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Autobiographical Essay Awesome Student Professor Carol Billing Education 201: Foundations of Education Fall 2011

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Introduction A pivotal question in the pursuit of a career in teaching is, why do you want to teach? There are many reasons why I want to teach, but explaining previous personal experiences in my life is a vital component. My background as a student and son to two parents within the education system, gives me a somewhat unique view into the teaching profession. My mom was an elementary school teacher of various grade levels for over three decades, and is now a science curriculum coordinator in southeastern Washington. Although I am obviously biased, I know that she was a great teacher, which beyond previous students accounts, was acknowledged by President Barack Obama in 2009 as the recipient of Science Teacher of the Year for the state of Washington. My dad was a high school government and physical education teacher, and is now an Assistant Principal in the Kennewick School District in Washington State. This previous background information doesnt directly relate to the question at hand, but I feel that it indirectly relates in that even when I wasnt in the classroom, growing up I was able to get to know hundreds of teachers at all levels, and the importance of an education was definitely always stressed. My parents are definitely proud that I want to teach. Despite always being surrounded by educators, pursuing the teaching path wasnt always what I wanted to do. However, I have always been somewhat of an educator to friends, peers, and coworkers. I guess its in the blood. Without sounding to arrogant, Ive always enjoyed imparting knowledge on others. It sound clich, but is important to me to have a profession that can have tangible positive influences on the community as a whole, or even one child. Basically, I agree that teaching is more of a vocation than a job. The various intrinsic rewards

ABE 3 associated with the teaching profession are very important. Camaraderie with fellow teachers, seeing students learn and develop, and a love of working with kids, are all quite valuable to me. There is no better way to benefit society than to teach, and I cant wait for the opportunity to ensure success in the next generation of young students. Educational Background Both of my parents have been educators for their entire careers and have always stressed the importance of receiving an education. They recognized the benefits of beginning schooling at an early age, and did everything within their power to provide me with a stable learning environment. My formal schooling began in Mt. Home, ID at the Montessori Preschool. At that young age, Pre-school provided a basis and foundation of learning for years to come. I attended elementary school at three separate locations in two states. The first elementary school I attended was East Elementary in Mt. Home. After my 1st grade year was concluded, our family moved to Washington State because teaching there provided my parents with more adequate financial support. I entered the 2nd grade at Cascade Elementary in Kennewick, WA. I didnt like the teacher, as she was too much of an Authoritarian, and I didnt sense that she like her students very much. I finished Elementary School at Southgate Elementary, where my mom was a teacher. At this stage in my schooling, I began to thrive, and developed a love of learning. I had great teachers, especially Mrs. Anderson who taught the 4 th and 5th grade. She always provided a challenging, yet fun classroom environment. An added bonus to attending school where my mom taught was that she was always down the hall to provide guidance, inquiry, and much needed parental support throughout the day.

ABE 4 My Middle School years were spent at Horse Heaven Hills, where the daily structure was quite different from the earlier years of my education. Having various teachers and subjects throughout the day was a great way to see different approaches in instruction, and the ability to develop close relationships with peers. Kennewick High School is where I really developed a niche in the school environment. My dad was the Assistant Principal of the school and guided me along the way. This also allowed me to get to know my teachers well, both in and outside of the classroom. High School provided various class options, both core subjects and electives, which allowed me to pursue areas of interest with enthusiasm. I also partook in various extra-curricular activities, from Leadership Counsel to Wrestling. Also in High School I enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program, part time, which involved advanced college preparation courses. I chose not to do the IB Program full-time because I enjoyed the relationships I had built in my regular classes, and wanted to have some continuity. This decision probably wasnt the most beneficial in terms of educational challenges, but looking back I appreciate having both perspectives. As you can imagine, living in a household of teachers, not attending a College or University was not an option. I knew early on that I was destined for the University of Idaho. It has a great campus, an inviting atmosphere, and I couldnt wait for the adventures that College life would bring. Besides the challenging courses, I was an active leader within the University on campus leadership counsels, and serving as the Interfraternity Councils Recruitment Chair. At the University of Idaho, the content of my classes was not difficult for me to grasp, although, going to class consistently.thats another story. However, as I matured and learned time management skills, I began to do better. I graduated in 4 years with a Bachelors of Science degree in Anthropology and a Minor in Political Science.

