PictureIdeas:Mrs.

Brodheadteachingherscienceclass
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FinalDraft/Issue#1
[FEATUREARTICLE]
ASearchForSuccess
ByRachelYoo
Afternearlyfiveyearsofteachingasascienceeducator,asmilestillrunsacrossherface,illuminating
theclassroomeverytimeastudentraiseshisorherhandtoaskaquestion.Teacherswhohavea
sincerepassionforthematerialtheyteachandagreatconcernforastudentsexcellenceareabitofa
rarity.However,itisinevitablethatSaraBrodheadisoneofthem.
Sciencehasthepowertoopenpeoplesmindsandcreateabiggerinsightoftheworldwerelivingin,
shebeganasshestartedtoshareherfascinationforthesubject.Ichosetobecomeateachertopursue
mydreamofhavingacareerthatrequiredmetoworkwithchildrenandengageotherstolovescience
too,Brodheadsaid.
Tobeginanewchapterinhersciencecareer,SaraBrodheadtravelledfromArlington,NorthVirginia
withherhusband,PeterBrodhead,allthewaytoSeoul,SouthKoreaduringthesummerof2013.
Commonstereotypicalstrugglesfornewteachershaventbeenaproblem,andadaptingtohernew
environmentinthebusycityofSeoulwasnotdifficultforBrodhead.Today,shegenuinelylooks
forwardtoeveryweekdayassheteachesherfirstyearatSeoulInternationalSchoolastheConceptual
IntegratedScienceandEnvironmentalScienceteacher.
WhenMrs.Brodheadwalksintoaclassroom,ithasbeennoticeablethatwheneverstudentstakeafirst
glanceather,theyseeatypicalscienceteacher,whoisonlyabletobedistinguishedbyherunusuallytall
height.
IwassurprisedathowtallMrs.Brodheadwasatfirst.Ithinkthatbeingtallisaspecialcharacteristic
ofhersthatmakesherdifferentfromotherteachersatourschool,JennyLee(9)remarked.
However,whathighschoolstudentsatSISarehiddenfromisthestorybehindtheirscienceteachers
successinfindingherundeniablepassionforscience,whichisstillgrowingeachday.
AccordingtoBrodhead,apersonsgoalinlifeistofindwhatheorshewantsandtojustgoforit.Over
theyearsinherlife,thisgoalhaschangedforherandMrs.Brodheadfoundherselfmanytimesbeing
unsureofwhichcareerpathtotake.Althoughshehaddifferentaspirationsfordifferentoccupations,she
alwaysknewthatherrightfulplacewasintheworldofscience.
Thestoryofhersuccessstartedatanearlyage,buttookahugeruninherfirstyearatTorreyPines
HighSchool,locatedinSanDiego,California.
Forme,highschoolwasacademicallyeasybutsociallyhard.Theschoolwasverybigandallmy
friendsandItookdifferentclassesandclubs,Mrs.Brodheadcommented.
Afteradaptingtoherschedulethatwasdifferentfromherfriends,Brodheadbecamemoreindependent
throughouthighandmoreactivebynotstickingwithonlyonegroupoffriends.Amongtheclassesthat
shetookwerebiologyandlaw,inwhichsheeventuallydiscoveredherloveforscience.
IenjoyedtakingtheseclassesbecauseIlovedlearningabouttheworldaroundme.Iwasntonlyable
tounderstandit,butwasabletohearandseeeverythingthatwashappeningaroundme,Brodhead
said.
Soon,herlikingforthetwoclassesdevelopedintosomethingmore,andMrs.Brodheadwasoften
describedasascienceobsessedgeekbyherfriends,familymembers,andteachers.However,itwas
hardtoseeBrodheadasageekasshewasverypopularamongherfriendsandservedasanactive
memberofthestudentcouncil.
Laterwhenhersenioryearcamearound,cravingforsomethingdifferent,shemadethechoicetojoin
herhighschoolssportsmedicineclub.AsstatedinWikipedia,SportsMedicinefocusesonphysical
fitness,treatmentandpreventionofinjuriesrelatedtosportsandexercise.Throughthisclub,Brodhead
aidedherschoolsfootballteamanddescribeshertimeinthisclubasthepeakofherhighschoollife.
In2005,whenshegraduatedhighschoolwith850otherstudents,Brodheadwas100%sureofwhat
hernextstepwouldbe.HerupcomingadventureawaitedatBucknellUniversity,whereshepursuedher
dreaminSportsMedicinebytakingalltheclassesrequiredtograduatewithherdesireddegree.Yet,
backthen,shewouldhaveneverguessedhowherlifewasgoingtochangeinashortperiodoffour
years.
Withexcitement,Brodheadattendedherclasseseachday,dreamingaboutwhoshecanbecome.But
withhavingextrafreetimeonherhands,shevolunteeredtoteachatalocalelementaryschoolnearher
universityincentralPennsylvania.There,shemetalittlegirlwhomshebegantoteacheverydayafterher
classesended.ItdidnttakelongforBrodheadtorealizehernewlove,afterscience,forkids.
Hernewkeenness,however,broughtforwardnewobstaclesthatneededtobesurpassedwiththe
makingofBrodheadsdecision.HavingalwaysknownsexismwascommonamongSportsMedicine
professionals,Mrs.Brodheadgaveupallsheeverstrivedfortomakeaheartbreakingdecision,atthat
time,whichwouldbecomethecorecausetohersuccess.SheaddedontosaythatDarrce,herbest
friend,playedakeyroleinherdecision.
Darrcewasfearlessandalwaysconfidentinherself.SheimpactedmethemostinmylifeandIlearned
toneverbeunafraidtotakeonachallenge,Mrs.Brodheadreflected.
ThemajorchallengethatBrodheadfacedafterherdecision,wasthatshehadtotakeonamajorthat
shewasunpreparedfor,ineducationandbiology.
Atfirst,aftergivingupherdream,everythingseemeddark,buthervisionbrightened,aftermore
opportunitiesthansheeverhadbeforebeganopeningup.Shefoundoutthatitwaspossibletograduate
heruniversitywithateachingcertificate,andsheachieveditmerelyasanundergraduate,becominga
certifiedbiologyteacher.
Tothisday,SaraBrodheadliveswithnoregrets,andfeelsthatshehasobtainedsuccessinherlifeby
discoveringwhatshetrulywants,andattainingit.Nolongerisshethesame,confusedundergraduate
studentthatwasweigheddownbyherowndilemmas,butagiftededucatorthatknowshermaterial
wellandincorporatesdifferenttechniquestoteachawidevarietyofstudents.
Reflectingonherownexperience,SaraBrodheadconcludes,Whenyoufindsomethingthatyoutruly
love,youstickwithit.SciencemademewhoIamtodayananalyticalpersonwhosconstantlyalways
questioningthemechanicsoftheworldandobservingtheinteractionsbetweenpeople.