THE CYCLE OF KNOWLEDGE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS WE MUST UNDERGO

Multi-Genre Auto-ethnography Project: Urban Teacher Identity

Ashley Horton
August 1, 2014
National Louis University National College of Education

Prologue
We live in a world where we have the ability to learn something new every day, whether
it is within a classroom environment or within society. Education can be gained at any given

THE CYCLE OF KNOWLEDGE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS WE MUST UNDERGO

moment, often times, unexpectedly. The idea for my project dawned on me as I pondered about
the impact of education throughout my lifetime. As a young girl, I was aware that other races and
cultures existed; however, I was very closed minded and ignorant to their way of living because
of my lack of exposure. When I was surrounded by my own people, race was not an topic on my
mind. On the other hand, when I was around races different than my own, I tended to feel very
uncomfortable, as if all eyes were on me because I had a different physical appearance.
Furthermore, while I was raised to not stare at others, it was difficult to overcome since I was in
unfamiliar territory, surrounding by unfamiliar people of the opposite race. When I enrolled into
a private college institution, Bradley University, at the age of 18, I was in for a true culture
shock. It took 18 years to become immersed within other races, including White, Indian, and
Hispanic. I was no longer the majority race present within my surroundings. When the tables
turn, they turn quickly. While my academic education sufficed, my social interactions with the
variety of different people served as the greatest education. According to Warnick, his life
mirrored the lives of those around him. As a result, he found himself becoming similar to those
he was exposed to, imitating by imitating their actions (2006). I transformed from an
inexperienced, naive, young girl into an open minded young lady, willing to listen to others
experiences while drawing from my own to magnify similarities. Why did this transformation
occur? When my environment changed, I strived to learn about my neighbors, peers sitting next
to me in class, and my students while student teaching. Social interactions, class discussions,
and dialogue shared between strangers fed my hunger for knowledge. My encounters led me to
conclude that no matter your age, race, culture, gender, or socioeconomic class, education can
always be gained. As a result of being deprived and starved from knowledge about society, race,

THE CYCLE OF KNOWLEDGE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS WE MUST UNDERGO

and cultural interactions, my hunger for knowledge cultivated, thus, resulting in my never ending
appetite for education.
This leads me to elaborate on my theme of the cycle and never ending journey of
education as a people and the transformation that occurs. It is essential that we never stop
learning. The moment we seize our learning process, the cycle comes to an abrupt halt and so
will the mental and physical development of what would be formally known as the human
species. We must find knowledge in any given situation made available for the advancement of
our own thinking. When we attain the knowledge, we must embark on the journey to spread
knowledge to the dispossessed, so they too can spread their newfound knowledge, thus,
continuing the cycle of education.
My first genre illustrates my current standpoint on my racial trajectory told though a pop
up book. To illustrate this point, a hungry caterpillar serves as a representation of myself. The
caterpillars appearance is very thin because of its deprivation of knowledge. The caterpillar
stumbles upon an ample amount of trees and immediately begins to consume its leaves. The
leaves symbolize the knowledge being gained. As the story progresses, a transformation occurs.
The caterpillar begins to gain weight as the knowledge is taken in. It then reaches the cocoon
stage of its transformation, which symbolizes the moment to enclose oneself in thoughts and
reflect what was learned. After the caterpillar reflects on the knowledge, it then transforms into a
butterfly, spreading its wings as well as spreading the knowledge. The book ends with the
butterfly fluttering its wings above the world with a blackboard behind it. The blackboard reads,
Welcome Class, which represents the butterfly prepared to educate the world as well the
butterfly willing to allow the world to take the chalk and also become an educator.
This leads to the introduction of my second genre which illustrates where I see myself in
one year after graduation. My graduation cap was used decorated with the writing, Ms. A+
Horton. Attached to the cap was a broomstick. This overall display represents how we all aspire

THE CYCLE OF KNOWLEDGE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS WE MUST UNDERGO

to become A+ educators, however, to get there, we must transform ourselves and brush up on our
own skills and knowledge. As it ties back into the theme of a transformation we must encounter
during our cycle, we must remember that education occurs every day in different forms. After
earning my undergraduate degree, I was willing to start over and embark on a new educational
journey with AUSL while obtaining my graduate degree. Furthermore, it also stresses the idea to
never settle. If you feel as if you could improve, it is never too late to begin something new to
create a better you.
In order for me to use my broomstick to start with a clean slate and brush up on my skills
to transform, I must never seize to educate. This introduces my final genre, illustrated by the
word educate defined by each letter on a circular wheel. Allowing myself to be open minded and
embrace new and original ideas will not only better myself, but my students as well. Students can
serve as a direction reflection of me. When my students observe that I never underestimate their
abilities to learn, always challenge their minds, and encourage good choices, my students will
transform in their own unique way, personally, academically, and socially. Ultimately, it is about
my students. If I am not willing to embark on the never ending cycle of knowledge to undergo
some form of transformation, why should I expect my students to do so?

Epilogue
While creating the multiple genres to illustrate my theme of the cycle of knowledge,
more specifically, the transformation we must undergo, I was able to understand and truly
magnify my own perspective on not only my current status, but where I plan to be as well as
envision a way to reach my destination. Illustrating my thoughts through original pieces was
much preferred because I was able to make use of a tangible item to visually represent my
thoughts in a unique way. Seeing how different objects serve as its own meaning through

THE CYCLE OF KNOWLEDGE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS WE MUST UNDERGO

different lenses causes me to slightly tilt my head and open my eyes to the potential all things
hold.
The hungry caterpillar helped me realize how deprived the world is as a people because
of our lack of knowledge. This is seen through the media, stereotypes, false assumptions, and
unnecessary hatred toward one another. If we are willing to feed one another with our own leaves
of knowledge, world hunger will seize to exist. Creating my book about the caterpillar changed
my perspective because it helped paint the picture about how some people feel as if they live in a
deserted area, where no trees of knowledge are available. For some, this can serve as a reason for
their ignorance on certain subject. However, the caterpillar represents how you have to strive and
have a true hunger for knowledge. If the knowledge you wish to obtain is not made readily
available to you, you must make the choice (which is represented in my final genre) to develop
an appetite for that knowledge because your life literally does depend on it. The life of the
hungry caterpillar was overall one of my strongest messages because it emphasizes how an
education is not only obtained in a classroom setting, but also through our everyday encounters.
We all have leaves to distribute, which embodies our personal experiences and learned
knowledge through social interactions. Ultimately, this is the message I wish my audience to take
from my multi genre web. No matter the situation, never stop learning. When placed in a difficult
situation that may challenge your personal beliefs and thoughts, allow this time serve as an
opportunity for you to use your own broomstick to clean off your plate, start new, and fill your
plate with fresh perspectives. Furthermore, never settle. Challenge the thoughts and ideas of
others, as well your own. According to Rosengren, potential is never reached if you stick to what
is comfortable because you will never be placed in a situation to that forces you to rise to the
occasion (2010). Permit learning to become a cycle within your life. As much as I am willing to

THE CYCLE OF KNOWLEDGE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS WE MUST UNDERGO

educate, I am equally willing to pass the chalk, take a seat at a desk, and engage in the instruction
of others.

Bibliography
Rosengren, C. (2010). Why you must challenge yourself . US News RSS. Retrieved
July 30, 2014, from http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voicescareers/2010/02/18/why-you-must-challenge-yourself
Warnick, B. (2006). How do we learn from the lives of others? Philosophy of Education
Yearbook, 1. Retrieved July 30, 2014, from the EBSCO Host database.