ABE 5 School serves many different purposes, and each school I have attended has contributed to my professional development. Obviously one of the purposes for schools is to promote intellectual development, which leads directly to knowing content matter and information, in relation to a specific field. The socialization process is all about educating the young, so they can be functioning, well-rounded members of society. Intrinsic to teaching is striving to understand the students to be effective in the classroom. Before you can understand the students, you first must have an understanding of self. It was easy for me to get to know my teachers and observe them because I was in the school environment more than the kids whose parents didnt work at the school. I learned early on, from dinner table discussions with my parents that each student learns at a different level of understanding. I will apply this pedagogical content knowledge when I teach to be as effective as possible. A general observation I made throughout my education is that it seems like Elementary schools focus on how information is being taught, versus High Schools that seem to focus on content, or whats being taught. I believe that focusing on how information is being conveyed is just as, if not more, important than simply spitting out facts and content. As stated above, I currently have an Undergraduate degree, and pursued a career in Archaeology, the years following graduation. After working as an Archaeologist for 3 years, I decided what I really wanted to do was teach. Pursuing a 2 nd degree is challenging, but I am a believer in doing what makes you happy, and I believe teaching will provide that satisfaction. Work History Throughout my life I have held many different jobs that run the gamete of experiences, and even dove into a career as an Archaeologist for several years. Although some job

ABE 6 experiences Ive had have been more worthwhile and fruitful than others, all of my job history has played a vital role in my development as a professional and human being. The first job I had was as a paperboy for the Tri-City Herald, which was a great job to have when I was young because I was able to finish before school even started. It taught me at a young age that to work sometimes you must make sacrifices, such as getting up before all of your peers, as I certainly had to do with that job. When I was in high school, I worked at a clothing store, called Zumiez, which allowed me to make a little bit of spending money, and partake in the skateboarding culture in which I was already invested. Throughout college I held a few other clothing retail jobs for various companies, such as American Eagle and Hollister. These jobs were not ideal, but as a college student struggling to financially contribute in any way possible, I realized that sometimes any job is better than no job. Throughout my college career at the University of Idaho I did not work during the school year because I wanted to focus on academic achievement. After obtaining a degree in

Anthropology, I moved to the Treasure Valley, where I began the search for a career in Archaeology. Unfortunately because of the economic recession, no Cultural Resource firms were hiring in Idaho, and so I moved to Salt Lake City to work for SWCA Environmental Consultants with my brother and sister-in-law as an Archaeologist. After a year in Utah, I finally found work in Boise as an Archaeologist for the Bureau of Land Management. In both of the above jobs I had to travel to various areas, and perform cultural survey (hiking), analyze and record cultural sites, translate findings to site forms, photograph various items, take GPS positions on sites and artifacts, and catalogue findings. There were also various office

responsibilities such as site form entry, database management, artifact curation, etc. I also got the opportunity to prove myself as a crew chief for two years with the BLM, managing a field

ABE 7 crew of 5 people. My career as an Archaeologist was both physically challenging and

intellectually stimulating, but I felt like it was generally unfulfilling. All of these past work experiences are beneficial to my pursuit as an educator. A lesson I took away from having a paper route was that time is money, not to sound too clich. In order to succeed and make money I had to get up earlier than most people, which was hard on some days, but it in order to keep the job and ensure everyone on my block got a paper, it had to be done. The clothing store jobs taught me that I couldnt fail as a student, and needed to pursue a higher education because I couldnt imagine barely scraping by working that kind of job for the rest of my life. Those jobs enhanced my view of the importance of education. My professional career as an Archaeologist taught me many things. I learned that being able to work as a collective unit, maintaining personal responsibility, while being able to conduct the group to accomplish a common goal. Other skills that are applicable to a career in teaching that I took away from my previous career, is that being organized cuts down on stress when trying to attain a goal. Successful teachers have told me that a well-ordered, organized classroom and lesson, allow more time to focus on effective instruction and other responsibilities. Service and Extracurricular Activities Extra-curricular activities have always played an important role in my life. I believe there is a direct link between active participation in the community and living a successful life, both when in school and beyond. In high school I was involved in wrestling and natural helpers. The sport I favored most was wrestling because although it was a one-on-one sport where the effort I put in directly related to a positive or negative result, the team goal was still of utmost importance. I learned

