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Running head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

Autobiographical Essay Janelle Ortiz Prof. Jon Lord EDUC 201 Foundations of Education Spring, 2013, online course

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Autobiographical Essay Wheres your baby? I hadnt realized this question was directed at me, so I kept on working with the student next to me. Then again that sweet voice piped up, Janelle, how come your baby doesnt come to school with us? I was stunned to hear this come from the kindergartener sitting to my right side. Well, Caleb, I dont have a baby. Im only eighteen silly. Caleb looked confused. But my sister is sixteen and her baby is already in preschool! he exclaimed proudly. This statement made my stomach churn. It was sad to hear that this little five- year- old in the classroom I was volunteering in expected all teenagers to have children his age. Was this how the rest of the world saw teenagers? Even though Im already considered an adult I still feel (and look) like a kid at heart. Did everyone expect us to grow up as soon as we hit the double digit years? While getting an education is very important, I believe its equally important to learn to grow up at your own pace, and getting an education is the only way to see and experience all life has to offer. Taking that first step towards a better education is the key to shaping your future goals and the future education of younger students, and to help them, and yourself, become a better person. Since I want to become the best educator I can be, I know that my work experience, education, and personal experience have all helped me become the person I am today and mold me into the educator I intend to be.

Educational Background My educational background definitely has varied. I cant pinpoint an exact elementary school I attended throughout my elementary years because I moved nearly every new school year, but I can pick out one school in particular that stood out to me. In the fourth grade I

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attended San Gabriel Academy in San Gabriel, California. This was a private Seventh-Day Adventist school, which among many other things meant I had to wear a uniform and attend church services during class. During my pre-teen years, I attended another private school, Loma Linda Academy, and finally, I moved here to Idaho and went to Burley High School. I graduated in May of 2012 and am proud to say I received my high school diploma. After graduation I enrolled full-time at the College of Southern Idaho, majoring in elementary education, and am currently in my second semester. Some of the unique educational experiences I have had would be my attendance at private schools. These were distinctive experiences to me because private schooling is very different from public schooling. For starters, we wore uniforms, and were under strict dress code. We could not wear anything that was not school colors, even undershirts. Since private schools are usually Christian or some other type of religious institute, I had to attend church sermons during school hours, usually Fridays, and then was dismissed early to begin Sabbath worship. I really liked private school because there was no pressure to fit in and everyone practiced good Christian morals. My education, mostly in my adolescent years, definitely contributed to my drive for becoming a teacher. My teachers would always preach about being a good person and being good to others, and that through hard work and determination I could achieve anything I set my heart to. I know that if I really do try my best at whatever I do, I can be, and do, anything I want. I want to pass on that inspiration to my students, just as my teachers did for me.

Work History

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My work experiences are few, but they left a big imprint on my life. For my EDUC 202 Field Experience class, I volunteered at Dworshak Elementary School in Mrs. Rodriguezs kindergarten class. I was to help the kindergarteners with their homework assignments, especially the struggling ones. I was even able to participate in their P.E. class, which I found amusing to watch as they attempted to jump ropes twice their own length. Some of the students were having a hard time keeping up with the rest of the class, and it took a lot of patience and reexplaining to finally help them. What really took me by surprise, and most certainly contributed to my development as an educator, was hearing these kids talk about their home lives. From hearing one child talk about his father in jail, to hearing another say he hates his sister because she beats him up, it made me realize that every student has their own struggles and hardships. Not everyone has a happy life, and when I become an elementary educator, I want my classroom to be a place where my students will always feel welcomed and loved.

Service and/or Extracurricular Activities The first place I actually volunteered in was a kindergarten classroom when I was a junior in high school. My Automated Manufacturing teacher, Mr. Jones, had a daughter-in-law who was also a teacher at Dworshak Elementary School. Mr. Jones had asked me and a few other classmates to make bookmarks for the kindergarteners, and we were to also help read to them every month. I was very excited to volunteer because I knew this would be my first experience in an actual classroom. The kindergarteners warmed right up to me, and I knew instantly that I had a knack with teaching kids. What I wasnt prepared for, however, was that five-year-olds have way too much energy for their tiny bodies. It took a lot of patience and discipline to get the kindergarteners to

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listen, but eventually I got the hang of it. By the end of the day I felt wiped out, but all of this was worth it knowing I put a smile on a childs face. These activities helped my development as an educator because it opened my eyes to the reality of teaching children and that its not always cookies and cream. It also helped me realize why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place. All the hard work teachers put into their job isnt for them, but for their students. They do their best to make school an enjoyable place for kids to learn, no matter how stressful it can be.

Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career What really made me consider teaching as a career happened quite a while back, when I was a kindergartner. I had a special teacher, Mrs. Miller, who was the nicest person I ever knew. She had this light and aura about her that made everyone naturally attracted to her. She always made me feel loved and welcomed in her classroom, even when I didnt feel that way myself. It was then that I decided I wanted to make a difference in other peoples lives, just like Mrs. Miller did, and being a teacher is one of the best ways to do it. Teachers have the power to make a difference, and children always look up to them for wisdom and guidance. I have considered many other career options, such as a homicide detective, a cosmetologist, and even an actress, but I knew deep down that teaching was the right career for me. Theres just something about having the ability to make a difference in the world that attracts me to teaching, and I look forward to putting my skills, and humor, to the test!

Professional Goals My long-term goals are definitely to become a kindergarten teacher, move to California, and be able to work with all sorts of children, either special education students or some that dont

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speak fluent English. Helping kids with special needs would be nice, but any kids that need extra attention would be great. I love knowing I can make a child laugh and teach them all that they can, while having fun doing it. Giving kids the education they deserve is really what being a teacher is all about. My short-term goals are simply to finish my education at the College of Southern Idaho and transfer to Boise State University and eventually get my Bachelors degree in elementary education. Boise State University is my dream school, and I know with all my hard work I can make it there in no time. I just need to keep my goals in check.

Conclusion All in all, I know that with my determination and hard work, I can become the teacher Ive always dreamed I would be. Its not going to be easy, but it will be worth it if I can make a difference in a childs life. With all the struggles and crazy experiences Ive been through, I know they were all part of what helped make me who I am today and hopefully the teacher I am becoming. Being a teacher has its ups and downs, but the rewards that come with it all make teaching worth the work and stress, because teachers really do have the power to make a difference in the world, a childs life, and even in their own lives, regardless of how big or small it may be. Getting a higher education will definitely be difficult, but all it takes is that one step in your own life to make a difference in somebody elses.