Thoughts from an Education Major

The Admissions Blog will continue to highlight various majors across campus — this week, our highlight being the Education Major!

1. Introduction

1. 1. Name: Molly Hensley
   2. Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
   3. Year: Senior
   4. Major: Education & Religion
2. How did you find out about your Education major?
   • “I found out more about my major by taking my first education class which was Human Development.”
3. What’s your favorite class that you’ve taken within the Education department?
   • “I would say I really enjoy the MTH 301 & 302 classes because it gave me a whole different outlook on math. It helped me help students better describe how they achieved their solutions.”
4. Who is your closest mentor in the Education department & what is your favorite memory associated with them?
   • “My closest mentor within the department would probably be my advisor, Dr. Henderson. There has been many times that he has helped me through academic and emotional issues. He has always had my back in any situation.”
5. Describe a high impact learning experience that you had the opportunity to participate in within your Education major?
   • “Throughout being in the education program I have done a lot of field experience in many different kinds of schools. This year I am doing research for Furman Engaged on ‘Anti-Bias Holidays: Creating our Own Classroom Celebrations. Through this research, I will be creating a scrapbook of different holidays celebrated in different classrooms that are not our typical celebrations.”
6. Describe study away opportunities that an individual in the Education major could take advantage of?
   • “There is a MayX that is in Sweden about Sex Education. Dr. Svec, a science methods education professor, is a faculty leader of the ‘MayX: Religious, Ethnic and National Identities Prague Czech Republic.’ Dr. Lipscomb, a social studies methods education professor, leads a MayX about the public education systems of Australia and New Zealand. MayX opportunities change all the time and there is usually at least one that has to do with education.”
7. What unique opportunities does the Education department offer?
   • “There is a unique opportunity that the education department at Furman offers after graduation where candidates in the Teacher to Teacher Residency program can complete their student teaching internship while employed as a first-year teacher in a partnering school district. While doing this you can pursue a Masters, that is a year long program. “
8. What’s your best study hack/trick/advice?
   • “In the Education major, it is all about application and how you would apply what you learn in the classroom. The best study hack from me is to make sure you know how you might teach the methods that you have learned and to always add your own unique touch to your lessons.”
9. How do you hope to utilize this major in the future?
   • “Right now, I am in the beginning of my job searching for the internship through the Master’s program. I plan to pursue a Doctorate degree after my Master’s to eventually become a professor. I would love to one day teach teachers to become teachers. “
10. Lastly, what’s your favorite thing about being an Education major?
    • “My favorite thing about being an Education major is the experiences I get in the classroom. My first field experience is the reason I decided to be an Education major because I got to see how my day to day life would be in the classroom. I enjoy making a change in my students’ lives and being an inspiration for their learning.”

-Molly Hensley