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MY LIFE AND EDUCATION

My Life and Education

Amnber Phipps

College of Western Idaho

I attended school in Mountain Home, Idaho. When I was at North Elementary it was, at

the time, one of the best elementary schools in town. Looking back, it was a great start to the

establishment of my education. Moving on to Hacker Middle School, where I spent fifth through

sixth grade. I feel it really prepared me for my next two schools. Even at 10 years old, I was

assigned my own locker and changing classes periodically. Doing so, made me more responsible

and able to be more independent.

Mountain Home Junior High School was where I became more involved in athletics and

other after school programs. I also obtained a better understanding of what kind of student I am

and how I learn best. I graduated and received my diploma at Mountain Home Senior High

School. I planned out my entire future education wise, when I was a junior. Many of my

teachers helped in the process of choosing a good college and a career path for me. I am

currently working on my second year of college in order to get my Associate’s Degree in

Secondary Education at the College of Western Idaho.

As far as unique educational experiences go, when I was in seventh grade, I was enrolled

into a program called Gifted and Talented. This class was for honor students who teachers felt

needed more of a challenge with classwork. I had to complete various projects and read books

that were based ahead of my grade level. As a high school sophomore, I took up journalism and

began to write for the school newspaper. By the time I became senior, I oversaw my own section

and was able to choose stories and create the format for my page.

My education has played a huge role in my choice to become a professional educator. I

had so many inspirational teachers over the course of my schooling and I wanted to be like them
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MY LIFE AND EDUCATION
for someone else. They all saw the potential I had and believed I could do the same for other

students in the future and encouraged me to follow through. In school, I was always the student

to offer help to those who I saw struggling. Then it just became a norm and teachers would have

me help students that did not understand certain assignments. I was good at it, and the more I did

it, the more being a teacher sounded right to me.

Work History Service and/or Extracurricular Activities

Since I was very young, my jobs have involved caring for young children. I really enjoy

being able to do so much with the youth. It gives me the chance to explore the age that I am

interested in teaching in the future. At eleven years old, I started babysitting. I would regularly

prepare meals for the children as well as set up daily activities for them to do while their parents

were at work. Helping them with their school work was not part of my job description, but I

would do it regardless. I did that consistently for multiple families over the years.

As a junior in high school, I furthered my job by becoming a nanny of two children. I

would wake up at five in the morning and head over to where they lived. My morning routine

consisted of waking them up for school, preparing breakfast, getting them dressed, and then

taking them to school. This all had to be done before I went to school myself. Afternoon and

evening routine were typically filled with a lot of things to accomplish. I was in charge of

making sure they completed household chores and homework and then taking them to any after

school programs they were in. Once they were back from those programs, I would prepare dinner

for them. Soon after that, around 9:30 p.m., they would be in bed and I would be able to go home

because their parents were off work.

Water Safety Instructor as well as a Lifeguard manager. My duties consist of keeping children

safe in and around the water and teaching them the fundamentals of all six swimming strokes.

When I am instructing a class for swimming lessons, I usually have about four students for two

weeks. Once the two weeks are finished, I either pass them to the next level or fail them and they

must do the level again. The job has taught me many things, including how to control a class

when there are a variety of distractions surrounding them.

As of right now, I am a long-term substitute teacher for the Mountain Home School

district. I am a para educator at a junior high school for special education. This is such a

rewarding and experience-filled job. I am able to be a teacher in a real classroom setting and it is

preparing me for my forthcoming teaching career. Not only that, but I am constantly learning

new things from certified teachers that I work with. The main teacher I am working with often

gives me the opportunity to conduct the lessons to the students and be in charge. Afterwards, he

gives me excellent feedback to help better my teaching methods.

Working with and teaching children of all ages throughout the years has given me the

convenience to get a head start on being a professional, certified educator in the future. I am glad

that my past positions have not only led me to my passion, but have taught me how to pursue it.

Looking back at all this now, shows me that it would be difficult to stray away from something I

have been doing for almost my whole life.

