Running head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

Autobiographical Essay

Emily Spoelstra

Instructor: Dr. Egbert

EDUC 201: Foundations of Teacher Education

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Autobiographical Essay

Section 1: Educational Background

I began my academic career at a small town elementary school in rural Filer, Idaho at

Filer Elementary School, home of the Wildcats. I continued school in Filer at Filer

Middle School and then Filer High School. During my sophomore year of high school, I

moved to my father’s home country, Australia, and finished my last year of high school at

William Ross State High School in Annandale, Queensland. I was fortunate to be able to

graduate two years ahead of my United States classmates. Currently, I am completing an

Associates of Arts degree in Special Education through the College of Southern Idaho

located in Twin Falls, Idaho.

My work experience at a women’s shelter has given me the opportunity to interact

with exceptional children and their families. Through this work, I have planned and

implemented weekly children’s groups from ages zero to seventeen, and received grant

funding to remodel a playroom within the shelter that is based on Universal Design and

ensures the ability for all children to participate and enjoy the space. In addition to my

professional work, I’ve also had the opportunity to complete a semester of student

teaching at the local Head Start in Hailey, Idaho. At Head Start, I worked with teachers,

paraprofessionals, and their students to meet learning objectives creatively and assist in

collecting anecdotal evidence.

Academically, I have found the most beneficial things I’ve learned to be the

framework for Universal Design of Learning, and the skills to effectively manage

classroom behavior. Both UDL (Universal Design of Learning) and the skills to

respectfully and skillfully manage behaviors are invaluable assets in a teacher. Applying
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UDL principles ensures that a lesson is taught to be as accessible as possible, with

different styles and options available for all students to choose a method that suits their

individual abilities and learning styles in a supported environment. Managing classroom

behavior is as important as the lesson as children cannot learn effectively with chaos, nor

can they learn effectively if their needs of safety and security are not met.

Work History

My work experience has been in the insurance industry, as a licensed insurance

agent, and then with a domestic violence and sexual assault women’s shelter. I changed

careers from an insurance agent to a victim advocate after I began volunteering as a

Guardian ad Litem for the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program in Twin

Falls, Idaho. I realized very quickly that I loved working with children and their

caregivers to ensure that they have the best opportunity to reach their full potential. The

opportunity soon arose to work for my local women’s shelter in Hailey, Idaho and I

became a Victim Advocate, and two years later became the Children’s Program

Coordinator. In my role as the Children’s Program Coordinator, I was responsible for a

weekly children’s group that was hosted at the shelter, in addition to helping children

receive necessities and provide holiday and birthday gifts to children staying in the

shelter. I began a school supplies program that provided over 200 backpacks full of

school, grade, and class specific school supplies and coordinated the renovation of an

existing playroom within the shelter to ensure that the space was as accessible, useful,

and engaging as possible to the children staying there.

My work at the women’s shelter has been invaluable as an educator. Receiving daily

reminders of the importance of providing a safe and loving environment for children to
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flourish was invaluable, as was the training and experience to be culturally competent and

mindful of individual differences. These experiences have created a second-nature within

me to be a kind, accepting, nurturing, skillful, and intentional educator.

Service and/or Extracurricular Activities

I previously volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem, where I accompanied children to

court that had open cases through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. My role

was to interview all parties, compile supported recommendations, and present those

findings in a report to the judge during court to essentially be the voice of the child(ren)

and advocate for their best interest.

Volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem gave me experience in working with families in

high stress situations to find the best solution for their child or children. I had to provide

evidence to support my recommendation, and as much as possible, attempted to involve

all parties to reach a solution that would benefit their child, and be able to be maintained

by the family when services and intervention ended. This experience is enormously

useful as an educator; to speak with caregivers thoughtfully and respectfully, to make

evidence-supported recommendations, and to find solutions that will have the best chance

of the desired outcome.

Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career

I considered becoming a teacher during high school. I often think about my

elementary school teachers and their impact, and I always knew I wanted to make a

difference. After high school, I began working full time and didn’t become interested in

higher education again until I began working as a Victim Advocate. It was through my

work with children at the women’s shelter that I knew I wanted to continue to make a
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difference in these families’ lives, and I was invested enough in that goal to enroll in

college courses and pursue a degree in education. My intention was to finish a degree in

education, and continue applying the skills learned to my work as the Children’s Program

Coordinator.

Careers centered around helping people are the only careers I’ve ever been

passionate about. Applying tools learned academically, professionally, and personally, I

can help children to feel safe and accepted, know their worth, realize their unique

abilities, and learn to care about themselves and others in a safe and fun environment.

These are some of the things teachers can help to plant the seed and water- to help

children grow into their best selves while they’re in our care. As educators, we can

change the world one student at a time. I cannot think of a better reward.

Professional Goals

Long term, I plan to finish a blended degree in Special Education and Elementary

Education and eventually teach full-time. I will attend a four-year university and then

complete state-required student teaching and state licensing requirements for the state I

reside in at the time of graduation.

Short term, I will finish my AA-Special Education degree through the College of

Southern Idaho and take the PRAXIS exam through a testing facility to be a certified

paraprofessional.