DePaul Community Peacemakers Application

During my UMIN service immersion trip to Washington D.C. last spring break, I had the privilege to meet Colman McCarthy, director of the Center for Teaching Peace. He posed the question, Is the subject of peace any less important than math or science? I agree that peace is just as important to teach to students as math and science are. Mr. McCarthys question made me wonder why peace is not a subject found in many schools. I then came to the realization that perhaps we are not giving students a full education today. Although math and science are indeed very important for students to learn about, advancements in both of these subjects will fail if children become adults who do not have the skills to resolve conflicts and to understand different perspectives. I believe a course on the topic of peace should be offered in every high school because it would be beneficial to students in their personal lives, careers, and communities. Students may not go on to have careers in math or science, but they will always have to interact with people. I would be honored to teach students about alternatives for peace because I believe that it is the most important subject one can teach. Not only would DePaul Community Peacemakers allow me to exercise my passion for teaching, it would allow me to teach something that I value above all else. The reason I chose to major in anthropology is because I love working with people and learning how to understand different cultures. For all four years in high school I was a member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Once a week I would travel to a neighboring community to mentor elementary school children. We would work on homework, play games, and make crafts. As I mentioned before, I went on a UMIN service immersion trip to Washington D.C. last spring break where I worked in a homeless shelter. After listening to the amazing and heartbreaking stories of the men who came to the shelter, I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to helping those who are not as fortunate as me. This quarter I am interning at a nonprofit organization, Open Books. Every week I go to a Bronzeville elementary school to work with 2nd and 3rd graders. I help improve their reading fluency and help them gain a greater appreciation for books. My other responsibilities as an intern include instructing volunteers at our Bronzeville school and reading and reviewing books to use in literacy programs for high school students. This internship is by far what I am most proud of in my life. I am the happiest I have ever been because I am doing something I love while also helping my community. Recently, I asked a professor, What is the great lesson you want your students to take away from you? She told me that she wants to teach students to look at the world in a different way- to open them up to different perspectives. As a teacher myself, I would want to do exactly that. Many teachers feed facts and information to students who have never been taught how to think. They cannot critically analyze events and social structures. As a Peacemaker, I would encourage my students to question, to critique, and to research. If I can get each student to open his/her mind to something he/she never considered before as a possibility, then I will have done my job. What I want to gain by being with my students is exactly what I want to give to them; I hope they will open my mind up to things I never considered before as possible.