LaurenOaks

As a way of introducing yourself to your mentor teachers at the schools

and to the teacher education faculty at UCSB, please write a brief
autobiography. You may include topics such as your background, personal
interests, skills, talents, and experiences.

IwasborninSantaMaria,raisedinLompocandSolvang,attendedcollegeinSanta
Barbara,andplantoteachinSantaBarbaraorthesurroundingareawhenIreceivemyMaster's
inEducationandteachingcredential.Formostofmyyouth,Ilivedinaruralneighborhoodin
Solvang,whereIwassurroundedbyanimals,responsibility,andmyendearinglynamed'fleet'of
aunts,uncles,cousins,grandparentsandgreatgrandparents.InthisfertileenvironmentI
developedasenseofserviceandcommunity,realizingthatwhatIdiddirectlyaffectedothers.
Thisinstilledinmeadesiretoservethosearoundmetothebestofmyability,andittranslated
tovolunteerworkinyouthgroups,involvementinclubs,andwhenIgottocollege,volunteering
withCampRonaldMcDonaldforGoodTimesduringthesummer.Thiscamp,aplacefor
childrenwhoseliveshavebeenaffectedbycancerandtheirfamilies,hashadaprofoundimpact
onmylifeandgoals.IthaspreparedmeforteachinginwaysthatIcouldnothavehopedtolearn
anywhereelse.
Icomefromanincrediblefamily,andtheywouldprobablygivethebestpictureofwhoI
am.MybrotherMitchelisajuniorinhighschool.He'ssixfootthree,butbyhowprotectiveIam
ofhim,onemightexpectthathewastwofeetshorterandtenyearsyounger.Myamazingmother
isfiercelylovingandorganized.Iattendedmyfather'sgraduationfromUCSBwhenIwastwo.
Heisafirefighter,andmyhero.Hetaughtmeeverythingthereistoknowaboutbeingaleader,
andthegreatestthingIwilleverachieveismakinghimproud.
Ihavealwayspushedmyselftosucceed.Igraduated9thinmyhighschoolclasswitha
4.29weightedGPA,andmaintainedastrongGPAduringmytimeatUCSB.Ihavemadethe

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mostofeachquarteratUCSB,divingintomyclassesandexpandingmyhorizons.Ihavebeen
fortunateenoughtocontinuetocultivatemycreativeoutletalongtheway,whileIhaveworked
atmymajor.Ihavetakenfascinatingsupplementaryclasses,likeLifeintheTheatre,Stage
Makeup,ContemporaryPaintingandIntroductiontoActing.Theseclassesarejustasvaluableto
mycareerpath,becauseIplantoincorporateelementsoftheatreandartintomyteachingstyle.
HowmuchmorevaluableisShakespearewhenthecustomsofElizabethantheatreare
introduced?OrHemingway,whencombinedwithacriticalstudyofthemodernistartofhis
contemporaries?Ihopetoexplorethesecreativeelementswithreflectionsonculture,whichI
believewillmakemyclassintriguingandmaximizethepotentialofeachstudenttounderstand
literatureandlanguageinawaytheymightneverhaveattempted.Iamenthralledbyallofthese:
literature,language,theatre,art.Mygreatesttriumphwouldbetoutilizemypassionsand
enthusiasmtoigniteinterestinmysubject,particularlyamongstudentswhonormallydonot
gravitatetowardsit.

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We want to know something about you as a "whole person" beyond what

we might expect to learn
from a more straightforward autobiography. In 250 words or less, please
describe something you are passionate about. It might be a sport, a
hobby, a social or political cause...it's up to you because it's yours. What
inspires your passion? How did you discover it? What impact has it had?

Forthefirsteighteenyearsofmylife,Iwouldhaveansweredthisquestionwithart.Iwas
borndrawingandpaintingandhavecultivatedmyskillssincemymotherwasamazedtofind
fouryearoldmeworkingonarealisticdrawingofRafikifrommemoryafewhoursafterseeing
theLionKing.Artwillalwaysbeahugepartofmylife,butI'vefoundsomethingthatexcites
memore.ThesummeraftermyfirstyearatUCSB,IdiscoveredCampRonaldMcDonald.Ihad
noideawhatanimpactitwouldhaveonme.InhighschoolIknewIwantedtoteach.My
instructorsinspiredmeIsawmyselfintheirpassions,strengthsandpersonalities,andhopedto
achievewhatIadmiredsodeeply.AttheCamp,Irealizedwhatitwastomakeadifference,what
itwastobealeaderandwhatitwastoteach.ThesekidsarethereasonIwillneverbethat
teacherwhodismissesstudents'ideas.Iwillbetheteacherthatattendsthebaseballgames,the
plays,theartshowstoseewhothesepeopleinmyclassroomreallyare.ThekidsatCamphave
dealtwithveryadultproblemsandfears,andacceptthemantlewithunbelievablestrengthand
serenity.Theytaughtmethatpeoplecanendure,succeedandflourishinwhatseemlike
insurmountablesituations.Ilearnedthevalueofleadingthroughencouragementandrespect,and
openingmymindtothemiracleofindividualpotential.

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Part of the purpose of this question is to introduce you to our visions and
valued outcomes. Choose
one of the TEP vision themes and share a personal or professional story
that relates to the theme you have selected.
Vision Theme A (Personal Philosophy of Education): If teachers are to
respect and understand how students make sense of the world, they have
to understand and respect how they themselves make sense of the world
and why. TEP graduates are critically reflective: They are willing to
question their own assumptions and viewpoints, and those of others.

Itisessentialtoincorporateanatmosphereofreflectionandsupportintotheclassroomso
thestudentswillbeengagedandchallenged.Partofthisincorporationisputtingasidepersonal
assumptionsandbeliefsandallowingaspaceofcriticalthinking.ThemethodsofaTheater
professorIhadmysophomoreyearepitomizedthis.Sheemphasizedtheimportanceofa"space
ofyes"notonlyonthestage,butalsointheexchangeofideas.Likeanimprovsketchwouldbe
derailedifoneoftheactorsrejectedanaspectofthescene,ideascannotcomeforthiftheyare
notmetwithacceptance.Aclassroomshouldbeaplacewhereallideasandpointsofvieware
valid,andtheteacher'sjobistomaintaintherespectfulandreceptiveatmospherenecessaryto
cultivatethegrowthofknowledge.AteachershoulddowhatmyEnglishprofessordidlast
quarter:inviteeveryonetosharetheirthoughtsonthenovels,andcarefullyguidethediscussion
toallowforoptimumcriticalthinking,whilekeepinginmindthecrucialthemesthatneededto
beaddressed.Oneofthemostchallengingtasksofthiscriticalreflectionmethodisonethatmy

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Englishprofessorhandledwithremarkableease.Hewasacutelyawareofanyturnsinthe
discussionthatborderedontheinappropriateorjudgmental,andwascarefultosteerthe
discussioninmorefruitfuldirectionswhenthisoccurred.Iplantofollowinthefootstepsof
theseprofessorsandincorporateahealthyspaceofcriticalreflection.