Writing Samples

The writing samples included here demonstrate my ability to engage deeply with complex ideas and organize a clear and thoughtful analysis. These samples highlight the way that I am able to explore nuanced arguments, identify underlying themes, and articulate connections to real-world contexts. Each sample connects topics and issues that I find critically important to the field of education, and society more broadly. They reflect the considerations that I make when thinking critically, both in theory and in practice, about my work and demonstrate my strengths in analysis and communication.

In this vision statement, I argue that we must prepare the next generation with the strategies and tools necessary to engage with a 21st century world. By introducing students to technology that manages and stores information, coaching them through boundary setting, and prioritizing offline engagement in our communities, we can help young people develop a healthy relationship with technology and nurture the skills required to succeed in the modern world.

This essay offers an analysis of Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School by Carla Shalaby - a book that proved to be profoundly transformative for me. In it, Shalaby challenges readers to reflect on the experiences of children labeled as "troublemakers" and to consider what their stories reveal about the deeper structural and philosophical issues within the U.S. K–12 education system. Reading this book fundamentally shifted how I talk to my own children about school and reshaped the expectations I hold for public education.

This essay is a reflective exploration of key themes and readings from CEP 801: Psychological Development, with an emphasis on the contextual factors that influence human development—particularly within educational settings. My self-directed readings for this course focused on the profound impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on both children and adults. In particular, I examined how generational poverty and the chronic stress associated with economic insecurity affect brain development and long-term outcomes for learners. This reflection integrates theory, research, and personal insights on how these challenges shape student experiences and what that means for educators and schools.

Page updated

Report abuse