1

Autobiographical

Hawley Hennen

Instructor: Dr. Egbert

EDUC. 201: Foundations of Education

 2

Abstract

Importance of teaching, why people should teach, why students need schooling, and/or the skills

you have learned from the school which help you in the workforce or in your volunteer activities.

In my opinion, teaching is important because I have seen first handfirsthand the occasional

failings of the American educational system. It is less about inspiring and enlightening young

minds and more about and ever-moving assembly line, where quality control standards keep

dropping. I don’t think that everyone should teach. Teaching is as much a calling as being an

artist, a lawyer, a doctor, or a dancer. It is an artform that must be practiced and perfected. A

good teacher shares information, but a great teacher shares themselves. Students need school

because education is an opportunity that nobody should be denied. Teachers ignite the spark of

illumination which helps to enlighten the path a student takes in life regardless of what it may be.
 3

Autobiographical

They say “good things come in small packages,” and given my stature, that sets the bar

pretty high for me. As someone who struggled in their early years of education, I recognized the

differences between an average teacher and a great one; I became determined to be not just good,

but great.

Educational Background

Prior to attending CSI, the entirety of my public education took place within Jerome, Idaho.

I began with preschool classes at First Baptist, then attended Jefferson Elementary through the

third grade. After that time, I transitioned to Summit Elementary and subsequently the Jerome

Middle School, wrapping up as a graduate of the Jerome High School class of 2021. I am

currently attending CSI, working towards my Associate’s Degree (, where I am currently a

freshman).. I plan on getting my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree at Idaho State University in

Pocatello, Idaho.

I was a member of the National Honor’s Society while attending Jerome High School. In

addition, during my thirteen-plus years of active membership in the Girl Scouts of America, I

received many awards and participated in numerous community service opportunities. Also, as

part of my Field Experience class at CSI, I have performed approximately twenty-hours of

classroom observation/participation with kindergarten students (and have been informed I am

welcome back anytime by both the instructors and the students). This process has already given

me a fantastic foundation upon which to model my future classroom format by being able to

compare and contrast two different classroom environments, one public and one charter school.

During this time, I have been able to observe specific teaching habits, instructor/student
 4

interactions, and classroom dynamics (all of which have enabled me to do first-hand evaluation

of these techniques for myself).

Work History

Even though I am fairly young, I have had some pretty incredible work opportunities

already. During my time with the Girl Scouts of America, I performed co-leader tasks during my

final few years, helping to guide and instruct younger scouts within my troop. During my senior

year, while being a cheerleader within the Jerome School District, I coached the Outlaw Cheer

Team. I assisted the team m by working one-on-one with the younger participants, including

providing instruction, choreography, and stage direction. Both of those experiences have been

rewarding and were definitely challenging, but neither can compare with the complexity of my

time working within the Jerome County Public Defender’s Office. Currently, I am the youngest

legal assistant to have worked there. I am currently assigned to assist with a high-profile felony

criminal case. This case requires a tremendous amount of organization to prepare for an

upcoming trial for one of the attorneys in the office. In addition, I am also responsible for

inputting and helping to prepare all of the court-appointed misdemeanor public defender cases

for the county.

These experiences have contributed to my development as a professional educator

because I learned how to work with children of all ages, how to successfully organize my time-

and daily tasks, how important team work is, and how each individual can “bring something to

the table.” All of these experiences/opportunities will help me in my future career path by

enabling me to finetune my organizational skills, public interaction skills, as well as my ability to

function under pressure.

 5

Service and/or Extracurricular Activates

Since before I started preschool, I have been in multiple extracurricular activities varying

from Girl Scouts to being on a Double Dutch Jump Rope team. My parents believed it was best

to “sample everything” before committing to one pursuit. I tried soccer, basketball, volleyball, t-

ball/softball, and dance before settling on gymnastics as my primary extracurricular. I spent

approximately six years honing my skills in gymnastics, which then served as a springboard into

cheerleading upon entering middle school. From there I spent countless hours and endured

numerous injuries while pursuing this goal. However, it is a past time that I still enjoy and

engaged in to this day.

These activities will contribute to my development as a professional educator because I

have learned that team work and patience are key. Every single person on a team matters and you

cannot do it without everyone giving their all. All of these extracurricular experiences have

taught me patience, cooperative work skills, and goal orientation. All of these attributes will help

me to better interact with students, faculty, and the administration in my future career path as a

kKindergarten teacher.

Reasons for Choosing Education as a Career

I first considered teaching when I was a kindergartener. I saw what an impact my teacher

had on her students and I wanted students to feel that way about me. I became even more

determined in high school that I wanted to become a kKindergarten teacher. When coaching the

kindergarten students and the first graders during my senior year, I saw how much of an impact I

had on them and how much they looked up to me. After I started taking teaching classes my

senior year in high school, I realized how much kids need a good teacher who will help them

when they have a problem or issues such as (ADHD, ADD, OCD, ODD, etc.). I want to be that
 6

teacher who children feel safe to come to with issues and I want to have an impact on my

students that they will never forget.

Other careers I have considered are being a counselor at a school, or just in general

working with children. I have also considered working in a law office full time, but after working

at one for the past year, I know that I cannot handle the constant pressure. I have also considered

becoming a pPrincipal (I am still considering it but I feel like I will have more of an impact on

the students in the classroom as their teacher). I anticipate the rewards of knowing I am helping

the next generation grow and becoming better people/citizens. I am also looking forward to

getting to do what I love the most (being around children), and seeing them grow and understand

what they are learning and helping them to become successful students.

Professional Goals

My long-term goals are to become a kKindergarten teacher, and possibly work my way up

to becoming a principal in a small school. I intend to achieve these goals by getting my

Associate’s Degree next year, then attending Idaho State University to get my Bachelor’s Degree

and finally my Master’s Degree. I will study hard to graduate next year so I can move on to

Idaho State University to get my other two degrees. I will work diligently to earn scholarships

which will facilitate my continued education as a means to achieving my goals. I will also

continue to work at my job at the law office to earn enough money for school.

My short-term goals include going to Horizon Elementary School and Heritage Academy

for additional time and getting more experience with teaching and working with children. I will

also study hard to graduate in 2023 with my Associate’s Degree at the College of Southern

Idaho. I intend to achieve these goals by volunteering at local elementary schools as much aas
 7

possible in order to increase my classroom experience. I will take it one semester at a time in

order to successfully pass my classes to graduate next spring of 2023.

Conclusion

In selecting the career path of a teacher, I will likely never be financially wealthy. It is a

hard job with long hours and little thanks. I know it will require every ounce of patience that I

have within me. I may become frustrated, feel overwhelmed, and feel that I am lacking in

support daily. I will likely come home tired and wake up anticipating the next catastrophe. In

spite of all of that though, if I can help spark a love of learning inside my students and help

illuminate their path to education, it will all be worth it (that and summers off)!