English Language Arts

I am enrolled in the English and Education concurrent degree program. However, I began my university career in the Health Sciences program, majoring in Health and Society. I am grateful for the first paper I wrote in my Education 455 Professional Development and Life-long Learning course, because I had a chance to reflect on all the factors that led me to this program. I will include a segment of the paper below, which explains how my love of literature served as a transistion or bridge which moved me from my medical aspirations into the realm of teaching aspirations.

Virtualdistoration. (2014). Stack of Books [Photograph]. Recieved from http://prettybooks.tumblr.com/post/49513671278

"My transition into an English degree forced me to think about my future. What was I going to do? Who was I going to be? This was the first time in my life I ever considered teaching as a career. A light bulb illuminated the bigger picture as I realized that teaching encompassed everything I was passionate about. My personal identity and professional identity collided as I realized that teaching would allow me to engage with literature as well as show children and/or youth the love of God as I journeyed beside them. I could be a teacher, a mentor, a cheerleader and a friend that encouraged them in their individual growth, affirmed their interests and goals and pushed them on to achieve their own personal successes. As Groen & Kawalilak (2014) suggest I could empower my students “though caring, compassionate, and supportive relationships” thereby helping them “develop certain beliefs about [themselves] and about how [they] are…valued” (p. 63). Looking back, this was an epiphany and the most significant learning moment in bringing me to a pre-service teaching program. I think of the biblical proverb, “People do their best making plans for their lives, but the Eternal guides each step” (Prov 16:9 The Voice). Reflecting on this dramatic transition from medical aspirations to teaching aspirations, I have developed the understanding that significant learning is deeply personal, multi-dimensional and transformational."

Reference

Groen, J., & Kawalilak, C. (2014). Pathways of adult learning: Professional and education narratives. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press Inc.