Autobiography
I am a 2009 graduate of Grand Haven High School in Grand Haven, MI. I value the quality education I received in Grand Haven and I will provide the same level of excellence to my students. I have always set high standards for myself and strive to be the best role model for my younger brother and 11 younger cousins. I wish to not only be a positive role model in their lives but in the lives of every child who steps through my classroom doorway. My parents have been supportive of me throughout my life and my educational endeavors. They have instilled many important lessons I still carry with me today; compassion and respect for others, hard work and perseverance is always essential for success, and be to true to yourself and your core beliefs. Throughout my life I have found that the greatest and most rewarding memories I have always involve children or teaching. One example of this is, after high school I traveled to Honduras with a group of people from my church. I was on a team who led the Vacation Bible school portion. With only three years of high school Spanish under my belt I was the only one who could communicate with these children without a translator. My conversational Spanish wasn’t perfect at the time but I knew through hard work I could successfully communicate with (and teach) these children, as well as, learn from them. This experience, along with my experiences with college students from other non-English speaking countries, helped me better understand the struggles of English Language Learners and those students struggling with various learning disabilities in the classroom. I knew I could have an impact on their lives but hard work and intentional planning was necessary to be successful.
I graduated from Ferris State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in Elementary Education with minors in Mathematics, Language Arts and Early Childhood Education. I chose Elementary Education as my major at Ferris State University because I am a person who is passionate about life, has a love for learning, and I care about the educational journey of the younger generation. I have professional experience working and completing my Early Childhood internship at Tot’s Place Child Development Center in Big Rapids, MI. It was a rewarding placement to help preschool age children, through play, to obtain a love for learning so young. I had the opportunity to take my studies abroad to Scotland and complete a portion of my pre-student teaching requirements in various elementary classrooms. Although there are many similarities between our two countries, I noticed many differences in our educational systems. I was involved on the Ferris State University campus with the international student program MiPLACE. I worked with a small group of international students on their English skills, writing, speaking, and comprehension. During my 80-hour teaching placement I had the opportunity to teach at Morley Stanwood Elementary. This school was in a rural community and many of the students had a passion for the outdoors. Even though these students were in 3rd grade I found it was extremely important to incorporate physical movements in the lessons. I was very fortunate to have been placed in the Grand Haven Area Public School District for my student teaching. Rosy Mound Elementary was a place where I grew tremendously as a teacher. I had the chance to teach a multiage class of first and second graders. This primary classroom allowed me to set the expectations high and allow the students to reach for the stars. Although I have graduated from college, this is only the start of my educational journey. It is important to me that I continue learning and reading about the new educational studies and research.