Currere Essay

Currere Essay

1.) Regressive

I was not always outgoing. Much like my little sister, I used to speak very little to people I knew, and even less, if not at all, to those I did not. In elementary school I was known as a “good kid,” because I was quiet and never interrupted in class, when in reality I was too afraid to speak up.

I had only one friend at my very first elementary school, Wilfred Walker in grade one. I no longer remember her name, other than the fact that it started with the letter “A,” so I’ll call her Aleah. Unlike me, Aleah was extremely outspoken, and quite bossy. One day at recess the two of us were playing in the snow, and it was my idea to build ourselves a secret igloo, just for us. My friend gladly agreed, which in itself was a shock. Because I was so quiet, Aleah’s pushiness shone. I often went with whatever she told me to do, not willing to fight or speak up for myself.

That recess Aleah and I got started on the igloo, however we were interrupted numerous times by the bell and by classwork before being sent back out into the cold and allowed to resume our task. Several days later the igloo was finally complete, or at least, so I thought. I began crawling into the snow fort to admire our work when I felt a tug on my leg. Alyah had an exasperated expression on her seven year old face, and she asked me what I thought I was doing. With a small stutter I said that I wanted to see the igloo from the inside.

“Well what about the door?” Aleah asked. I looked at the hole we had left in the front of the igloo that I had been crawling into a mere second before.

“We have one,” I said, gesturing.

“That’s the doorway,” Aleah rolled her eyes at me, “We need a door so that no one else can get into our secret igloo!” Now this made absolutely no sense to me. Even at the age of seven I had common sense. Aleah often said things like this, expecting me to go along, but this I just could not stand for! I took in a deep breath.

“But if we block our doorway, then how are we going to get in!?” Aleah’s face contorted into anger I had only seen from her one other time, when I accused her of stealing my unicorn doll. An accusation she, of course, denied. An accusation that was, of course, accurate. I decided in that moment that I was not going to be friends with someone who pushed me around like that.

Before I even knew what was happening, a flying block of snow and ice hit me right in the face, and my “friend” was running into the trees surrounding the playground. I was stunned. Bits if ice dripped down the raw skin on my face where the snowball had made contact. I still remember this moment clearly today, not just as the day my friend threw a snowball at my face, but as the day that I decided to stand up for myself, and to avoid toxic people.

Because of this moment I became the person that I am today. I made many friends that are incredibly supportive, I have gained the confidence to speak up for what I believe in, and now, I am going to teach youth that actions like Aleah’s are not okay. I hope that as a teacher I can make a difference and use my experiences to be a great teacher.

 

2.) Progressive

Since the day I decided to pursue a career in education I have envisioned my future numerous times. I have thought about my classroom, the students whose lives I will hopefully influence, the extracurricular activities I will supervise, or even teach, but most of all, just the little things that go into being a teacher each and every day. I think about the “hello’s!” from students and coworkers in the halls, the grading of a never ending pile of papers, and even being the cooperating teacher for a fresh faced, first year University student who will remind me of the person that I was back in my first year. I imagine coming home each night with the  satisfaction of knowing that even if my students are merely counting the minutes until they can leave my class’ endless lectures on the constant themes in The Great Gatsby, or the importance of Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, that I will have taught something, that I will have made some considerable difference in a student’s life. And that is why I am pursuing this incredibly influential career; to make a difference.

I am looking forward to the differences I will see from teaching in an English classroom, compared to that of a Drama class. Although English is my major, I hope to have the opportunity to teach both subjects in my fourth year internship, as well as following my schooling to teach both on an everyday basis. The two subjects do require a certain level of structure, and guidelines, such as rules of grammar or punctuation in English and lines or blocking in Drama, however they also have the creative aspect such as fiction, and improvised scenes. My ideal future as an educator will incorporate both subjects and I will use aspects of both in order to completely teach either.

I have always been a “people person.” I am friendly, outgoing and always want to make others smile, and feel welcome. This aspect of my personality has always made it easy for me to connect, both with people my own age, but also with those who are younger. Having that personability will allow me to form bonds with my students in order to better their education, as well as with my future colleagues to make coming in to work each morning a small feat. I look forward to walking into the high school where I teach with a bounce in my step, smiling at the students I pass in the hall. I will stop in the staff room to say a quick “hello” to my colleagues and make a cup of steaming tea in one of my many eclectic coffee mugs before heading to my classroom. I will teach English during the morning, and then Drama in the afternoon, with a third period prep. Everyday I will be so pleased that I made the decision to educate, and although many people question how I am able to teach teenagers, I will always just say that I am doing what I love, and inspiring the next generation, all at the same time.

 

3.) Analytical

Three photographs capture the past, present and future of my life. The past beginning with my mom putting me into highland dancing at age three. Growing up with amazing friends in school, and my two (mostly) lovely sisters. I became a strong, independent woman. I connected with youth, became a dance teacher and fell in love with the idea of teaching for the rest of my life. The photograph of my present is a flurry of papers, reflection upon my life and endless driving back and forth from home, school, work, dance; home, school, work, dance. It is going to be a long, but extremely rewarding next three years of my education. And finally, the photograph of the future showcases me in my classroom, decorated with numerous educational posters, full of plays, and various classic novels. All of my hard work will all have been worth it when I get the opportunity to educate others.

The future is present in the past, and the past is present in the future because everything connects through me. The future can only occur because of my actions in the past, and represents what I hoped and dreamt would happen in my life. The present is recognizable in both the past and future because I am constantly looking backwards and forwards in order to make decisions in the present. I allow myself to be influenced and learn from my past choices, and in turn, I consider the effects of these actions on my future.

 

4.) Synthetical

I am a tough, educated, extroverted, compassionate person. I have an agile body from years of highland dance, and a strong mind from hours spent reading. I like who I am, and how far I have come in both my personal, as well as professional and educational life. Despite the qualities I enjoy, I still have plenty to work on. I am an overachiever, I am a “people-pleaser,” and I am absolutely no good with confrontation. These qualities are a part of what make me who I am, and I will continue to work on them and grow, until I have a completely new set of challenges. The meaning of myself in this present is both a representation of how far I have come to become the person that I am today, and an example “starting place” for the future me I will someday become. The present is constantly ever-changing, and I am constantly changing with the passing time.

The contribution of my scholarly and professional work affects my present by allowing me to learn about the world, and people around me, and more specifically, the youth around me. My education and work in a professional environment is what will make me an excellent teacher one day. It is very important that educators manage to make this experience as positive as possible, and recognize why we do what we do, in order to be the best educators possible for the next generation.