Ethical Reasoning in Education

As a substitute teacher, I get a front row seat to knowing what being a professional

educator would be like. There have been multiple occasions where I have disagreed with how a
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MY LIFE AND EDUCATION
teacher handles a situation or conducts a lesson. Unfortunately, given my position, there are not

many moments for me to express my opinion nor am I able to keep up with the issue. Over the

past couple of years, I have learned to handle certain situations as well as how to avoid some

altogether.

There is one specific time I remember encountering an educational ethical dilemma when

I first started subbing. I was at an elementary school filling in for a para educator. I was moving

from classroom to classroom assisting both teachers and students. I was in one of the last classes

of the day and when I walked in, the third-grade teacher called one of her students to her desk.

Apparently, she had received an email from the office telling her that she had not properly taken

care of an earlier quarrel between two students, one student being the child she was conversing

with.

As I was listening to the conversation, I began to realize that the teacher was

manipulating the child into saying what she wanted him to say about the situation. Every time he

would answer one of her questions, she would raise her voice and tell him something else

happened and continued to badger him until he repeated what she said. I understand that when

children are being punished or facing a consequence they can lie. That was not the case with this

student. I felt awful, but I did not say anything to anyone about it. I felt that because I was so

young, no one would take me seriously, or because the teacher had been there so long, they

would not do much about it.

What I should have done was tell someone. Instead of thinking about how it would affect

me, I should have been thinking about doing what was right for the student. I was looking at the

situation through the lens of egoism and was only worried about myself. Because I would like to

be a professional educator, I have to know that my main job is to do what is best for my students.
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MY LIFE AND EDUCATION
As a teacher I have to know when to step in and help them and when to let them fight their own

battles.

Considerations for Choosing Education as a Career

I should be a teacher for elementary students because I believe that I can make a positive

difference in children’s lives. I know if I become an educator, I can impact a student’s life. I

want to be able to not only teach curriculum, but life and social skill as well. Originally, I wanted

to be a counselor, but from personal experience, I know that it is rare for students to come

forward with their problems to counselors on their own. When I become a teacher, my hope is

that I can be an adult that students trust and look up to.

The skills I possess that would enable me to be a certified teacher are abundant. I have

many previous experiences that deal with education. One of them being a substitute teacher in

the Mountain Home school district. Therefore, I have a little taste of how to run a classroom and

how to engage students in lessons. I am confident enough to instruct students of all ages and

guide them through exercises. I can also communicate well with students and parents, which is a

vital skill as a professional educator.

The other skills I acquire that would not necessarily make me able to be a teacher, but

would still allow me to be in the education field were just recently discovered by myself. They

are still being obtained as I work in a special education room as a para educator. My creativity

and enthusiasm is helping me a lot when working with the students in this class. Though I

believe the main skill that is working to my advantage is my dedication. The amount of patience

it takes to work with children who have special needs can sometimes be exhausting, but my

commitment pushes me through.

I pay special attention to detail and tend to notice habits and mannerisms people have. Because

of my observation skills, I have been told by a handful of people that I could go into criminal

justice. I think it would be interesting if I were to take that path, but education is my calling.

Even this skill could be useful in a classroom. Understating the way students think and how they

learn is very important when it comes to being a teacher.

Professional Goals

In the future, I plan on getting my master's degree in secondary education. The subject I

would like to focus on is English, given that it is something I really enjoy. Once I receive my

master’s, I aim to get a teaching position at a high school. As far as what grade I would like to

teach, I do not have a specific one in mind. I think being able to teach an English class for

seniors would be such a great opportunity for me. My lessons would really prepare my students

for college and I believe after taking my class, they would be excellent essay writers.

I intend on achieving these goals by continuing college. I am going to enter the teaching

program at Idaho State University in Pocatello. Completing this program will open many doors

for me in the education field. Because of my job as a substitute teacher, I can learn the ropes of

the school district and I think that will benefit greatly. My short-term goals consist of gaining as

much insight on teaching that I can while I have a job as a substitute. With the sub position that I

have right now, I have already learned so much. Because I am a para in the special education

program, I have been able to focus on helping seventh and eighth graders with language skills. It

has been a great experience and I have been able to teach the fundamentals of a subject I am very

passionate about. Everything I get to encounter now will more than likely prepare me for being a

certified teacher. I am very fortunate to have this opportunity and I intend to make the best of it.
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MY LIFE AND EDUCATION