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Autobiographical Essay

Cameron Harrison

College of Western Idaho

Education 120

November 8th, 2021

Autobiographical Essay

Introduction

When I think of the impact a teacher can have on a student’s life, my high school drama

teacher comes to my mind. She taught me how important teachers our to society and how much a

teacher can make a student’s life better. Educators not only teach us; they help us grow, mature,

learn, and are there for us. My decision to be an educator has been influenced by many things;

my educational background, work history, ethical reasoning, why I chose this path, and my

professional goals.

Educational Background

My educational background is atypical compared to most. The first school I attended was

Centennial Elementary in Nampa, Idaho. After kindergarten, my family and I moved to Marsing,

Idaho. We spent the next two years there, while I attended first and second grade in Marsing. I

grew up with a heavy speech impediment, and I vividly remember being picked on by kids and

teachers alike from a young age.

After two long years we returned to Nampa, and I was enrolled at Lincoln Elementary.

After third grade, my parents transferred me back to Centennial Elementary where I would

attend fourth and fifth grade. Then I attended West Middle School; teachers were cruel, I was

relentlessly bullied by other students, and ultimately fell victim to the injustices of a failed

education system.

Things changed when I moved to Idaho Arts Charter School for seventh grade through twelfth

grade. Idaho Arts Charter supported grades K-12 and it changed my life, I finally started
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excelling in school. I found a love for music, theatre, art, dance, and an appreciation for teachers

and my fellow students. My drama teacher showed me how much a teacher should care for her

students, just by her reaching out each day made such an impact in my life. Reflecting back, she

definitely helped me realize the kind of teacher I want to be and why educators matter.

After graduating high school, I went straight into the work force. Financially, college seemed

like something that was unobtainable, and I didn’t want to see my parents take on the burden of

loans at my expense. I focused on working for the next ten years because having a high school

diploma and practical work skills seemed to be enough for me to get a decent job. And it was, for

a time.

Overall, my educational experience greatly benefited from attending an arts focused institution

through middle and high school. Besides teaching general education – math, reading, writing,

science, etc., the school placed an emphasis on the arts. They believed as students entered high

school, they should choose an art focus that will enrich them for the remaining four years of their

educational journey. I personally chose band and theatre as my arts focus. This choice impacted

me in such a way, that even ten years after graduating I still love music and theatre. Musical

theatre is a significant part of my personal life, and I believe my participation in arts education

fostered my passion and joy for theatre.

Work History Service and/or Extracurricular Activities

My work history is very different from what you would expect someone to have if they

were interested in becoming an educator. My first job out of high school was cleaning an office

building part time, I worked here for three months until I found a job that seemed more stable.

For the next eight years, I worked for the Nampa School District #131 in their Nutrition Services
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department. I held many positions and worked my way up through the department; I was a

dishwasher, lead production cook, warehouse worker, warehouse specialist, and a kitchen

supervisor. In 2020, I realized how much I disliked my job and felt like I needed to get out, so I

applied for another position in the Nampa School District and was hired into this other position

in December of 2020.

I became a Computer Paraprofessional at Centennial Elementary in Nampa, Idaho and I

was uncertain if I was going to like this job. After being in my new position for five months I

came to realize how much I loved working with kids, making a connection with them and

making a difference in a student’s life. This year I incorporated arts integration into what I’m

doing with my students. This job made me want to go to college and get a teaching degree and

that is the path I am on now. One day I would like to have my own classroom with a class that

I’ll spend the whole year focusing on.

My job as a Paraprofessional has helped develop my future as an educator. While I go to

college, I plan to work full time as a Paraprofessional because it will help me develop my

teaching techniques and decide what style of teacher I would like to become. I’m learning what

students respond to, what they don’t, how to keep them engaged, and when to refocus them so

they can be the best students each day.

I volunteer with the Music Theatre of Idaho (MTI); a local nonprofit musical theatre

company that has been in the valley for twenty-five years. I am an actor, stage manager, and

member of the community. MTI fostered a greater appreciation for the arts and proved that arts

are essential for students to learn and grow. My work history, current job, and my volunteer

work with the MTI has prepared me for working with a wide variety of personalities and learning
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styles. My experiences have taught me kindness, which I think that is something all teachers

need.

Ethical Reasoning in Education

An educational and ethical dilemma that personally affected me in school was bullying.

