amount of the money towards a college fund for my children. I would also take some to sponsor a scholarship for my students to attend our school travel abroad programs. Leading students on these trips has been so meaningful, but I know not all students who would benefit from the experience can afford to do so, and I would like to help
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