An Excerpt From My Autobiography Paper:
“Many teachers have inspired me over the past twelve years of schooling about why I want to be a teacher and what I should not do as a teacher. Looking back on when I was in grade 5, in my current perspective, the lady teacher I had did nothing to make me feel safe. Specifically in the math class she taught us, I did not understand the way she was teaching, and when I asked for help, she got constantly mad at me for not knowing “basic knowledge.” Instead of helping, as a teacher should. I was told I was stupid and she couldn’t help people like me”
This excerpt demonstrates the importance of making sure to always be supportive instead of making students feel stupid. If a child makes a mistake, they should know it’s okay to make another one to keep learning. When making a student feel low about mistakes, challenges, and struggles, it will only just close a student’s ability to feel safe enough to be vulnerable.
The next excerpt from my autobiography paper demonstrates the importance of understanding students mental health, getting to know them, and understanding their lives outside of school:
“My art teacher knew something was up; he wanted to help, but he just didn’t know how to. Our class ended up doing an assignment in which we had to draw our demon, and I did the assignment just like everyone else. A lot of emotion came out of my art piece that I didn’t expect, and my art teacher took this chance to talk with me to understand what is going on in my life.”
The final quote I am sharing from my autobiography paper is why I decided to enter the education field and the passion that comes with it:
“I babysat these two adorable children for 2-3 years; the girl was 4 at the time, and the boy was 7. Some days I would have a hard day and go to their house to babysit. Every single time I did, I ended up leaving their house with the biggest smile. Children like them have always brought healing to my soul that no other person can provide. Their imagination and excitement for the littlest things, make you very grateful for every small or big element in your life. My enthusiasm for teaching elementary school stemmed from my love of children and how much I adore them.”