Running Head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY Arechiga

Autobiographical Essay
Brenda Arechiga
EDUC 201 Foundation of Education
Running Head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY Arechiga

Autobiographical Essay
Blank ideas spew out of my brain as I struggle to figure out what to write. As far back as

I can remember writing has been an ongoing battle between proper grammar and illustrating

coherent ideas. Remarks from teachers, professor, and colleagues made me believe that I was

defective and unable to learn English.

Professor: Do you have dyslexia?

Teacher: Maybe you should consider retaking the second grade?

Colleague: Sorry I cant help you. Youre on your own.

Growing up in a house hold where much of the language is spoken in Spanish was crucial to my

learning development as a child. On top of which my mother was a single parent. For most of my

childhood I was responsible for taking care of myself (i.e. homework, cooking, showering,

cleaning, etc.). Everything seemed against me at such a young age, but I prevailed. It wasnt until

I entered high school that someone recognized my potential in English. She was my freshman

English teacher, Mrs. Arnold. She motivated and taught me how to become an effective writer.

Writing has given me the liberty of expressing my emotions and accepting criticism, good or

bad. As I got closer to graduating high school I learned what my soul purpose in life was;

teaching. It has played a huge role in my ability to teach others how to write effectively. Writing

has been an applicable tool towards teaching others, however it has given me the patience and

determination to teach any subject. As a future educator, I hope to thrive within the education

community and assist future generations outcomes that will influence future economic

prosperity.
Running Head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY Arechiga

Educational Background

My educational background consists of a K-12th education, however in grade school (K-

2nd) I attended school in California. In 3rd grade I moved to Caldwell, Idaho and attended school

at Lewis & Clark Elementary School. For my adolescent and teenage years, I attended Syringa

Middle School, followed by Caldwell High School. I graduated with my high school diploma in

May of 2013. Following graduation, I became a full-time student at College of Idaho, majoring

in Secondary English. However, after accruing debt within the first year and second guessing the

age group I wanted to teach I transferred to College of Western Idaho. I transferred spring of

2014 and will be graduating spring of 2017 with my elementary education degree. After

graduating from College of Western Idaho I plan on transferring to Northwest Nazarene

University for the fall of 2017.

My education and life obstacles has played a vital role in my desire to become a teacher.

During my childhood, I assisted my grandmother in learning how to write, read, and speak

English. Her frustrations and struggles are like that of any student learning something new,

however her confidence in my abilities to teach her has profoundly affected my life. After

countless hours, days, months, and years, she is moderately fluent in English and still learning

every day. She is my number one student, friend, and grandmother. Without her belief and

encouragement, I probably wouldnt be teaching. Her foundation of encouragement has

influenced me to become a grade school teacher.

Work History Service and/or Extracurricular Activities

Since 2015 I have worked at Stepping Stones Day Care as a preschool teacher. Within

that time, I have grown as an educator and have formatted my teaching style within the
Running Head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY Arechiga

classroom. The teaching style I incorporate within the classroom is demonstrative and structured

routine that helps visualize what is to be expected of the student, along with leisure breaks to

build social connections. The facility where I work is incorporated with a daycare and a K-8th

private school. My role within the classroom is instructing centers and after school care with the

preschoolers and Caldwell Adventist Elementary School. The students I work with have different

demographics, varying from low-income to middle-income families. The exposure to different

age groups has assisted me in dealing with behavioral issues, along with finding resolutions that

impact each age group appropriately. I have grown appreciative of being able to work with

preschoolers, because the reinforcement and patience it requires has influenced my ability to

teach effectively and consistently with any age group.

Before attending the College of Western Idaho I took an introductory education course at

the College of Idaho, where I was planning on receiving my degree in secondary English. The

time spent observing Middleton Middle School I realized that my passion for English was still

present, however the rewards were different than what I anticipated. During the same time, I was

observing my mothers preschool classroom and instantly fell in love with the age group.

Growing up as a single child I thought I could never connected with grade school children,

because I never had a younger or older sibling to interact with, which I thought hindered my

ability to understand small children. After observing and participating within the classroom I

realized that grade school children are verbal and honest when it comes towards what they want,

which is nice to know when a student isnt understanding a concept and ways to devise a plan

that will make sense towards their learning. In contrast, teaching eighth graders about mythology

and applying it towards their reading assignment is a challenge, however conceptually it ended

with a deeper understanding of realms outside their knowledge that they hadnt been introduced
Running Head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY Arechiga

to yet and applying it towards further readings. By observing two different age groups I

narrowed down the grade I wanted to teach, along with finding a job that I could practice my

teaching methods and implicating them within the classroom.

Ethical Reasoning in Education

A dilemma I observed within an instructional classroom is handling students with

exceptional learning hardships; ADHD, autistic, Down syndrome, etc. What I noted within my

observations is that the students facing these hardships had a hard time keeping up with the rest

of the classroom, which made it difficult for the student to get one-on-one with the instructor

with a capacity of thirty plus students. Within the public facilities, the resources available for

these students were minimal in funding due to district budgeting. During Education 204 I

observed a second-grade classroom with a student who had autism and ADHD. The student also

showed signs of malnutrition by eating erasers, pencils, and inedible objects. From the brief

discussions, I had with the teacher I was observing and the description of the students main

teacher, she had a utilitarian method towards disciplining the child with actions of sending him to

the principals office or setting him outside of the classroom for a moment, while the child

reconsidered his actions. The teachers method towards the students actions portrays

utilitarianism, because by briefly separating the student from the rest of the class it allowed the

others to refocus and allows the student to recollect his actions. Within my own classroom, I

have taken a different approach towards managing behavioral issues with students who portray

high energy and apply their enthusiasm towards assisting me within the classroom. The student I

worked with benefitted from the positive reinforcement and if the student misbehaved I would

enforce sensory objects to cool down and reflect on their actions. By allowing a student with
Running Head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY Arechiga

high energy to take their problem into a sensory object it allows them to refocus and rethink their

actions.

Considerations for Choosing Education as a Career

I should be considered to teach K-8th, because Im determined and influenced to teach the

next generation of students to succeed in their future endeavors. The skills I poses as a future

educator is two years of teaching preschool, which has allowed me to apply what I have learned

within my educational courses into my classroom. These skills consist of appropriate behavioral

management, classroom etiquette, and flexible teaching methods (i.e. visual, auditory, etc.).

Teaching has given me a profound fulfillment with each student Im able to help and get one step

closer to achieving the next step towards my educational chapter.

Professional Goals

The overall goal is to become the first in my family to graduate from the College of

Western Idaho and then attend Northwest Nazarene University for the fall of 2017. My methods

toward obtaining these goals is organization, frequent studying, and faith in my abilities to

deliberate. After receiving my associates in elementary education, Im determined to further my

education at Northwest Nazarene University and receive my bachelors in elementary education.

From there I aspire to get a job at a low-income or title one school where I will either teach first

or second grade. Within the first three years of teaching I anticipate to go back to school and get

my masters in elementary education. From their Ill continue teaching and start a family in that

time.