Growing up I had a speech impediment and was on the heavier side when it came to my weight,

so I was constantly picked on by other students and teachers throughout elementary, middle, and

high school. Bullying is something that shaped me in a negative way growing up and it is

something I still see students in today’s schools struggling with. Schools are attempting to

eradicate bullying, but this often overlooked by schools unless actively pursued. Two ethical

orientations that could be used to teach kids not to bully or to be able to correct bullying is with

Virtue ethics and Kantian ethics.

If we were to try and fix the issue of bullying with virtue; I believe it would reach

students more. We tend to teach kids that bullying is bad and that it should be frowned upon, but

we don’t teach them the virtues of being a good person. It is an assumption that when kids come

to school they know how to behave and treat others with respect but sadly that isn’t always

taught in homes and is different for each child. It needs to be taught at school as well and we

need to help our students learn to be kind individuals – this is already being implemented in

schools through Social Emotional Learning (SEL), but I believe it could be a bigger focus. If we

don’t want kids to bully then we need to teach them compassion, honesty, courage, and the

mindset of being a good person.

A way bullying can be addressed with Kant’s imperative is that Kantian ethics teaches us

that it is our moral duty to do what is right. Should students with this mindset observe someone

being bullied, then they would know immediately that what is happening is wrong. Kant’s

Imperative also teaches us that all humans are morally equal and that they should demanded the

same moral treatment.

Considerations for Choosing Education as a Career

My desire for becoming a K-12 educator stems for the importance of the work being

done. I found my calling when I began working as a paraprofessional. Seeing how kids were

excited to come to my class, having them telling me about their days, and knowing I was making

a difference in that child’s life were all reasons enough for me to want to pursue becoming an

educator.

I bring a variety of skills to my future as an educator; some practical, some are abstract

which allow me to connect with my students in different ways. Being that I have worked as a

paraprofessional this last year I already have classroom experience. I have a strong knowledge of

technology and how to incorporate it into lessons which also allows me to plan for students with

learning disabilities and those with a need for accommodation. My abstract skills are derived

from my experience in theatre. My theatre experience has prepared me for talking in front of

groups and being able to talk in a professional manner to an audience of students or parents, it

has also taught me how to engage with those listening to me.

Prior to my career as a Paraprofessional, I spent eight years working in nutrition as a

dishwasher, cook, kitchen manager, warehouse driver and specialist. Despite working in a

department separate from education, I managed to maintain bonds with students, leaving me with
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a worthwhile experience. Stagnation began to set in, and I knew it was time to find a job where

regularly interacting with students could be a primary focal point in my career. I have experience

in other fields, but my heart and mind are drawn in other directions. I want a job that has

meaning, brings happiness, and the knowledge that I am doing work that matters to someone.

That is why I want to be a teacher, not for the benefits, or the money but for the chance to make a

difference to a student.

Professional Goals

I am currently enrolled at the College of Western Idaho, and I am pursuing a degree in

Elementary Education AA. After I complete my two years at CWI, I would like to transfer to

Boise State University to complete my bachelors. I intend to become a K-5 teacher and wish to

minor in Theatre Arts or Theatre education.

I plan to achieve these goals within the next four years by putting in the time and effort I

need to graduate. I want this degree more than anything, and I am willing to make this my focus

until its complete. My long-term goal for getting my degree is that I want to be a certified teacher

and to be able to be financially stable. My current work as a paraprofessional is emotionally

rewarding but it doesn’t give me the financial stability that I would like. Being a certified teacher

would allow me to have a career and one that I can do the rest of my life.

My short-term goals for the next six months are to complete my first semester of college

and to be able to jump into my second semester confidently. In my initial weeks of college, I was

fearful and anxious however I have sensed realized that I am capable of excelling. My short-term

goals will help me in my long-term goals because they are laying the groundwork for my second

year of college and my two years after at BSU. It has helped me learn time management and is
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starting to give me the confidence to continue with my degree. My short-term goals seem small,

but they mean a lot to me, they are the small steps that will take me leap and bounds toward the

future that I am creating for myself.

Being an educator was never something I had imagined for myself; but now when I think

of my future, I can’t imagine myself in any other field. Education is lifetime career; it is not for

the faint of heart or one who doesn’t want a career that will reward their heart and soul. My

experiences have shaped my life, and have made my convictions strong in my decision to

become an educator.