Running head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

Autobiographical Essay
Bertha Elizabeth Rosas
Dr. David Makings
EDUC 201: Foundations of Education
Fall, 2012

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Autobiographical Essay
Once I graduate, I will never step foot inside a school again. I repeated this almost
methodically to myself throughout my middle school years. Little did I know that my life and
mind-set would change so drastically that one day I would dream to not only step inside a school
again, but that I would desire to work and change lives inside a school on a daily basis. It was
not until several years after middle school that I realized my desire to be an elementary school
teacher. After I recognized my need to be an educator I kept sight of that career goal. Since then
I have taken each life experience as a step closer to achieving this dream.
Educational Background
I attended elementary school in Worland, Wyoming, but each year, my parents would take
my siblings and I to Mexico. I missed approximately two-and-a-half months of school in the
United States each year until I reached the tenth grade. While in Mexico, my siblings and I
attended school, but this was very difficult for us children. Aside from the fact that we would
spend months of each school year in Mexico, my family also moved frequently while living in
the United States this made schooling even that much more difficult. While we almost always
ended up back in Worland, Wyoming, I attended school in several different states.
When I reached tenth grade, I was held back, all of my moving had finally caught up with
me and I was on the verge of dropping out of high school entirely. After talking it over with my
parents they promised me we would stay in Worland until I graduated; however that was a
promise they did not keep. I moved two more times in my tenth grade year, which is how I
ended up in Burley, Idaho. I continued to attend high school, and I graduated from Burley High
in 2004. I began taking classes at the College of Southern Idaho in 2005, but after three years of

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being a part-time and full time student I temporarily stopped attending. I decided to go back to
school fall semester of 2012.
My elementary school experience, as well as my high school experience, played a vital
role in my decision to become a teacher. Even though I did not know it at the time, I always had
the desire to become an educator. Despite my near constant relocation, I had one specific teacher
during my years in elementary school that made a strong impact in my life. To this day, I
remember her enthusiasm and how she showed connections with each of her students. She is the
one teacher I will always remember; she noticed me when I tried to be unnoticeable. I want to be
that teacher for each of my students. I believe experiences in elementary school make a big
impact in the lives of each individual child.
Work History
Before I was sixteen years old, I started working on the beet fields pulling weeds. This
was an extremely difficult and tiring job. Once I turned sixteen, I got a job at McDonalds as a
cashier. When I moved to Burley, Idaho during my tenth grade year I started working at Papa
Kelseys. It was an excellent high school job because they closed at 10:00 p.m. and closed on
Sundays. When I graduated from high school in 2004, I started working at Wal-Mart. I began as
an ICS team member, which means I would help unload trucks and stock the store. Once I
enrolled in college in 2005 I transferred to the Wal-Mart store in Jerome, Idaho as a cashier. I
moved back to Burley after one semester into college. I got a job at First Federal Savings Bank
as a teller and was then promoted to loan secretary. I worked there for five years; I liked the job
at the bank but knew that it was just not for me. While pregnant with my second child, I decided
to leave the bank, and I am currently staying home with my two beautiful children.

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The entirety of my work experience has contributed to my development as a professional

educator. From working on the beet fields, and knowing that I wanted and needed to find a
better job, to the fact of knowing that I did not want to work at a bank forever, each experience
has led and reinforced the idea of becoming a teacher. Staying home with my own children has
taught me to have patience, and I feel very fortunate to be able to teach them new things each
day. In the majority of my jobs, I trained new people, and I know I did an excellent job because I
would always be selected to train the newcomers. I discovered that communication is one of the
most important aspects needed in order to work more effectively. I also learned patience,
responsibility, and respect towards others. As a teacher, I will utilize all of the qualities I have
learned and engaged in during my job experiences.
Service and/or Extracurricular Activities
Throughout my entire school years, I moved so frequently that I rarely got an opportunity
to participate in extracurricular activities. During my sophomore year at Burley High School, I
joined a Spanish club; I was voted vice president, and I really enjoyed it. As vice president, I
learned to organize activities for the club.
First Federal Bank engages in a highway clean-up twice each year, and my fellow coworkers and I would participate. As a volunteer, I was giving back to the community by keeping
the roads clean. I have also volunteered at my church to teach catechism classes. I have taught
fifth grade and second grade students, and I really enjoyed it. Seeing fifth graders, who are eager
to learn, makes it easier to teach them. I am so thankful for the opportunity to teach students at
my church and it is only reinforcing my already-strong desire to teach elementary school.
Each activity or service, I have partook in, has given me a different experience to aid me
in my pursuit of becoming an educator. As the vice president, I assisted in making decisions

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regarding the clubs running and structure. In my classroom, I will be making everyday decisions
to help the learning process flow more easily. The highway cleanup helped me give back to my
community, and I know that as a teacher, I will be involved in afterschool activities to help and
aid the community, as well. Teaching at my church has shown me that I do have the drive and
the motivation to become a teacher and it has given me priceless experiences.
Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career
One event stands out as a significant impact on my decision to consider education as a
career path; in high school, while tutoring a student in accounting. I realized how patient and
calm I remained as I taught her how to work out problems. I enjoyed showing her the different
ways of accounting, and once her grades started improving, I felt an odd sensation of selfaccomplishment. I have never forgotten that feeling. When I graduated, I was somewhat
confused; I mistook my interest in accounting as an interest in business, and I set my major as
business. I did not realize that the main reason I was so intrigued in accounting was because of
the teachers motivation and because I was able to assist my fellow student to have a similarly
successful interest in accounting.
Two semesters into college, I changed my degree to Bilingual Elementary Education.
Teaching is so rewarding in so many different ways. To be a person that can change multiples
lives, especially a childs life, would be so satisfying. To see children grow and develop
intellectually would be another reward in itself. As I have children of my own, another benefit of
teaching would be to have the same work schedule as their school schedule and to have summers
off with them.
I initially moved to the United States from Mexico when I was six years old. I do not
remember exactly how I became fluent in English, but I know that there were programs in my

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elementary schools that offered help for ESL students. It is my dream to obtain my degree in
Bilingual Elementary Education so children, who are like I was, will be able to receive the best
education possible. I have a passion to teach and to guide children to success. Children are the
future, and they need to be taught with a staff of motivated and dedicated educators, and I know I
will be one of those teachers.
Professional Goals
My short term professional goals are to obtain my associates degree in Bilingual
Elementary Education through the College of Southern Idaho and to obtain my bachelors
degree, as well as my teaching certificate. I will achieve these goals by keeping my grades up
and focusing on my classes so that I can obtain my associates degree as soon as possible. To
gain my bachelors degree, I will need to search my options in universities to work with and
attend.
My long term goal is to get a teaching occupation around the Heyburn/Burley area; I
would like to have my own classroom in second, third, fourth, or fifth grades. I would also like
to participate in an ESL program to help students who speak Spanish as their primary language.
One program I really have a special interest in is the New Commerce Center.
I am fully aware that my pathway to achieve my elementary education dreams has been
unconventional. However, I believe that each experience has actually brought me closer to
reaching my goals. Throughout the past several years, I have come to fully realize and
understand my desire to educate and make a difference in the lives of the futures children. I have
no doubt that when I have my own classroom, I will be able to successfully educate and impact
the lives of children.