Tiara Sope

“The MIE gave me a small taste of what it means to be a successful and inspirational educator. It also helped me solidify my goal of getting into the MEdT program as I was able to build relationships with my teachers and my classmates in the minor program.”

Hometown

Honolulu, HI

Department

School of Teacher Education - M.Ed. in Teaching

Related Degrees

• MEdT, Teaching - Dual License SPED/Secondary
• Minor in Education

Where do you work?
I am working as a part-time lifeguard while I attend school full time.

What other degrees have you earned/are you earning?
I graduated from UH Mānoa with a BA in English and a Minor in Education in the fall of 2020. A year later, I am starting my first semester in the MEdT program at UH Mānoa, am majoring in Secondary English and Special Education.

Why were you interested in pursuing the Minor in Education?
My undergraduate major was in English because I knew I wanted to become some kind of English educator in the future. I just didn’t know what grade level I wanted to teach and if I wanted to pursue a Master’s in English or in Education. It was when I went to the mandatory semester of advising to organize my last year of classes, and my advisor mentioned having enough space to complete a minor. I went online and to my surprise, I found out UH had a Minor in Education program! After seeing the program option and the descriptions of the required courses, I decided to pursue the minor so I could get a small taste of what the education field would be like.

Which course did you enjoy most as part of the minor and why?
STE 403C was my favorite course by far. This course was very informative and provided in-depth knowledge of what the education field would be like. For instance, we learned how to lesson plan following benchmarks and GLO’s and how to work successfully in a group. We got to observe a couple of classes and learn some of the basics of what it means to be a successful teacher. We also got to learn about the different fields within education, like special education, primary and secondary teachers, Technology and STEM, Educational Administration, and much more. But my favorite part of the course was the teacher panels we got to see. The course instructors brought in some local teachers, and they got to give us advice as well as share some of their successes as well as some of the challenging experiences they face as teachers. We also had visitors from the MEdT program, which is how I received the bulk of my information on how to apply and what to expect.

What was your biggest takeaway from what you learned from the field of education?
My biggest takeaway is what kind of teacher I am aiming to be, which is compassionate and inspirational. My goal is to have a classroom where my students feel safe and they are able to trust me. This will hopefully provide the best learning environment possible. I also learned that in the field of education you have to be flexible because things can get complicated at times. For instance, successful teachers have to be able to be flexible with their lesson plans and lenient at times with their students. Sometimes, things don’t work the way you want them to. There will be technical errors that delay time or you might not reach your intended goal for your lesson.

How did the Minor in Education support you and your career goals?
The MIE gave me a small taste of what it means to be a successful and inspirational educator. It also helped me solidify my goal of getting into the MEdT program as I was able to build relationships with my teachers and my classmates in the minor program.

What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, my hope is to be hired as a Special Education teacher and to teach Secondary English.

Who would you recommend to pursue getting a Minor in Education?
I feel the minor would benefit anyone. The courses made me talk about things I usually don’t think about which really broadened my opinions and understanding of certain things. For instance, the importance of understanding culture/diversity in society. But, I would especially recommend the minor to those who have any interest in becoming a teacher. It doesn’t mean you have to become a teacher, but it can give you a small insight into the field of education!

Anything else you would like to include?
If you are doing the minor program, I would also highly recommend taking the class that will help certify you as a substitute teacher.