ABE

Running head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

Autobiographical Essay Sheena Wesner Prof. Jonathan Lord EDUC 201: Foundations of Education Fall 2013, online course

ABE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

Autobiographical Essay I have always known that I wanted to do something that would involve helping people, and when I was first working on my associates degree I considered education. At that point in my life I was not completely committed to becoming a teacher. And for some time I wanted to go into nursing because I knew that nurses made a lot of money. However, while I was looking into different nursing programs I had a feeling that nursing was not right for me and that I needed a career that would make me happy; and would put me in a position where I was able to use my life experiences to help people change their lives for the better. Over the past three years I have spent a lot of time in my childrens elementary school, and have truly loved it. The time I spent in the school is what helped motivate me to go back to school and become a teacher. I now know that teaching is my calling because I love being in the classroom, and I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals of becoming a school teacher. Educational Background My first memories of school are from when I was in kindergarten. I went to the old Springdale Kindergarten that was just outside of Burley, Idaho. It was a small school that only had kindergarten students in it. I remember quite clearly sitting next to a little boy that was in a wheel chair and dressing up as an Indian for the Thanksgiving feast. From there I went to Dwarshack Elementary School in Burley. I only attended this school for one year, and I dont have too many memories of it except my teachers name was Mrs. Whitehead, and I thought it was funny because she had white hair. Next I attended the old Overland Elementary School. I have a lot of memories of that school and I still have some friends that I met while I was a student there. I attended Overland Elementary for second, third, and fourth grade. Fifth and

ABE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY sixth grade I attended Mountain View Intermediate School and from there I made the move to Burley Jr. High School. When I was in Jr. High the ninth grade was still in the Jr. High School and the building that is now CSIs Mini-Cassia Center was the Burley High School. I attended the old Burley High School for about a year and a half and moved over to the new Burley High School once it was completed. I was there until I graduated with the class of 2000. Currently I have an associate of arts degree from CSI and I am working on my second

associates degree in secondary education. When I graduate, I will be transferring to Idaho State University to finish my bachelors degree in Secondary Education. While I was working on my first degree I had an interest in business and had taken several different business classes. Although I decided not to major in business, I found the classes to be very informative and beneficial in my jobs. I have also taken a lot of art, photography and yearbook classes throughout the years. I have a great appreciation for art and photography. Its what keeps me grounded and is my way of expressing myself. My hope is that I will be able to help my students find the things that they are passionate about; and that even the small things are important and can change the way he/she sees the world. My education has contributed to my development as a professional educator because it has given me the confidence to trust in myself and not to be afraid to stand up for what I believe in. I have always loved to be in the classroom and to be able to discuss my interests and feelings with likeminded people. My education has also made me less of an introvert and given me the confidence to not be afraid to stand up in front of a class. Without my educational experience I would not be able to pursue a career in education. Even the times when I was doubting myself and did not think I had what it takes to be a good student were important because I was able to

ABE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY pushed through them and they taught me to not underestimate myself, and that I do have the abilities needed to become a successful educator. Work History My first job was in a little neighborhood grocery store when I was about 16 years old. I would get up in the morning before school and put freight away for about three hours. I only

worked about ten hours a week, and made minimum wage. However, I really liked working there because for the first time I had my own money. My second job was at Smiths Food and Drug in the Service Deli. I started this job when I was a senior in high school and worked there for about two years. I would prepare food, slice deli meats and cheeses, clean, work the cash register, and basically do whatever was needed of me. This is where I learned that through hard work I could gain respect and that my actions had an impact on the people around me. My next job was at a Subway Restaurant. I really liked this job; it was a lot of fun to work with young kids. I was also given a lot of responsibility at this job. I learned a lot about how a business is managed and this is where I gained my interest in business management. At this job, I would do the ordering, help with the books, and fill in for the manager whenever she was not there. My next job was at Wal-Mart as a cashier. I learned a lot about customer service and enjoyed the fast pace of this job. I worked there off and on for about six years. Taking time off when my Children were born. This job taught me the importance of having a sustainable job that can support a family. I have also worked in a shoe store and a gas station for shorter periods of time. Out of all of my jobs Wal-Mart was my favorite because they were always willing to change my schedules so I could work my job around my school schedule and my kids. The jobs that I have had in the past have given me an appreciation for hard work and accountability. They have also given me the motivation to want to do something different with

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my life. I want to be able to help people in a way that I cannot do at a retail store or a restaurant. Becoming a professional educator will put me into a position to help people make their lives better. It will be fulfilling for me to have something more than just a job. Service and/or Extracurricular Activities When I was in high School I was involved in various clubs, such as German Club, BSOPPS (a club that helped with the Special Olympics), yearbook, Art Club, and my youth group. With my youth group, I did a lot of service projects for my community. We would visit care centers, make quilts to give to needy families, help the elderly with yard and house work, and do projects with the younger children. As an adult, I have also served my community by donating food to the local community action, by volunteering at my childrens preschool and elementary school, and I have babysat for families that could not afford childcare. I am still

involved in the local elementary school and really love helping the teachers and spending time with the children. This has given me more of an appreciation for my education; and an understanding of how important it is that we give the younger generations all the tools they will need to become successful adults. All of the things that I have done over the years have contributed to my development as a professional educator because they have taught me to love to serve. Becoming a teacher will be my way of giving back to the community that has given me so much. I will be able to teach my students that through education anything is possible. My education has also given me confidence in myself and my abilities to help other people. I view teaching as serving the community, and consider it a natural continuation of the things I have already accomplished. Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career

ABE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY I have been considering a career in education for about fifteen years now, and have finally made the commitment to follow through with it. Spending time with my kids in their

school over the past couple of years is what helped me decide to become a teacher. I have really enjoyed being in the schools, and when I was faced with needing to go back to work the only place I really wanted to work was in the school district. I have considered working in business management and nursing, however, education is what I feel is my true calling. I anticipate teaching being rewarding because I will get to work with and be with children. I will also get to spend my days knowing that I am doing something that is benefiting my community. Professional Goals I have found goal setting to be very helpful when it comes to my education. Some of my long-term goals are to continue my education after I finish my bachelors degree, and to have a successful career as a teacher. My short-term goals include finishing up at CSI, and to finding a job as a pareducator in my local school district while I am a student. Going back to school was a fulfillment of one of my short term goals, and by taking it one step at a time I will be able to continue on the path that I have started to become a teacher. In conclusion, becoming a teacher will be the accumulation of many years of education, hard work, community service, and fulfillment of my professional goals. All of the things that I have experienced in my life have made me the person I am today. I look forward to what the future holds for me. I will be able to use my own experiences and education to help my own students meet their goals and become successful in their own lives.

ABE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

ABE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY