ABE 1

Running head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL

Autobiographical Essay Anny Firth Jonathan Lord

EDUC 201 Foundations of Education Online, Spring 2013

ABE 2

I am a unique, strong, self-confident individual. The words I cant are not part of my vocabulary because I can. These are the statements I will strive continually for each of the students in my class to say and believe. In a world full of trials, each student should feel that they can overcome the obstacles that will arise. Each student should believe his/her self-worth is priceless. Each individual should feel he/she has a right to the best education. It is my job as an educator to seek out each individuals talents and nurture those talents, so that each student will reach his/her full potential. I will also work to learn a childs learning disabilities and work with each individual to change such disabilities into abilities. I will use the skills I have learned from my mentors, to inspire our future to endure and succeed. I inspire to pass on my knowledge as well as the skills I have learned, to the future generations and enrich the lives of others. Educational Background My educational background consists of inspiring individuals whom have given me skills that I will pass on to future generations. I attended Lakeland Elementary School, and Kathleen Junior High in Lakeland, Florida. Upon moving to Idaho, I finished my ninth grade year at Robert Stuart Junior High in Twin Falls, Idaho. My high school years were spent at Jerome High School until I graduated with a 3.9 GPA in 1996. In 2010, I returned to school, online through University of Phoenix where I completed two courses before transferring to the College of Southern Idaho. I am currently attending classes at the College of Southern Idaho, majoring in elementary education. I plan to transfer to ISU next fall to finish my degree. My education has been filled with amazing and inspiring individuals, many of whom have made me the person I am today. These amazing people have inspired me to be the best I can be and to be a good example to those around me. Their influence on my life has driven me to

ABE 3

want to inspire others through education. I was taught hard work, perseverance, and endurance by my fourth grade hero. This particular teacher was from Cuba and taught her students that school would be full of hard times. It was how we handled those times that would make the difference in who would succeed and who would fail. She gave us the skills to endure through those hard times. I will strive to pass on those skills to the children I will educate. Those skills continued to be taught by my middle school teacher and coach. He also added self-worth and self-discipline to my arsenal of skills to take into my future education. Many of my teachers upheld high standards and expected the same from us. As a future educator, I hope to challenge my students to be the best they can be and give them the skills needed to reach their educational goals. Work History During high school, I worked in the fast food industry. During that time, I learned the value of a hard days work and many customer service skills. Upon graduation, I was blessed to receive a job with Community Partnerships. My responsibilities were to teach children with special needs social skills. I would take children from the ages of six to eighteen out into the community and teach them skills to be an effective member of society. These skills would include shopping, communication, work, and play skills just, to name a few. It was through this job that I found my love for children, and the beauty of difference. Upon moving to Jerome, I also took a job with Napa Auto Parts. I have a great love for cars and restoring them. When the cost to travel back and forth to Twin Falls became too expensive, I went solely to work full-time for Napa Auto Parts. I worked entry-level as a driver and stock person for three years. As I was working, I was able to participate in the Fast Track

ABE 4

program where I was able to become a certified auto parts saleswoman and manager. During my 10 years at Napa Auto Parts, I learned many leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. I will use those problem-solving skills to find the best way to teach each child. In 2007 my daughter was born with heart complications. At that time, I was forced to quit my job and become a stay-at-home mom and care for her special needs. Due to the fact we were in need of extra money, and I was unable to return to a job outside the house, I decided to return to my love of children and open an in home childcare. I cared for an average of eight children under the age of five. I incorporated a Ready to Learn curriculum into our daily routines. The children were able to learn their ABCs, shapes, colors, and other basic skills before going into kindergarten. In 2009, my daughter got a clean bill of health and I was able to return to work outside the home. I was given the opportunity to return to Napa Auto Parts, but felt as if my heart was with children. I took a job with the Jerome School District as a substitute teacher. Within the first three months, I was able to build up a reputation that I was requested daily. I was blessed with the opportunity to serve as a long-term substitute in the resource room, at one of the elementary schools. It was then, that a teacher inspired me that I was never too old to return to school and I decided to work toward my degree in elementary education. While still employed with the Public school, I was approached by a Canyonside Christian School (CCS) board member and was offered employment in their afterschool program in which I agreed. In February, I was asked to long-term substitute in CCSs third grade classroom for the remainder of the school year. Working at CCS, I was able to combine my love for God as well as my love for children. During that year it substantiated the fact I wanted to

ABE 5

work in the education field. At the end of the school year, I applied to be the full-time third grade teacher. I received the job and am currently serving as the third grade teacher. I am blessed to be surrounded by many teachers who inspire and mentor me daily. Service and Extracurricular Activities I have been fortunate to have been and am currently involved in several service and extracurricular activities. I am currently the president of Distance4Diabetes. Distance4Diabetes (D4D) is a nonprofit serving the needs of children with Type One Diabetes. Through D4D I have been able to teach children skills to control their blood sugars, endure through bullying (from peers, educators, and coaches) and how to overcome the trials that come with diabetes. Through D4D I am able to help children set goals for a better life. I am currently working on a mentoring program, so teenagers with diabetes can inspire younger children to live a good life with Diabetes. I enjoy organizing fun runs and other fundraisers to help support the children and their families with Type One Diabetes. I have also been honored with the opportunity to be a part of the Boy Scouts of America program. As a Boy Scout leader, I am able to teach several life skills as well as learn many skills myself. I have set high standards for the boys and each of them has risen to those standards. I also believe in involving the family in this journey, many of the boys have realized it takes teamwork, from their friends as well as their families to accomplish the difficult tasks they come upon. I have able to teach these boys to respect God, their parents, and their self. Working with both of these programs has allowed me to be involved in many lives; I embraced many cultures and feel these experiences will be an asset to my teaching.

ABE 6

I am blessed to continue to play sports beyond high school. I play volleyball, softball, and run long distance. Through sports, I learned many qualities to living a full life and apply those skills to enrich my life daily. I enjoy coaching little league soccer and baseball, and passing on the skills I learned to younger generations. Self-confidence, and the belief that one can achieve anything he/she put their mind to, is a priceless skill, and one I enjoy teaching to children. Through these opportunities, I have been blessed to work with, learn from, and teach many great people. I enjoy working with many different personalities and cultures. Every day of my life has been a learning opportunity. Above all, I have learned that I must work hard every day to be a good example, someone is always watching and I never know what child or person I will affect each day. Every day, I have the chance to affect those around me in a positive or negative way, my goal is that will always be positive. I will pass on the skills I have learned to the future generations and enrich the lives of others. Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career I enjoy working with children, and believe in the pay it forward proverb. At first, I believed my role of serving children would be limited to coaching and scouts. In 2009, I decided I wanted to teach; I wanted to inspire and enrich the life of a child, the way my teachers enriched mine. I see the lack of self-confidence within our children and want to change that. I see children searching for that person they can trust and who they can look up to, I want to be that person. I was forewarned that teacher pay is bleak and that the days are long and at times that I will wonder why I choose to teach. I feel that the rewards of watching a child succeed for the first time at a math problem, or lifting a childs self-confidence, or teaching a child that they can achieve greatness, far outweigh such negatives.

ABE 7

Professional Goals My short-term goals are to live each day to the fullest and strive to touch at least one life in some way every day. I plan to graduate from the College of Southern Idaho in spring of 2014. Upon graduation, I plan to enroll at ISU, where I will receive my bachelors in Elementary Education. During that time, my goals include completing each class with a ninety-five percent or higher. I also inspire to learn the skills necessary to be an effective teacher as well as learn skills to improve my communication with parents as well as the children I teach and coach. I will strive to form a partnership with parents to teach our children the skills needed to succeed academically and socially. My goal is to raise the self-confidence in the children I teach, and to teach goal setting and endurance skills to reach the goals set before them. My long-term goals include pursuing my degree in Special Education. I see Distance4Diabetes reaching children outside the Magic Valley and hope to see the children who belong to Distance4Diabetes, go on to start programs to reach future generations. I inspire to someday mentor future inspiring teachers. As an educator, I will strive to learn and grow each day. I will set high expectations for myself and the children I teach as well as help them grow in ways to exceed those expectations. I will strive to remove the words I cant from every childs vocabulary. Each child should feel the victory of success and I hope to be a part in that joy as I pass on my knowledge and skills to the future generations.