Ever since I was younger, I have admired the teachers who created classrooms where students felt supported, encouraged, and excited to learn. I am interested in pursuing a career in teaching because I want to make a positive impact on the lives of young students during some of the most important years of their development. I want to be that kind of teacher for the next generation. I believe elementary education is especially important because those early years help shape a child’s confidence and curiosity. I want to create a classroom environment where students feel supported and excited to learn each day. I will make learning fun by creating hands-on experiences that encourage children to ask questions and participate. I plan to do this through music and art because I believe both are important parts of a child's development. I think it is fun for kids when they have the ability to move their bodies and express themselves through music and dance. These activities not only make learning enjoyable but also help students stay engaged and remember what they are learning. I also think incorporating art into everyday lessons allows children to be creative and express their emotions. To connect with children on a social and emotional level, I will encourage teamwork and kindness in the classroom. I will work hard to create a positive environment where each child feels supported and accepted. I want every student to know that mistakes are a normal part of learning and that they should never be afraid to ask questions or try something new. When children feel safe and valued, they are more willing to participate and develop confidence in themselves. I also want to model kindness and patience every day because students learn just as much from the way a teacher treats others as they do from academic lessons. During my own childhood, a teacher in elementary school had a strong impact on my life when I doubted myself. I had difficulty learning to read in kindergarten. Letters and words seemed all jumbled to me, and reading was frustrating. This was very difficult for me to talk about with anyone, even my family. Finally, my teacher pulled me aside and very gently asked me if I needed extra help. I remember crying in front of her because I felt like something was wrong with me. Instead of making me feel ashamed, she reassured me that everyone learns at their own pace and that she was there to help me succeed. With encouragement and one-on-one attention, I eventually caught up to the rest of the class and was reading at grade level by the end of the year. My teacher never gave up on me, even when I wanted to give up on myself. She helped me believe that I was capable of learning, and that confidence stayed with me long after kindergarten. Looking back, I realize that what made the biggest difference was not just the extra reading practice, but the kindness and encouragement she showed me every day. This experience inspired me to want to provide the same kind of encouragement and support to my future students. I want to be the type of teacher who notices when a student is struggling and takes the time to help them find confidence in their abilities. Every child deserves a teacher who believes in them. My goal is to create a classroom where students feel valued and motivated to learn while knowing they always have someone cheering them on.

Ever since I was younger, I have admired the teachers who created classrooms where students felt supported, encouraged, and excited to learn. I am interested in pursuing a career in teaching because I want to make a positive impact on the lives of young students during some of the most important years of their development. I want to be that kind of teacher for the next generation. I believe elementary education is especially important because those early years help shape a child’s confidence, curiosity, and attitude toward learning. I want to create a classroom environment where students feel supported, encouraged, and excited to learn each day. Throughout my education, I have had teachers who took the time to support and believe in their students. Their encouragement helped me grow both academically and personally, and it showed me how much of a difference a caring teacher can make. Those experiences inspired me to want to give that same support to future students. One teacher in particular in elementary school had a strong impact on me because they believed in my abilities even when I doubted myself. I had difficulty learning to read in kindergarten. Letters and words seemed all jumbled to me. This was very difficult for me to talk with anyone about, even my family. I tried to fake it or hide that I was having difficulty. Finally my teacher pulled me aside and very gently asked me if I needed extra help. I remember crying in front of her as I felt like I was different or something was wrong with. me. With extra practice and one on one attention, I eventually caught to the rest of the class and was reading at grade level by the end of the year. My teacher supported and encouraged me to not give up. This experience inspired me to want to provide the same kind of encouragement and support to my future students. I want to be the type of teacher who notices when a student is struggling and helps them find confidence in their abilities. My goal is to create a classroom where students feel valued, respected, and motivated to learn. Ultimately, teaching is meaningful to me because it is an opportunity to guide, inspire, and support young learners as they grow. I hope to make a lasting difference by helping students build confidence in themselves and develop a lifelong love for learning.

Ever since I was younger, I have admired the teachers who created classrooms where students felt supported, encouraged, and excited to learn. I am interested in pursuing a career in teaching because I want to make a positive impact on the lives of young students during some of the most important years of their development. I want to be that kind of teacher for the next generation. I believe elementary education is especially important because those early years help shape a child’s confidence, curiosity, and attitude toward learning. I want to create a classroom environment where students feel supported, encouraged, and excited to learn each day. Throughout my education, I have had teachers who took the time to support and believe in their students. Their encouragement helped me grow both academically and personally, and it showed me how much of a difference a caring teacher can make. Those experiences inspired me to want to give that same support to future students. One teacher in particular in elementary school had a strong impact on me because they believed in my abilities even when I doubted myself. I had difficulty learning to read in kindergarten. Letters and words seemed all jumbled to me. This was very difficult for me to talk with anyone about, even my family. I tried to fake it or hide that I was having difficulty. Finally my teacher pulled me aside and very gently asked me if I needed extra help. I remember crying in front of her as I felt like I was different or something was wrong with. me. With extra practice and one on one attention, I eventually caught to the rest of the class and was reading at grade level by the end of the year. My teacher supported and encouraged me to not give up. This experience inspired me to want to provide the same kind of encouragement and support to my future students. I want to be the type of teacher who notices when a student is struggling and helps them find confidence in their abilities. My goal is to create a classroom where students feel valued, respected, and motivated to learn. Ultimately, teaching is meaningful to me because it is an opportunity to guide, inspire, and support young learners as they grow. I hope to make a lasting difference by helping students build confidence in themselves and develop a lifelong love for learning.

My educational goal is to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Washington State University and become an elementary school teacher. Ever since I was younger, I have admired the teachers who created classrooms where students felt supported, encouraged, and excited to learn. I want to be that kind of teacher for the next generation. I believe elementary education is especially important because those early years help shape a child’s confidence, curiosity, and attitude toward learning. While attending Mount Rainier High School, I participated in the Running Start program during my junior and senior years. Through this program I was able to complete my associate degree while also finishing high school. Running Start challenged me to balance college-level coursework with my responsibilities as a high school student and athlete. This experience taught me valuable skills like time management, accountability, and perseverance. It also helped me grow academically and showed me that I am capable of succeeding in a demanding college environment. Leadership has also played a large role in shaping my goals for the future. During high school, I had the opportunity to serve as captain of both my varsity girls’ soccer team and my track and field team. Being a captain meant more than just leading during games or practices. It meant encouraging my teammates, helping build a positive team environment, and setting an example through hard work and commitment. These experiences helped me develop strong communication and leadership skills that I know will benefit me in my future classroom. Professionally, my goal is to become an elementary school teacher who creates a welcoming and supportive environment where every student feels valued. I want my classroom to be a place where students feel comfortable asking questions, trying new things, and learning from their mistakes. I also hope to continue developing my leadership skills by being involved in my school community and supporting other educators. Ultimately, I want to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of my students. By helping them build confidence in themselves and a love for learning, I hope to play a small part in shaping the future.