Admission Essay Example: The Jet Program

As a student at the University of North Alabama, I had the pleasure of attending a culture festival. Cultures and countries from all over the world were represented and I had the opportunity to learn a little about each of them. When I stopped by Japan's booth, I was in awe. The pictures and videos displayed were breathtaking. At that moment, I knew I wanted to experience life in Japan. Before graduation I had decided I wanted to teach, but I was not set on any particular classroom environment. With Japan in mind, I started researching teaching opportunities and found the Jet Program. The Jet Program provides me with an opportunity to learn about other cultures, gain teaching experience unique to Japan, and enhance my adaptability. As an assistant language teacher, I will be able to fulfill my goal of encouraging students to strive for great accomplishments by providing them with tools and advice that will help them to do so. With my prior experience as a high school tutor and new hire trainer for various companies,  I know I possess the skills and qualities required to leave an everlasting mark on my students if accepted into the Jet Program. If I am selected as an assistant language teacher, I  hope to inspire students to be courageous and bridge cultural divides just as I aspire to. 

As a high school tutor, I assisted students with ninth grade algebra and eleventh grade trigonometry. Watching students grasp how a formula works or seeing their eyes twinkle when they aced their homework was very rewarding. Tutoring prepared me by allowing me to practice my teaching skills at a comfortable level.  In addition to improving my teaching skills, I developed my critical thinking skills as well as improved my ability to teach one-on-one. During my time as a new hire trainer, I learned how to teach to large groups. I soon learned how to engage each person in the class and deliver content in a manner that the new hires enjoyed, thus allowing them to retain the necessary information to exceed performance expectations. My ability to publicly speak, think critically, and relate to people has allowed me to be successful outside a traditional classroom and will continue to allow me to succeed in the classroom as well. 

As for my future plans, I hope to use my experience to continue providing education to students that allows them to open doors to new opportunities. I believe the Jet Program will allow me to continue to bring cultures together even after my time with the program comes to an end. Furthermore, the Jet Program will prepare me for a lifelong career as an educator by providing an experience that cannot be obtained anywhere else. Through the Jet Program I plan to improve my cultural understanding of Japan and apply it to my career. This experience will allow me to teach real-world understanding to my future students and hopefully motivate my students to get out and learn about what the world has to offer. Outside of teaching, I know this opportunity will deepen my sense of community and aid me in building lifelong relationships in Japan. Those relationships will allow me to bring a piece of Japan with me everywhere I go thus generating opportunities for cultural awareness as I travel the world.

In conclusion, I believe I am an excellent fit for the assistant language teacher position because I have prior experience that will allow me to create a classroom environment that promotes learning and understanding. My motivation to learn about other cultures will allow me to continue succeeding even after my departure from the Jet Program. With the experience I gain from the program, I can enhance and create connections between multiple cultures. I believe my experience will also allow me to inspire not only students, but anyone I may encounter in life to accomplish their goals and seek out nontraditional ways to do so.