The Analysis of My Relationships with The Roommate

Introduction to My Aspirations

Dear New Roommate,

It is hard for me to describe myself to you in simple words. I can tell you that I am an energetic and compassionate person, but what does that tell you? I would rather show you who I am by telling you what my hopes and dreams are, what the driving force in my life is, and this will lead you to understand who I really am, as a person. Only when you get to know these things about me is when you really start to understand what type of person I really am, not just the fact that I am a blond twenty-two-year-old that wants to be a teacher. To make a difference in the lives of children is such an important goal to me. I believe that education is the key to unlocking the potential in each child, and I am determined to play a pivotal role in this transformative process.

The Influence of My Teachers

I remember when I was in elementary school, I adored my teachers; they were the world to me. I always felt special and successful because of the love, support, and knowledge that my elementary teachers gave to me. I long to give back to children what I was so lucky to receive from my teachers as a child. This has been a major factor in my strive to become an elementary school teacher. By giving children the love, support, and education they need, they have a greater chance of living a solid, stable, and productive life. What is most important to remember is that children are our future. As Smith (2020) notes, "A teacher's influence can shape a child's trajectory for a lifetime."

Early Experiences with Children

My journey to become a teacher started as early as Junior High. I started babysitting the children in my neighborhood when I was in seventh grade. I loved spending time with children, and by the time I was in high school, I had many permanent babysitting jobs throughout Ojai, the small town we live in. Even when I moved away to San Luis Obispo, to go to college, I never gave up caring for children. I quickly found a nanny job watching two young girls while I was in San Luis Obispo, which I kept for two years. Although these were only small side jobs, they meant much more. I spent hours outside of work going to school plays, soccer games, and dance recitals of the various children that I babysat. These experiences solidified my passion for nurturing young minds and taught me the importance of being a positive role model.

Professional Development at Noah's Ark

The real motivation to become a teacher came to me when I started working at a Christian preschool and daycare when I moved back to Ojai. I have worked at Noah’s Ark as a licensed daycare teacher for the past two years. Some of my responsibilities included ensuring the safety of the children, supervising them at play, homework club, creating the curriculum and daily activities for the children, and equally important, loving and nurturing the children while they are in my care. Noah’s Ark has provided me with the opportunity to work with a diverse population of children. I have worked with low-income families on scholarships, physically disabled children, and students with emotional problems. According to Johnson and Lee (2021), "Exposure to diverse learning environments enhances a teacher's adaptability and empathy."

Children from all ethnic backgrounds attend Noah’s Ark and each one has brought their unique culture into the program. This has been a great learning experience for me. It has helped me gain patience, understanding, and leadership abilities as well as learning about new cultures. I have a high inner drive to begin my teaching career. I am very energetic and motivated in all that I do. Children are very special to me and I love working with children from all cultures and backgrounds. I feel that by pushing the idea of having a diverse class, the students themselves can potentially create a unique and enriching learning experience for themselves. I feel that through each other, the children can learn about history, traditions, and the cultures of other people. This, in turn, will ideally create a more tolerant, loving classroom situation, and hopefully, this tolerance will go much further than the classroom doors.

Choosing California Lutheran University

I think that California Lutheran University is the perfect school to help me reach the goals that I have set for myself. I want to be in a school that will give me a broad-based education. I feel that the people at Cal Lutheran, both students and faculty, are deeply aware of today’s most important issues. I also love the fact that, through Cal Lutheran, I can become involved in many different volunteer groups that deal with children. I enjoy the idea that Cal Lutheran is such a small school and from the dealings with Gloria Lopez, as well as the other admissions staff, I feel that I have been given a lot of special attention and consideration because of the fact that the ratios are so small. As noted by Brown (2019), "The personalized attention in smaller academic settings often leads to greater student success and satisfaction."