I decided that I wanted to be a teacher when I was a senior in high school, during the first week of the fall semester. I had enrolled in Advanced Composition B and my instructor, Mr. Francis, assigned an open writing prompt. There was no prescribed length or format. There was no list of appropriate topics. There were no established expectations. I had freedom and it was terrifying. We were all terrified.
I did not possess (academic) self-awareness. I did not know my writing strengths, nor did I know what mode of writing I found most intuitive. I could not list my intellectual qualities and I had not yet found my writer's voice. I did not have the capacity to proceed with any semblance of intentionality – I was paralyzed by doubt. English Language Arts classes had taught me a great deal of content area knowledge, but they did not help me learn about myself. I wanted to pursue a career in education because the typical student lacks the self-awareness and confidence necessary to take ownership of their learning, instead preferring to passively react to assignment parameters. I endeavor to use literary analysis and the sociological lens as introspective platforms in my future classroom, providing opportunities for students to validate their lived experiences and fostering a greater sense of self. I followed through with my desire to pursue teacher education by attending Michigan State University, where I received a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in English. I continued my studies with a student teaching internship year, in which I had the opportunity to work full-time in an English Language Arts classroom in Southfield High School (Southfield, MI). I now teacher English Language arts in Fort Wayne, IN. I anticipate earning a Master of Arts in Educational Technology from Michigan State University in Spring 2018. |