Running Head: PROJECT #1 EDUCATIONAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Educational Autobiography
Joa Puckett
Lake Michigan College
Foundations of Education/ 13229
Erika Milovich
October 4, 2016
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Project #1 Educational Autobiography
I attended Lakeshore Public Schools from kindergarten all the way to my senior year of
high school. This district contained a variety of teachers and students, and ways they interact. I
was involved in several extracurricular activities throughout my education, and interacted with
many types of students. Many experiences I had during my childhood and adolescence shaped
who I am today and who I want to be in the future.
My elementary school, Roosevelt, was a peaceful, positive environment. The policy
there was No Bucket Dipping. Dipping into somebody elses bucket meant bullying was
happening. Whenever a bucket was dumped, the student would be sad, so we pushed to fill
buckets. No bullying was allowed period. Each student needed to be nice and respectful to
classmates, teachers and staff. This was meant to make everyone happy and respected, as well as
to urge the development of mannerisms and social interactions.
Take Care of Yourself, Each Other, and Your School, was the motto at Lakeshore Middle
School. It had a similar positive environment to Roosevelt, and held the same non bullying
policy. It was an advanced way of education to make sure every student was happy as well as
their peers. Doing this completed the last task, take care of your school. This meant to be
respectful to the supplies and equipment there as well as the staff and students. This motto was
set in place to help maintain and use the developments made in elementary school, so students
would be respectful when they interact with one another.
Lakeshore High School carried the same principles. Students were expected to be mature
and remember that the same rules applied that have been carried on throughout all grades. This
helped to make the interactions between students and teachers run more smoothly. The teachers
vary from difficulty levels and teaching styles from class to class. Since high school contains
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Project #1 Educational Autobiography
multiple grade levels, the students in each class and behaviors were different. For the most part,
basic subjects such as math or English were separated by grade level, and also difficulty level.
The more advanced students would have one hour, and the average students would have another.
Behaviors and maturity levels in students and teachers also seemed to vary depending on which
group it was, but the majority still maintained the proper mannerisms developed in elementary
school.
I definitely had my share of lazy teachers who just assigned busy work every day, but I
also had some really great teachers who had really helpful lectures and notes. Most of my
educators did not have the lazy, do nothing attitude until my middle and high school years. My
elementary teachers were very involved and active in the classroom and held many group
activities and such to get the class more involved socially. In secondary education most group
activities consisted of a project that each partner did half of the work rather than working as one.
High school classes consisted mostly of lectures and tests, while middle school was a
combination of both learning styles. These different learning styles helped to advance the
behaviors socially between students.
In elementary school, during my free time and lunch, I would always go down to the
special education classrooms and talk to, teach lessons to, and play games, with the students.
Teachers would set up different days and times for students to go in there and help out. It was a
fun and exciting way to learn about how to teach and interact with different students, as well as
getting to see a smile on their faces every time you walk in the room. Going down to their room
gave me a different look on how teachers impact students lives. This was when my interest in
becoming a teacher began.
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Project #1 Educational Autobiography
During my junior year of high school, I took a class called Child Development. In it, we
helped teach, middle school, special needs students a lesson in reading or math, and then do a fun
activity following it to help them enjoy school. This interactive lesson for them helped them to
get to know us better and better prepare for high school. Doing this, I found that the students
opened up to the high school students more. They could not wait until the next time our class
was scheduled to visit. After doing this for a couple weeks, we exchanged emails with the
students and helped them to learn how to use tools such as email to interact with one another.
Every time we went to their class I felt so happy just knowing that I was making someone elses
life more joyful, by helping them to feel included. After this I knew my future career was torn
between elementary education and special education.
I have always thought about being an elementary school teacher or a special education
teacher. If I go into one of these professions I would aim to encourage students to do their best
and find motivations and fun activities to help them learn to their best ability. Being a special
education teacher I would hope to help students excel in life in and out of the classroom. Doing
this, I hope to give them an extra friend that they know they can count on. Being an elementary
school teacher I would hope to help students develop into intelligent, respectful people, as well
as giving them a friend outside of the home that they know they can trust and connect with. I
have always enjoyed helping children learn, throughout the different programs I was involved in
during my education, and have considered going into a profession to continue doing so.
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Project #1 Educational Autobiography
The InTASC Teaching Standards that apply to this paper are:
1) Learner Development- Elementary school encouraged development in all aspects of our
education in various ways.
2) Learning Differences- I got to view the different ways students learn based on their individual
differences.
3) Learning Environments- The special needs teachers allowed for their students to experience
different learning environments and interactions with the older students.
4) Content Knowledge- Elementary school teachers applied more of an interactive learning style
where they had to know the basics of the lessons.
5) Application of Content- Elementary school teachers connected concepts through a variety of
teaching styles, group projects and class lectures and discussions.
6) Assessment- In high school the teachers based most of their class on standardized tests based
on their lectures held in class.
7) Planning for Instruction- My child development class met a variety of aspects from
elementary education to special education to middle school education.
8) Instructional Strategies- The middle school, special education students did a variety of
activities; they did a more basic fun learning activity that got them thinking about the more
difficult assignment.
9) Leadership and Collaboration- My Child Development teacher collaborated with the special
education teacher at the middle school to do this interactive activity to help out both classes.
