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Heather Morgan

Becoming a Teacher
What events and people contributed to my decision to teach?
My mother and grandmother, both school teachers, established in me from an early age a
desire to learn, discover, and explore through reading. My mother would read to me and my
family every night before bed. Some of my favorite stories in early childhood were Corduroy,
Thomas the Tank, Love You Forever, and The Cat in the Hat. In first grade my mother home
schooled me and taught me to read with the program, Hooked on Phonics. The program
consisted of workbooks, interactive games, flashcards, books, and books on tape.
My third grade teacher, who actively engaged the entire class with read alouds, had a
memorable cackle that worked perfectly while playing the part of a witch. I remember being on
the edge of my seat, hanging onto her every word, and wishing she wouldnt stop at the end of
the chapter. My fifth grade teacher had the best reading corner. It was a privilege to finish
assignments early so we could read in the front corner. During the same year, I dressed up as a
main character out of a historical fiction book. I presented my book reports in a first person
narrative. It was not only an exercise in reading comprehension, but in public speaking and
dramatic performance.
My grandmother took me to the library during my summer vacations from ages ten
through the end of junior high. I was motivated to participate in summer reading programs, to
write book reviews, and read stories in order to win prizes. Books I remember reading during
middle childhood include Charlottes Web, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Magic Tree House
series, and Frindle. My favorite of these was The Magic Tree House series. I was whisked away
into the world of the characters; I enjoyed the adventure, suspense, and embedded historical
lessons. Other memorable stories I read towards the end of junior high were Mrs. Frisby and the

Rats of NIMH, The Giver, Anne of Green Gables, and A Wrinkle in Time. As you can imagine,
with my grandmother taking me to libraries, and my mother keeping a repertoire of childrens
books in her classroom, I had immediate and practically unlimited access to books growing up.
During college, I realized that my grandfather and father have also played a role in my
literacy experience. My grandfather, a Biblical scholar, leads by example; he will forever be
studying and reading in his personal library and office. He prays before family meals and reads
scripture at holiday dinner gatherings. My father, who manages library circulation at a university
library, encourages me to be resourceful, work hard, and build meaningful relationships with
others.
Today, as a beginning teacher, I consider my childhood and adult reading experiences
pivotal to my decision to become a teacher. I believe that reading is at the core of all learning. It
is through reading that we can explore and discover the past, present, and future. There is much
freedom and independence in reading. TPE 6.2 states that beginning teachers, Recognize their
own values and implicit and explicit biases, the ways in which these values and implicit and
explicit biases may positively and negatively affect teaching and learning, and work to mitigate
any negative impact on the teaching and learning of students. They exhibit positive dispositions
of caring, support, acceptance, and fairness toward all students and families, as well as toward
their colleagues (California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, 2016, p. 19). In my
classroom I will work to create a literacy rich environment and plan to integrate CCSS ELA
Standards cross-curricularly. I want my students to take ownership of their literacy by
developing favorite genres, authors, and illustrators. My goal is to encourage a sense of lifelong
learning and instill fundamental values such as commitment and determination through effective
reading instruction.

References
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. (2016). Teaching Performance Expectations.
Sacramento, CA: California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

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