Running head: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

Autobiographical Essay
Brianna Semonchuk

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Autobiographical Essay

Introduction
My path to a career in education has been a great adventure. Throughout my life, I have
learned so much about myself and my goals. One of the most important things I learned was the
power of knowledge. As an educator, my ultimate goal is to change the world for the better; and
teaching future generations is one of the greatest ways to do just that. Where some see a group
young children as tiny, sugar-crazed gremlins, I see potential to make a difference. Children
have the greatest gift, that of time and potential. We all start somewhere in life, and getting a
solid education is a great way to start.
Educational Background
I grew up in sunny San Diego, California. I went to school at Carlton Oaks, a public
school that ranged from kindergarten to eighth grade. I remember kindergarten fairly well,
probably because that was the year I decided that I wanted to become a teacher. I tested into the
GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program in third grade. It is essentially a program that
allows you to take classes with other Gifted and Talented students, where they teach at more
advanced levels and at a faster pace. I attended Carlton Oaks School & remained in the GATE
program through sixth grade.
In seventh grade I moved to Fallbrook, a smaller city just north of San Diego, where I
attended Potter Jr. High School. They did not have a GATE program available at this school, but
they did have an AVID program that was fairly similar by nature. The AVID program was

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focused heavily on preparing students for college. We learned valuable study skills, note-taking
strategies, and other lessons to help prepare us for what lies ahead in our educations.
Eighth grade was a year of big changes for me. My family moved to Boise, Idaho. There
was no GATE or AVID program in existence, so I was placed into some Honors classes at Lowell
Scott Middle School. I had the unique opportunity to be a peer tutor for the Special Education
Department at my school. It was an inspiring experience that I would not trade for the world. I
was able to connect with and help teach students my very own age. It was an incredible feeling
to see the looks on their faces when the lessons I presented began to make sense to them. This
experience definitely reassured my aspirations to become a teacher.
I attended high school at Centennial High School in Boise. Looking back, I remember
feeling like I would be stuck in high school and teenage angst forever; but now it seems like it
came and went in the blink of an eye. I had the unique opportunity to take part in a Child
Development class at my high school, where we ran a free in-school preschool program. We
cared for about twenty children, ranging from three to five years of age. We had prepared daily
lesson plans & classroom activities. It was an amazing experience to get the chance to see the
children learn so much, knowing that you made a difference. I graduated from Centennial High
School in 2009.
Currently, I am in my second year of college. I am passionate about my education, and I
believe that a lot of factors have contributed to that over the years. The great Nelson Mandela
once said Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. I
cannot agree more. Without a good head on your shoulders, without being able to discover the
wonderful things about the world around you, without an education; you do not have anything.
Work History

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My work experience does not involve the most glamorous fields of expertise. In high
school, I earned money through babysitting. I spent a fair amount of time caring for my little
sister growing up, so babysitting for family friends came naturally. I gained a wealth of
knowledge about patience, respect, and parenting. It was great to be able to spend time & build
relationships with the children I cared for, and learn hands-on lessons about proper childcare.
I got my first real job when I was seventeen. I worked as an in-house cook at a Pizza
Hut. It obviously was not the career of my dreams, but it was a start. I learned a lot about work
ethic, the basics of customer service, and discovered I had a natural talent for making some
pretty tasty pizza. (Well, as tasty as Pizza Hut can really get...) I tried my best at everything I
did, and that is what made me stand out. Eventually, I began training new employees. It was not
exactly the kind of teaching job I had wanted, but teaching some adults can be harder than
teaching children at times. I like to consider it good practice as an educator.
In my late teens, I found work at Idaho Ice World, where I had a wide range of
responsibilities. I ran the front desk, where I provided great customer service to the patrons of
the ice rink. I also cleaned and maintained the rink. I excelled quickly at this job, and I was
training new employees in no time. I must say that the best thing to come from this experience
was a greater sense of work ethic and self-motivation. As a trainer, I was a role model for new
employees. That meant I had to be on top of my game at all times, what some would call
withitness, and I made it my goal to make every day at work a good day. As a professional
educator, it is important to make learning as fun as possible. Learning should be fun!
I was still working at Idaho Ice World when I got a second job as an adventure guide
(gas station attendant & cashier) at Maverik. It was an eye-opening experience to work with
people from such diverse backgrounds. I had regular customers from a priest that drove a Jaguar

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to a homeless drug addict who tried to sell squirrels in our parking lot. Most importantly, I
learned that no matter what walks of life we come from, attitudes are contagious; and it can be
easy to be that one bright ray of sunshine on someones cloudy day. Working in a service
position with the general public takes a great deal of patience. At the end of the day, people just
want to be heard. I learned to listen. These are invaluable skills that have shaped my character.
I have been working at Whole Foods Market for two years now, and I absolutely love it.
I have learned so much about the values of teamwork and community since starting at Whole
Foods. I work in the Whole Body department, where I have learned a plethora of information
about natural medicine and nutrition. Whole Foods Market is a special place to work because of
the companys unique core values. Our store and our team of employees have worked with
countless community outreach programs; helping to plant gardens in elementary schools across
town, cleaning up trash along the Greenbelt, and educating the community on the importance of
our personal health as well as the health of our environment. We even hold special tours of the
store to educate children about healthy eating and nutrition. I think it is important for children to
feel a strong connection to their community so that they want to make a difference when they
become leaders in that community.
Overall, I believe that regardless of where you work or what exactly you do; you can
learn something from anything. As an educator, it is important to effectively communicate and
form bonds with your coworkers, your students, and their parents as well. Together, there is no
stopping this powerful force. I believe that my background in customer service will help me to
communicate effectively and help students to become motivated and eager to learn. It is my goal
to not only teach students basic math and reading skills, but also to teach them how to work
together in a positive environment.

