Auto Biographical Essay: A Career In Special Education
Auto Biographical Essay
Autobiographical Essay
Introduction
I always knew I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life; I just wasn’t always sure how I wanted to do it. I went through different phases of what careers I wanted to do; doctor, lawyer, princess, firefighter. None of those ideas ever really stuck though, it wasn’t until I was in middle school that I found a career that I knew I wanted to do, something that wouldn’t just make me money, but more importantly make me and other people happy. I was going to become a Special Education teacher no matter what.
Educational Background I moved around quite a bit as a kid so making friends and meeting new people was often a struggle for me. I lived in Virginia from kindergarten …show more content…
to 4th grade, Arizona from 5th to 8th grade, and then Idaho from 9th to 12th grade. I loved to attend school when I was younger, I loved to learn and read. But when I started to move around a lot it would often push me behind and I’d have to work even harder to catch up just to fall behind again. Orangewood Elementary was the first place that I felt like I actually fit in and belonged there. I spent four years there getting to know all these people and becoming more and more involved with the activities that were offered. I was a cheerleader, active in student council, and I found my love for track at this school. I met some of the best friends I’ve ever had during my time there. And to this day I still have those people to rely on if I ever need them. Orangewood taught me that it isn’t too hard to fit in sometimes as long as you make the effort to belong. Butte County High School, hands down the best four years of my life.
I couldn’t have imagined going to high school anywhere else. I met my best friend there, and I got to grow up with some of the most amazing people. It was because of one specific teacher at this school that I Knew I wanted to teach. He took an interest in his students, not just as students but as people. He cared and made sure that each of the students knew if they ever need to talk to anyone that he will be there to listen. It was so hard to graduate and know I was leaving all these people who I had spent the last 4 years of my life getting to know and making friendships with. They all have touched my heart significantly and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without this schooling experience. I’m attending my first semester at the College of Southern Idaho; this is definitely a big transition for me. I’m learning that it is a lot easier to slack off in college; you have to have the determination and motivation to prevail in college. I had my doubts about going to college, I worried that I wasn’t cut out for college, and it would be a waste of my time and money to go. I couldn’t have been more wrong, I love college now. I’ve meet so many new and amazing people, and even some professors that have helped change my life. I’m glad I changed my mind and decided to give college a
try.
Work History I started to work when I was 14, my aunt and uncle owned a deli and that is where I started, I never would have guessed that for 4 years that is how I would earn my own money. I started there knowing nothing about the place, or how anything worked. But as the days turned to weeks and the weeks would turn to months, then months to years I eventually became a pro at all things that involved working at a deli. I was trusted enough to become a key holder so that I could open and close the store myself, that taught me so much responsibility in such a little gesture. It made me feel special to know that other people believed and trusted me enough to put that much faith in me.
During my senior year I decided that I needed to get a second job just to save up a little bit of extra money, so I got a job at the only grocery store in Arco, the A & A Market. Needless to say that that was probably my least favorite job, waking up at 5 am to go unload freight and stock shelves for 3 hours before school was not something I enjoyed. But that job definitely taught me discipline; I had to make sure that I got out of bed in the morning no matter how tired I was at that time because there were people at that job that depended on me to be there.
I was a nannie all through-out my high school career, and I loved it. The 3 kids that I baby sat mean the world to me, they taught me the innocence that children still have and how I wish I could still see the world in the way they do. I learned a lot of patience from that job but it was all worth it, because the memories I have with those kids I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Service and/ or Extracurricular Activities Throughout my middle school and high school career and I loved it. I felt like it was something I was really good at, that no one could take that from me. When I was in high school you played a sport or you really didn’t do much. I wasn’t very skilled when it came to basketball or volleyball, but track that was what I was good at. All of my friends ran track too so it made it even more fun to do. During my junior year I was running and I felt a huge pain in my calf, I continued to run on it for a few more weeks and the pain continued. My mom finally made me go see a doctor and he told me what I didn’t want to hear, that my calf muscle was starting to tear and that I couldn’t run on it for the rest of the year. I was so devastated because I was losing the one thing I was good at and I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself. I didn’t know though that this would lead me to a new passion of mine. It was during my hiatus from running that I spent a lot of time at home because I couldn’t go out and do a lot. My mom bought me a sketch book and some new pencils and told me this might help my boredom. I thought she was crazy, I didn’t want to sit home and draw, I wanted to be out actually doing things. I was often doodling on my papers, just little drawings that really didn’t mean anything or looks like anything. I was desperate one day though, so I picked up the sketch book and just started to draw, and I was surprised with how much I actually loved to do it, and that I was even good at it. I spent a lot of time after that expressing myself through art, it gave me a new gateway and showed me that I was good at something else. It got me through a depression that for a while I felt like I was going to be stuck in, art showed me the way out.
