Education Studies

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Psychologists, such as Jean Piaget, have argued that a child’s intelligence is not innate, as previously thought, but instead it is the result of the environment; discoveries like this have ignited my interest in psychological and sociological influences. I particularly want to explore further the social changes that affect the attitudes and intellect of a child. As an inquisitive person, I am fascinated with the complexity of the human mind and I am intrigued by how far it can indeed be argued that an individual's attitudes and intellect are influenced by society. I am curious about disorders which are largely linked to the brain; for example, autism and theories that suggest that autism is a result of chemical imbalances. What I have particularly enjoyed about studying psychology is being able to come to decisions that are not based solely on reductionist approaches; this has confirmed my desire to pursue a career in psychology or sociology. My ultimate goal is to teach psychology or sociology as I believe it is very important to understand the way our mind works and the role it plays in regard to the decisions we choose to make.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

Studying English literature has allowed me to explore how human nature is presented in a variety of texts and how writers construct meaning. As a result, my analytical skills have sharpened as has my ability to articulate my ideas in an academic manner. I have shown my commitment to sociology, despite not having studied it formally, by independently researching those aspects of sociology that complement my work in religious studies, for example, reading theories on Marxism. Like Marx, I too see religion as the ‘opium of the people’ meaning that religion is used to “socially construct society as a means for proletariats to accept immediate suffering and provide them with pleasant illusions”. This makes me question whether individuals have free will over their actions or whether they are conforming to society’s perception of religion.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

In addition to my studies, I have experience working with young children in Key Stages 1 and 2 in a primary school. As a result, I have been able to gain insight into the way professionals use psychological research such as token economy in order to teach infants. This brought to light the importance of such research because we are able to create techniques that improve ways of teaching. The unfamiliar environment has increased my confidence and helped me improve my public speaking. I worked alongside a teacher as an assistant and throughout the week I supported the pupils in lessons. I am also keen to learn more about individuals in society who are often disregarded or stereotyped. This encouraged me to take part in an event for the Queen Alexandra College for people with visual and learning impairment. Talking to one of the attendees helped me to gain an insight into their experiences which brought awareness of the stereotypes that institutions such as the media lead us to believe. This highlights the importance of social psychology as observing human interaction outgroups can deepen our knowledge of individuals’ behaviour towards outgroups in society. I also took part in the National Citizenship Service and in addition to this I was given the chance to work with the elderly at a retirement village which improved my ability to work co-operatively and share ideas within my group. This project aimed to incorporate the memories of individuals into a short documentary. This was a chance to highlight the importance of every individual’s life in society and it helped me understand how society differs with each generation. I have learnt how to work collaboratively and logically, skills that are needed when carrying out group experiments. In conclusion, I am a hardworking individual who deeply values education and I believe that education is key to functioning of society and my passion to pursue a career in psychology or sociology stems from this belief.