ABE 8 that individual effort and hard work strengthened the unity and achievement of the entire team. This is similar to what a teacher experiences, in that when in a cooperative environment where teachers work in collaboration rather than competition, the educational goals of the entire school are more attainable, which ultimately fosters a better environment for student learning Throughout my college career at the University of Idaho I was involved in many different extra-curricular activities, both related to school and the community. While attending U of I, I became a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and held various leadership positions, where I was involved in strengthening the community, the fraternity, and those around me. Some of these positions included social chair, philanthropy chair, and Vice President. As Vice President I worked as a liaison between my fraternity and other fraternal organizations. As philanthropy chair one of my duties was encouraging involvement in our charity events as well as others across the University. One charity event that our fraternity brought to the community was Relay for Life. Another extra-curricular activity that I was very enthusiastic about was the role of Recruitment Chair for the Interfraternity Council at the University of Idaho. I served two years in that role, and my responsibilities included managing freshmen fraternal recruitment for the Greek system. In this role I was able to take a leadership position among my peers. An important part of the IFC position was interacting with not only future and fellow students, but with University officials and parents. I learned quickly that I had to wear many hats and work in conjunction with many different groups of people. As a new teacher, I will probably be called upon to participate in some sort of activity outside of the normal school hours, such as a family-night, or school concert, or sporting event. These sorts of extra-curricular activities should not be thought of as a burden and outside of teacher duties, but rather as an opportunity to interact with students, or parents, and show support

ABE 9 for the school. It is important that teachers stay active in the community and be willing to contribute his/her time, money, and efforts to the nearby community. An effective teacher is able to balance professional duties with active participation in the community. Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career A career in teaching has always been appealing to me. Ever since I was young Ive been passionate about helping others learn. The great teachers that I had in school really believed in me, and were essential in guiding me to work hard and strive for success. I want to be that kind of teacher, instilling high expectations and a sense of purpose in all of my future students. I want to make a difference, I want to empower someone to learn and think about something in a new light. It sounds clich, but children are going to be leaders of the future, and what better way to be directly involved in helping to make a better future for everyone than being a successful educator. I believe that with equal opportunity and access to learning, every student has the potential to do great things, and I want to empower every child with the tools they need to be successful. An appealing aspect of teaching is that I think the students will keep me young. Working with the young, interacting with them, and watching them grow and develop into successful human beings is at the heart of why I want to teach. Also, adolescents can be rather funny. The various personalities of students that teachers encounter can provide for amusing situations. Teachers wear many hats, and students often need them to be more than an instructor, but often times a counselor, a cheerleader, or a role model; and often times the teacher becomes the student. Although I may pursue teaching a particular subject, and my knowledge of that subject may be great, teaching forces you to be a lifelong learner. Students often ask intriguing

ABE 10 questions and may present their own insights, which will cause me to have to dig deeper and expand my knowledge. Another aspect I like about teaching is that every year, every day, every lesson, every student is different from the next. You could teach a lesson with different groups of students or at different times during the day, and the outcomes and involvement in the lesson will be different. I like the concept of being able to control your own class, not in the sense of being in a powerful position, but in the sense of being a facilitator of discussion, content, and learning. That sense of classroom autonomy is an appealing aspect to a career in teaching, which is unlike most professions. Unfortunately I think sometimes teachers get bombarded with pressures and get wrapped up in test scores and grading papers, and lose sight of the original reason of why they entered the teaching profession, and the excitement of making a difference in a young persons life is lost. I always knew that one day I would pursue a career in teaching; it was just a matter of when. My parents have had fulfilling careers as educators, both as teachers and administrators, and I wanted a career that made me genuinely happy. Throughout my years at the University of Idaho I first pursued a degree in Geology, then Political Science, and finally Anthropology. With my Bachelors of Science degree in Anthropology I worked as an Archaeologist for about 4 years. For a while this was a satisfying career, where I got to spend a lot of time traveling, hiking outdoors, and experiencing ancient history first-hand. But there was something missing in that career. I wanted to make a positive impact on others, and I had always felt a calling towards teaching. I know that teaching will be a challenging career, with unique frustrations, but the intrinsic rewards and joy of the job are second to none.