Reasons to Teach
My biggest reason to want to become a teacher is for my big sister Marianela. My sister was born with fetal alcohol syndrome, and she suffered emotional trauma numerous times before she was adopted by my mom at the age of four. She was put in special education classes at an early age because of her difficulty of keeping up with the other “normal” student in the classroom and the curriculum. She often felt like she was “stupid” or “slow”. It would always break my heart to watch her feel like that because in reality she is more intelligent than people realize. It was just that other teachers didn’t understand the kind of learning environment she needed. When I would watch my sister interact with her special education teachers it made me realize the difference they are making in her life, they helped her find her potential and taught her that she was smarter than she even thought. My sister was finally feeling like she could become whatever she wanted to be, and it was an amazing thing to watch. I knew after that I wanted to become a special education teacher, so I can help kids in the way my sister was helped.
Another reason I want to teach is to help make a difference in a child’s life. To teach them that no matter what there is always someone there to help them achieve the things they want most in their lives. To believe in them even if they don’t believe in themselves, when they feel like they aren’t smart enough, or talented enough. Many children just need to know they have people who can believe in them and won’t give up on them no matter how much they struggle, or make mistakes.
Professional Goals
My short term goal is to graduate from the College of Southern Idaho with my Associate of Arts degree in Special Education. After I graduate with my degree I want to be accepted to Boise State University and continue on to gaining my Bachelor’s degree in Special Education with a minor in Elementary Education. I hope to graduate from the 4 year university in May of 2016. I plan to accomplish this by studying and completing all the required courses needed to graduate with my degree. My long term goal is to become a Special Education teacher in Boise, Idaho. I want to teach children in grades K-4th grade with learning and physical disabilities to gain an education. Another goal is to return to the orphanage I was in. I plan to accomplish this goal by volunteering to help assist in the orphanage. My mother and I plan to return to the orphanage in the summer of 2014.
Conclusion
I still have so much to learn as an educator, and I can’t wait to continue learning. I crave for the day I get my first classroom and get the opportunity to help students the way my teachers helped me. The innocence of children still amazes me, they never fail to see the good in the world. I can’t wait to spend every day around those children, hoping that their innocence and optimism rubs off on me. No matter what it takes or how long it takes I will get there and the journey will be worth the destination.
Autobiographical Essay
Introduction
I always knew I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life; I just wasn’t always sure how I wanted to do it. I went through different phases of what careers I wanted to do; doctor, lawyer, princess, firefighter. None of those ideas ever really stuck though, it wasn’t until I was in middle school that I found a career that I knew I wanted to do, something that wouldn’t just make me money, but more importantly make me and other people happy. I was going to become a Special Education teacher no matter what.
Educational Background I moved around quite a bit as a kid so making friends and meeting new people was often a struggle for me. I lived in Virginia from kindergarten …show more content…
to 4th grade, Arizona from 5th to 8th grade, and then Idaho from 9th to 12th grade. I loved to attend school when I was younger, I loved to learn and read. But when I started to move around a lot it would often push me behind and I’d have to work even harder to catch up just to fall behind again. Orangewood Elementary was the first place that I felt like I actually fit in and belonged there. I spent four years there getting to know all these people and becoming more and more involved with the activities that were offered. I was a cheerleader, active in student council, and I found my love for track at this school. I met some of the best friends I’ve ever had during my time there. And to this day I still have those people to rely on if I ever need them. Orangewood taught me that it isn’t too hard to fit in sometimes as long as you make the effort to belong. Butte County High School, hands down the best four years of my life.
I couldn’t have imagined going to high school anywhere else. I met my best friend there, and I got to grow up with some of the most amazing people. It was because of one specific teacher at this school that I Knew I wanted to teach. He took an interest in his students, not just as students but as people. He cared and made sure that each of the students knew if they ever need to talk to anyone that he will be there to listen. It was so hard to graduate and know I was leaving all these people who I had spent the last 4 years of my life getting to know and making friendships with. They all have touched my heart significantly and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without this schooling experience. I’m attending my first semester at the College of Southern Idaho; this is definitely a big transition for me. I’m learning that it is a lot easier to slack off in college; you have to have the determination and motivation to prevail in college. I had my doubts about going to college, I worried that I wasn’t cut out for college, and it would be a waste of my time and money to go. I couldn’t have been more wrong, I love college now. I’ve meet so many new and amazing people, and even some professors that have helped change my life. I’m glad I changed my mind and decided to give college a
try.
