Autobiographical Reflection: 5183 Leading in Culturally Responsive Environments

Autobiographical Reflections

Haylee Cannon

    When I think about who I am and how I got here, I am reminded of the many people who

have had a profound impact on my life and my career. My friends, family, and educators have

invested substantial time and energy into helping me achieve my goals. I was raised by a family

of educators, and I like to think that teaching is in my blood. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with

my life, and I can thank the constant support and encouragement of my family for pushing me to

be a better teacher than I was the day before.

    A large part of my educational and personal philosophies were developed from the

lessons I learned during my school years and my undergraduate studies. So many of the

teachers I had growing up are such an integral part of the teacher I am today. When I think of

how I felt sitting in their classrooms, I want my students to feel the same way. The teachers who

cared about me as a person are who I learned best from. This concept is something I carry with

me as I teach middle school English.

    After high school, I proudly attended and graduated from Ouachita Baptist University

with a degree in English and Secondary Education while playing Division II tennis. Being a

student athlete forced me to practice valuable skills that shaped my professional skills. From

time management to communication, being an athlete taught me about responsibility and

dedication. The professors I had the pleasure of being taught by impacted me greatly. They

teach you in such a way that affirms how much they care about you as a student and a person.

Their teachings opened my eyes to issues going on in the world and taught me to think critically

about how to better myself and try to make the world a better place however we are called to do

so. I believe my calling is education. This career is how I can make the world a better place

because I get to invest in students as they grow into young adults.

    I currently teach 8th grade English, and this is my third year in the classroom. Each day,

I am constantly learning and evolving as a teacher. As an educator, I believe my most important

job is to replace an empty mind with an open one. When I think of the people who had the most

impact on my life, it was people who taught me that I could achieve anything I wanted to with

the proper work ethic and drive. My middle school students come to my classroom from a

hundred different places, environments, and situations. They may not be receiving the same

love and support that I did, and it’s important for me to recognize that students need to feel safe

in my environment before they can learn in it.

    Just as so many people have invested in me, I now want to do the same for others.

That’s one of the things I love most about my job. I get to invest in so many amazing kiddos, and

it’s an honor to be a small part of their story. I hope that when they leave my classroom, they

know that they were cared for and taught how to think critically and empathetically. I hope they

feel equipped to take on their next steps knowing that I’ll always be in their corner.

All of these experiences make up who I am, and I’m grateful that I get to carry a small

part of the people who are so important to me in who I am. As I continue to develop

professionally and personally, I recognize that my identity and experiences will continue to

shape. As I have learned though, these evolving experiences are gifts that continue to give me

a heart for things previously unknown.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EDUC 5313: Week 1

Introduction Hello, all. My name is Haylee Cannon, and I currently teach 8th grade ELAR in Anna, Texas. I find the middle school kiddos are entertaining, chaotic, and full of fun. I find they bring a unique sense of joy and laughter to most situations. In my current role, my main priority is to teach students to think both critically and empathically. If they can do both of those things by the time they leave my room, I feel my job has been accomplished. In addition to teaching, I am fortunate to have other leadership opportunities within my campus and district that align with my future goals. I serve as Department Chair of the English team and am a member of the District Technology Integration Leadership Team. Both roles allow me to work with and lead adults as well as teach students. These opportunities have given me practical experience with leadership, collaboration, and professional development. These skills will help with my future career goals as I’m hoping to obtain a leadershi...
Read more

EDUC 5313: Week 3

Image
  Blog 3   Haylee Cannon          Three major points from chapter four of How People Learn II: Learners, Contexts, and Cultures (2018) are executive function , self-regulation of learning, and memory. These three concepts are central to student learning, making them key factors in curriculum design. It's important that educators design lessons in a way that will be most effective when it comes to student learning.             Executive functioning is centered around “the abilities to hold information in mind, inhibit incorrect or premature responses, and sustain or switch attention to meet a goal ” (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018). These tasks are key to success in the classroom as they are markers of a student who can not only memorize information but retain it as well. Essentially , executive functioning is a student’s ability to control their thinking. This concept is importan...
Read more

EDUC 5313: Week 2

       Authentic Intellectual Work is built on the idea that students learn things that will be relevant to them in the real world outside of the classroom. This method of learning is achieved through a combination of several measures such as high rigor, building student interest, in depth teacher content knowledge, and preparing students for the real world ( Newmann et al., 2007 ). The focus switches from memorization to the specific skills students will need to succeed in their future careers. The goal of Authentic Intellectual Work is to mirror the student’s learning to necessary future skills. This switch differs from traditional approaches by prioritizing critical thinking and real-world skills instead of short-term learning to take a standardized assessment. Overall, learning needs to be meaningful and relevant instead of superficial and standardized to increase a student’s proficiency in critical skills necessary for life.         Th...
Read more