ABE 11 Professional Goals An aspect of teaching that I feel is vital is to approach the job with a willingness to adapt and grow as a professional. The day that I get the opportunity to enter the profession will be great, but I realize that the struggle doesnt stop there. It is my duty as an educator to be a student in the field, pursuing further training and educational opportunities myself. The world of education is ever evolving, with new theories and various applications of teaching practices always being presented. To be an effective teacher is to be fluid and dynamic, considering and utilizing the various theories and beneficial practices that will aid in the goal of preparing my students to be successful in any endeavor they pursue later in life. My immediate goals after entering the teaching profession are not as specific as some of my other goals, but will encompass what I want to accomplish throughout my career. I hope to hit the ground running as a new teacher, promoting an academically engaged learning environment, with critical thinking, a desire to participate, and shared knowledge as the cornerstones of my classroom. It may sound clich, but I simply want to instill knowledge and a desire to learn in every student that I teach, so that they will develop into smart, highly functioning members of society. Many changes have occurred in my life in the past year. I gave up a career as an Archaeologist to pursue my true calling in life, teaching. In a last minute decision I decided to apply to the College of Western Idaho to see what the college had to offer as a step in the process of attaining a second Bachelors or possible Masters degree in Education. Having a degree from the University of Idaho, with my core requirements completed, my focus has been solely on education courses. After I finish up with the required education courses at CWI in the spring, I

ABE 12 plan on transferring to a four-year institution within the state. I am still weighing my options, but will most likely attend either Boise State University or pursue my degree from the University of Idaho, taking classes remotely. The plans I have laid will help me accomplish my short-term goal of becoming highly qualified in each of the core academic subjects I want to teach, and having full state certification. Until recently I was unsure of whether I wanted to teach at the Elementary of Secondary level, but Ive tentatively decided that teaching Middle School would provide its own exciting challenges and opportunities. I have always had a passion for history and government, and would love to share that passion with Middle School age students. Although these students are not yet voters, I feel that it is important to pass on a love for country, to show them that past events and people help guide and shape future ones, and that they will become the future leaders of our country. I believe that with proper training and furthering my education, I can become a highly marketable and effective teacher, with many job opportunities at my disposal. I hope to work at a school that is supportive, collaborative, welcoming, provides adequate and equal resources to all students and teachers, and allows for some sense of autonomy within the classroom environment. It is important as a teacher to not only focus on the immediate or short-term, but to reflect on long-term goals. As a person with natural leadership ability and experience, I tend to seek out leadership roles. Once I become an experienced teacher I would strive to become a department head. Department Chairs often are designed and perceived as instructional leaders within their department, developing and influencing curriculum and the direction or focus of the department. Department Chairs also supervise and evaluate instruction, have regular contact with the administration, and act as intermediaries between the teachers and administration. The next avenue of education I might pursue is to become an Administrator. I believe that great

ABE 13 Administrators are leaders among teaching and learning at their prospective schools. They have clear comprehension of academic goals, how and if those goals are being achieved, how to meet challenges head-on, and are generally invested in both the teachers and students livelihoods. I believe that I have the skills in planning and oversight needed to become an effective administrator, and overall have a keen interest in the success of my teachers and students. Conclusion In conclusion, I believe that reflecting on my unique life experiences will contribute to my development of becoming an effective teacher. There are many aspects of teaching that are appealing, but to me making a difference in the lives of others is, above all, what calls me to this vocation. I hope to be an effective teacher that prepares the youth for success in adulthood; equipped with all the tools they need to be educated, pro-social members of society. I have always been drawn to education and look forward to a career where I can impart knowledge and model good citizenship.