Work History I started to work when I was 14, my aunt and uncle owned a deli and that is where I started, I never would have guessed that for 4 years that is how I would earn my own money. I started there knowing nothing about the place, or how anything worked. But as the days turned to weeks and the weeks would turn to months, then months to years I eventually became a pro at all things that involved working at a deli. I was trusted enough to become a key holder so that I could open and close the store myself, that taught me so much responsibility in such a little gesture. It made me feel special to know that other people believed and trusted me enough to put that much faith in me.
During my senior year I decided that I needed to get a second job just to save up a little bit of extra money, so I got a job at the only grocery store in Arco, the A & A Market. Needless to say that that was probably my least favorite job, waking up at 5 am to go unload freight and stock shelves for 3 hours before school was not something I enjoyed. But that job definitely taught me discipline; I had to make sure that I got out of bed in the morning no matter how tired I was at that time because there were people at that job that depended on me to be there.
I was a nannie all through-out my high school career, and I loved it. The 3 kids that I baby sat mean the world to me, they taught me the innocence that children still have and how I wish I could still see the world in the way they do. I learned a lot of patience from that job but it was all worth it, because the memories I have with those kids I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Service and/ or Extracurricular Activities Throughout my middle school and high school career and I loved it. I felt like it was something I was really good at, that no one could take that from me. When I was in high school you played a sport or you really didn’t do much. I wasn’t very skilled when it came to basketball or volleyball, but track that was what I was good at. All of my friends ran track too so it made it even more fun to do. During my junior year I was running and I felt a huge pain in my calf, I continued to run on it for a few more weeks and the pain continued. My mom finally made me go see a doctor and he told me what I didn’t want to hear, that my calf muscle was starting to tear and that I couldn’t run on it for the rest of the year. I was so devastated because I was losing the one thing I was good at and I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself. I didn’t know though that this would lead me to a new passion of mine. It was during my hiatus from running that I spent a lot of time at home because I couldn’t go out and do a lot. My mom bought me a sketch book and some new pencils and told me this might help my boredom. I thought she was crazy, I didn’t want to sit home and draw, I wanted to be out actually doing things. I was often doodling on my papers, just little drawings that really didn’t mean anything or looks like anything. I was desperate one day though, so I picked up the sketch book and just started to draw, and I was surprised with how much I actually loved to do it, and that I was even good at it. I spent a lot of time after that expressing myself through art, it gave me a new gateway and showed me that I was good at something else. It got me through a depression that for a while I felt like I was going to be stuck in, art showed me the way out.
Reasons to Teach
My biggest reason to want to become a teacher is for my big sister Marianela. My sister was born with fetal alcohol syndrome, and she suffered emotional trauma numerous times before she was adopted by my mom at the age of four. She was put in special education classes at an early age because of her difficulty of keeping up with the other “normal” student in the classroom and the curriculum. She often felt like she was “stupid” or “slow”. It would always break my heart to watch her feel like that because in reality she is more intelligent than people realize. It was just that other teachers didn’t understand the kind of learning environment she needed. When I would watch my sister interact with her special education teachers it made me realize the difference they are making in her life, they helped her find her potential and taught her that she was smarter than she even thought. My sister was finally feeling like she could become whatever she wanted to be, and it was an amazing thing to watch. I knew after that I wanted to become a special education teacher, so I can help kids in the way my sister was helped.
Another reason I want to teach is to help make a difference in a child’s life. To teach them that no matter what there is always someone there to help them achieve the things they want most in their lives. To believe in them even if they don’t believe in themselves, when they feel like they aren’t smart enough, or talented enough. Many children just need to know they have people who can believe in them and won’t give up on them no matter how much they struggle, or make mistakes.
Professional Goals
My short term goal is to graduate from the College of Southern Idaho with my Associate of Arts degree in Special Education. After I graduate with my degree I want to be accepted to Boise State University and continue on to gaining my Bachelor’s degree in Special Education with a minor in Elementary Education. I hope to graduate from the 4 year university in May of 2016. I plan to accomplish this by studying and completing all the required courses needed to graduate with my degree. My long term goal is to become a Special Education teacher in Boise, Idaho. I want to teach children in grades K-4th grade with learning and physical disabilities to gain an education. Another goal is to return to the orphanage I was in. I plan to accomplish this goal by volunteering to help assist in the orphanage. My mother and I plan to return to the orphanage in the summer of 2014.
Conclusion
I still have so much to learn as an educator, and I can’t wait to continue learning. I crave for the day I get my first classroom and get the opportunity to help students the way my teachers helped me. The innocence of children still amazes me, they never fail to see the good in the world. I can’t wait to spend every day around those children, hoping that their innocence and optimism rubs off on me. No matter what it takes or how long it takes I will get there and the journey will be worth the destination.