Running head: Autobiographical

Autobiographical Essay
Eldredge, Maria
Instructor: Dr. Egbert
EDUC. 201: Foundations of Education

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Abstract
Education is the foundation of any persons future, especially in this country. We are
educated from the time we are young through adulthood. We are given many
opportunities to learn which did not exist in the past. Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists,
Politicians, etc., have all received an extensive education to become the professionals
they are today. Through education children learn the way the world works, they learn
about science, math, history, art, and so on. They are then able to go out into the world
and create amazing products and services that better the way we live. Since education is
the foundation for the future, we need teachers who are there to support this learning and
encourage their students to learn and grow. When interviewing people who have made
scientific breakthroughs or made a huge impact on the world, many of them have said
that they couldnt have done it without the education they received. They can usually
name one or more teachers who impacted their lives. I hope to be one of those teachers.

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Autobiographical Essay
I have debated being a teacher for many years. I absolutely love working with
children and have been told on several occasions that I should go into teaching. I was a
little nervous to pursue a teaching career due to the lack of financial compensation but,
through my work experiences with children, I have decided that the emotional value of
teaching outweighs the financial for me. I am excited to make a difference in the lives of
our future leaders and hope to help children reach for the stars.
Educational Background
I went to Copper Hills Elementary School in Magna, Utah until the middle of fourth
grade. My mother got remarried and we moved to West Jordan where I attended Jim
Bridger Elementary. When we moved to West Jordan, my classmates were far more
advanced in math than I was. I missed out on a lot of concepts, which has affected my
ability to do math to this day.
In seventh grade, I attended Thomas Jefferson Jr. High. Students there bullied me to
the point that I dropped out and went to a private school. The private school I attended,
Heritage Academy, was a non-accredited school. It was a home school based program
where I went to school 3 days a week and did my schoolwork at home the rest of the
time. I graduated from their program when I was 16. Since it was a non-accredited
school, I went on to get my GED. Its been 18 years and I am just now starting my first
semester of college at the College of Southern Idaho. I will be getting my degree in
education with emphasis in Special Education.

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During my school years I had many teachers who influenced my life in a positive
way. I was able to observe how they interacted with students, how they presented
information and what did and did not work for me. I will be able to apply these
observations to my own career as a professional educator. Volunteering in the Special Ed
classroom showed me that I am comfortable working with children with disabilities. I
learned some sign language, ways to communicate with children with Autism, and more,
all of which I will use in my career as a professional educator. In college I am learning
many different strategies for teaching, classroom management, and for working with
students with special needs. I will use all of these skills and strategies throughout my
career.
Work History
Since I graduated so early I have had a rainbow of different job experiences. As a
youth I was a janitor, insurance sales person, security guard, cashier, and so on. These
jobs gave me a lot of life experience. Through those job experiences I learned skills in
time management, punctuality, professional mannerisms, and work ethic.
When I got married I ended up pregnant right away so I became a stay at home mom
for a number of years. When my daughter started Kindergarten, I applied for jobs in the
school district. Working in the school district allowed me to have the same days off of
school that she did. I was also able to spend time in her school and see her throughout the
day.
The first job I had in the district was a crossing guard. The next
year I became a substitute teacher. It was so fun to go into the school each day and have
children holler my name down the hall in excitement! I worked in the two special

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education classrooms the most and I learned that I love to work with children with
disabilities. The teacher I worked with taught me so much about the different disabilities
and techniques that would foster an environment in which students could learn and grow.
I also learned different classroom management strategies and definitely learned what
worked and what did not. Many of the people I worked with told me I should become a
teacher. When we moved to Idaho, I became a Para educator in the ERC classroom at
Robert Stuart Middle School. I worked with children who were severely disabled
mentally and physically. The job was a difficult one. During that time I learned new
techniques for teaching students with special needs and also physically accommodating
their needs. Working in that classroom cemented my desire to be a Special Education
teacher. I could see that I made a difference in their lives, and I know I can make a
difference in the lives of many students in the years to come.
My work history has given me many experiences in classroom management, keeping
children safe, managing others, and working as a team. I know how to be dependable,
teach others, care for children with disabilities, and keep things organized. As a teacher it
is important to be able to juggle many tasks, be on time, and be prepared, all of which I
have learned throughout my work history.
Service and/or Extracurricular Activities
I have volunteered in my daughters classroom on many occasions to help children
who were struggling to read to practice their reading skills. I learned great patience from
this experience. It wasnt always easy but that moment when it would start to make sense,
and their eyes would light up, it would all be worth it. I have also worked on the womens
committee at church. We cared for the needs of the women and families in the church. I

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learned compassion and to be so grateful for the things I have been given. I also worked
in several different groups sewing quilts for the womens shelter and so on.
As a teacher I will be working with students from all different backgrounds. Being
involved in the community has helped me to understand different cultures and ways of
living. Volunteering in my daughters class gave me an inside look at how teachers teach
children to read. I will be able to better appreciate the volunteers who will give of their
time in my classroom as well.
Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career
When playing with my friends and siblings I always loved to play school and teach
them new things. I even broke my nose playing school with my friend in 4th grade! I
come from a long line of educators and its always been something I have been interested
in. I have always loved working with children, and have been told by many educators that
I have a special way with them, especially those with special needs. My husband is a
teacher and I see how happy it makes him to be making a difference in the lives of his
students.
When I was young the number one thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a stayat-home mom. I didnt even consider going to college or having a career. At times
throughout my young-adulthood, I considered a few careers. I always loved doing my
friends hair; I even worked in a beauty supply store for a while. I considered being a
cosmetologist, but decided it was a hard business to be successful in. I considered being a
professional chef, because I love to cook and bake. That is also a hard career to be
successful in plus, the schooling is really expensive. I would have loved to be an

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ultrasound tech, or an occupational therapist, but schooling for both of those would have
been too expensive and taken too long to complete school.
I have debated going to school be a teacher for a long time. Being married to a
teacher, I know what its like to live on a teachers salary. For the amount of work that
goes into teaching, the compensation is not great. But as I have been in the schools and
worked with many children from many different backgrounds, I have discovered that
teaching is not about the money. Teaching is about changing childrens lives for the
better, its about making a difference not just in the lives of the children but also in the
community.
I anticipate many rewards both intrinsic and extrinsic. I am excited for those light
bulb moments, when something I have taught my students clicks, and they understand. I
look forward to my students being excited to see me and making a difference in their
lives. Extrinsically I anticipate summers and holidays off, medical benefits, time with my
family, and the opportunity to get out of debt.

Professional Goals
My short-term goals include completing my first semester at CSI with straight As, so
far Im on the right track. I then plan to graduate from CSI with my associates degree. I
am enjoying my work in the afterschool program at Harrison Elementary and I plan to
continue work there at least until the end of this school year.
My long-term goals are to move to Boise to complete my Bachelors Degree in
Special Education. Once I graduate I plan to get a job and work to get out of debt and buy
a house. I look forward to this journey.

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Becoming a teacher has been a long-term goal for me and I am so excited to finally
be taking the first steps toward that goal. I hope to be able to draw from my own school
experiences in the future and hopefully make a difference in at least one students life. I
hope to graduate with high marks and be completely prepared to start my journey as a
teacher.