Lending a Helping Hand

Lending hand can mean a variety of things for many people. It can mean help to get out of a financial bind, coming alongside another for a time of grief, or just being there for somebody. But most of us lend a hand to another for the purpose of seeing how one can help another in a specific situation.

Especially in time when what one knows can help in the predicament of another. One of my reasons seeking admission in your program is to do just that.

In my seven years in the New York City Department of Education, one of my duties has been to conduct visitations to the parents of children that have proven to difficult. These children usually come from backgrounds and stations in life that would other people ask “Why Bother? But that is where the motivation comes in for me to seek admission into your program. It’s to make people understand the lives of these children are worth something.

In this line of work, it is imperative that I can get a backgrounder of the children’s behavior from the parents or guardians of these children. This would allow me to better assess the patterns of the child in relation to his various environments.

Factors such as school and social life, I believe, have a great bearing on the behavior of these children. But with the knowledge I already possess, I should have a better chance at the reformation of the child should I gain entry into your program.

When the case is usually presented, some people are often times just ready to give up on these children. Many people would just rationalize that these children are born to be at the low rungs of society, ending up either as beggars or criminals. But my vocation is not just to give up on them. I try hard to get them on the right track. But what is exactly the right track?

For them, the first step in finding the path is talking to them. It’s a big step for them to open up on the reasons that they drop out of schooling. The parents, too, have a large part in the reformation of the child. I make it a point to challenge the parents of these children to be positive influences on the lives of these children.

Some may think that what I do is tiring, exasperating and down right frustrating. At some times, I would tend to agree. The many times that I talk to children and parents would tend to frustrate even the best of people. Especially when you see the efforts, the sheer amount of it, just end up in smoke. But to me, it’s just not a job. If I sound a bit on the ethereal, I do find what I do to be a calling of sorts.

Usually, people would connote a calling to be of a grander design. A calling would tend to make people think of going on some mission in life, away from civilization and the perks and benefits of this life to be with the down trodden and less fortunate. But how does getting children to go back to school be a calling? For me, it is a calling.

If your office would office would consider my personal circumstance, most of what is apparent that apart from the house visits that I regularly conduct with the parents of truant children, most of the facts are in the area of clerical, administrative or research work. But these credits, I believe, would prepare me in earnest to help more children if I get accepted into your program. How? I believe that your program is looking for students not just good in academics, but learners and doers.

Brain knowledge and experience are, to me, two vastly opposite ends for learning. Just getting into program with just the expressed desire to acquire more brain knowledge is not a trait that I would want to carry into my field. Yes, accumulating knowledge is important in correctly doing the task that is set before an individual. But I believe that with my experience and the knowledge that I know I will gain in your program will allow me to be better at my calling.

It is also mentioned in my personal circumstance that I also assist in the education of children with special needs. The children in this area are of need of extra care and attention. This is another area that I would like to improve on with the knowledge that I would gain should I gain entry into your program. But what would be the relationship of mostly clerical and administrative work in the final output?

Academics, I believe, are an essential part in the execution of any program designed to help any individual. Without the knowledge gained in school, it would be difficult to be effective in any endeavor one has set out to do. But is the attainment of a degree of academic knowledge the answer in helping these children? Should that be the only basis?

My advantage would be that in addition to the knowledge that I know I will gain in the event that I am accepted into your program, that knowledge will be accompanied by years of first-hand experience that I already possess.

The many instances and incidents of helping and aiding children, whether to get back into school or helping them in finding suitable alternatives to formal schooling, or explaining to the parents of special needs children their individual education plans, should serve me in good stead if I am chosen to get into your program.

Why the passion in helping these children? I must also point out that I am a mother of two young boys, with one of them, my 5 year old suffering from a speech disability. This everyday first hand experience of seeing my child being helped along as he gets better from his impairment, has bolstered my resolve and conviction that I can be of greater use to other children if I combine my years of experience with further study available through your program. It is my fervent desire that should be humbly among those accepted into your program.