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Service and Extra-Curricular Activities

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Mahatma
Gandhi gets all the credit for this inspiring thought, but I find it beautifully describes my passion
for making a difference in my community. It is important to love where you live, and try to
make an effort to better your community in some way. Whether it is volunteering your spare
time at a local nursing home, raking leaves for your neighbors, or simply buying local products
at the grocery store; it is important to support your community. On a larger scale, it is just plain
important to help other human beings. It can be easy to take our comfortable lives for granted
sometimes, but it is so important to help those less fortunate. After all, you never know when
you might need some help yourself.
In high school I was actively involved in the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of
America program. Our purpose was to promote personal growth and leadership development
through community service projects. It was an incredible privilege to be a part of a group of
students who made such a positive impact on the community. Being involved in FCCLA really
helped shape me into the person I am today, more so than I ever imagined back in high school.
We participated in a variety of volunteer projects from knitting baby hats for newborns to raising
money to helping remodel rooms at the Women and Childrens Alliance. I even got to travel to
Nashville, Tennessee; where I received a National Award for a competitive speech presentation
showcasing my services. It was through FCCLA that I rediscovered my passion for helping
others. Using my time in a way that I knew was making a difference made me feel great.
The intrinsic rewards of helping others are priceless. It is my drive to help others that
motivates me to become an educator. I believe that an education is one of the most important
things a person can have in life, more valuable than any tangible reward. Developing character

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is a part of developing knowledge. I want to instill in my students a sense of pride in their

communities, and a passion for helping others. We can achieve so much through collaboration
and cooperation, and it is my goal to emphasize these values in my classroom. As teachers, we
are more than just walking encyclopedias for students. We are mentors, role models,
confidantes. We hold a special place in our communities.
Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career
It may sound clich, but I decided that I wanted to become a teacher when I was just in
Kindergarten. I had a remarkable Kindergarten teacher who sparked my interest for learning
new things. It was then that I knew I wanted to help others by sharing my love of learning.
Throughout junior high and high school, I took a number of career placement surveys. Every
time, it would recommend some sort of education or humanities career. My little sister was born
when I was in third grade I often helped guide her in new learning experiences. I found that I
genuinely enjoyed helping her learn how to read, write, draw, and think mathematically.
Throughout high school, I picked up a lot of babysitting jobs. I absolutely love working
with children. Something about their genuine curiosity for life and frequently blunt honesty
really intrigues me. In my case, the desire to become a teacher came to me as more of an internal
calling; an obvious decision. I like to think that a career in education chose me.
Although I was strongly drawn to choosing the career path of a teacher, I have spent
years considering other options. I have always had a strong personal interest in the justice
system, legal practices, and court cases that the average person might describe as a snooze-fest. I
enjoyed learning the art of debate in high school, and for a while I was convinced that I wanted
to become a lawyer. No matter what I get paid to do in life, I know it must involve helping
people somehow. Lawyers provide a great public service to the community by upholding the

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justice system that our country was founded upon. One incentive for choosing the legal career
path, aside from my general interests, was the financial potential. Common knowledge tells us
the average salary for a lawyer far exceeds that of an elementary school teacher. After further
research, I began to realize that my aspirations were not in a courtroom, but rather a classroom.
I anticipate that a teaching career will allow me a unique opportunity to help serve my
community. Education is a driving force in the success of humanity as we know it. As a teacher,
I hope to inspire my students and be inspired by my students. I want a career where I can rest
assured that I make a difference every day. Without knowledge, everything else becomes
useless. I hope to work as a positive influence in each of my students lives, by guiding them in
the direction of a successful adult life.
Professional Goals
My long term goals as a professional educator include making a positive difference in the
general education system of our great country. I believe that every child has a right to receive
the best education possible. The very foundation of our public education needs a serious
overhaul, and I want to be a part of it. I believe that new teachers have a unique perspective on
integrating technology in education. I am excited to see how educators will be able to
collaborate and find best practices for the 21st century.
My short term goals, are to receive a degree in elementary education and take the first
steps into my teaching journey. I am incredibly excited to get my life moving in a positive
direction, and I know that teaching is for me. I have a passion to help people, children in
particular. I want to make a difference, and I cannot imagine a more fitting way than to help
positively influence future generations.

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I plan to achieve these goals through learning, of course. I have so much to learn, and I
will have so much to teach by the time I graduate and get into a classroom. Our education paths
never end; teachers are lifelong learners. I know that I can achieve anything if I believe in
myself, focus on my goals, and give my best effort. I am a firm believer in the power of
positivity, and I want to be able to share that with my students and coworkers. Anything can be
accomplished through determination. It has been a long journey on my career path to teaching,
and I have quite the distance ahead of me. I understand what it takes to achieve your goals, and I
plan to continue to work hard until those goals are met.
Conclusion
I am so thankful to be where I am today. My journey to becoming a professional
educator has been a rewarding experience. I am incredibly excited to be on the right path, doing
what I have always wanted to do. Throughout my personal and professional life, I have
experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly; but I am only getting started! I have learned so
much along the way, and I look forward to learning even more as I go. As Maya Angelou once
said, When you know better, you do better. I want to do know better, so I can do better for
myself, my community, and future generations to come.