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Corinne Walker
Autobiography

I have not always wanted to be a teacher. In fact, for a lot of my high school career, I ran

from the idea of being a teacher because it was often labeled as an easy job. I did not want easy. I

wanted exciting, always changing, and a rush of unexpectedness. In that case, I did want to be a

teacher; I just didn’t know that is what teaching really is.

Both my mom, my cousin and my aunt are teachers; I have grown up around teaching my

whole life. When I started to look at potential careers, I began to notice the hard work my mom

put into her classroom each week. My mom loves her students and puts in hard work every night

so that each individual can get the most out of her class. I admire that quality of teachers.

I began working in my church’s children’s ministry department when I was in the seventh

grade. I worked with students between the grades of kindergarten and sixth. This began because

my cousin was the teacher and she had asked me to help. I started helping with the computer

portion of the service which taught me a lot of valuable skills in technology. About a year or two

into working in the children’s ministry department I was asked to create games for the students

that pertained to the lesson. This was a job that was slightly more challenging because the games

had to be developmentally appropriate for grades kindergarten to sixth. I believe that this task

specifically helped me grow in my understanding of lesson planning and what activities are

valuable to each student.

When I entered into my first semester of college, my church asked me to teach the

preschool portion of the first service. This class is ages two through five. This task has been

challenging but rewarding at the same time. The preschool learns very differently than the junior

church class did. This has given me the opportunity to observe several ages of students and how

they learn.
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During my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to be the senior leader for

both cross country and track. Through this time of leading my teammates, I grew in leadership

skills and patience, both of which I can apply to my future classroom one day. I discovered how

to lead individuals of completely different lifestyles and backgrounds. I also learned patience in

conflict and in people. Being a senior leader helped me realize that each individual has a story

and he or she is going through very different experiences. I believe this skill can be used in my

future classroom, especially one of high diversity.

My job outside of Indiana Wesleyan is for Bridges of Indiana, where I work as respite.

Respite is services given by trained professionals to provide temporary relief to a primary

caregiver of a person who has a disability. In my case, I work with patients who have autism and

assist them in daily activities and frequently connect them to the community. This job has taught

me how to love and help individuals with exceptional needs. Each individual is so much more

than a disability. It has also helped me grow in working with individuals in an inclusive

environment. I have seen that every individual is unique and has unique needs in life. Also, it is

important to listen to the individual and learn what ways I can assist him or her to master

everyday tasks.

Currently, I am a Resident Assistant in the Townhouses at Indiana Wesleyan University.

This job is created to build community within a residence hall and direct students to resources

that will help them succeed in their academic career. Being in an upperclassmen dorm has come

with its challenges. One of those challenges is that upperclassmen typically are less engaged in

activities and the community. This challenge has stretched me to consider new ideas about how

to adapt to the different interests of others. I have grown in creativity and boldness through this

as well. Another valuable skill that this job has taught me is vulnerability with others. I can use
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my experiences and background to build meaningful relationships with others and to learn how

to assist the needs of my peers.

I am interested in photography. I decided to take a course on photography and to learn

how to better myself in this area. I also appreciate music and drawing. I believe that all of these

things can help students learn in creative ways. Though this is not the only educational

intelligence I would try to highlight in my classroom, I will try my best to incorporate art in

every lesson. Personally, as a student myself, I learn best when I put a lesson to a song, or I draw

out my notes for class. These are skills that I wish to teach my students so that art may help

them. I also have a passion for the Spanish language and culture. I am a Spanish minor and have

spent several semesters trying to become fluent in the language. I believe this interest and skill

could be used to help students and parents whose first language is Spanish. Knowing the

language can make the student and parent feel more comfortable in the environment.

I want to be a teacher because of my love for working with children and helping people. I

also will strive to be an influence on my students and help create a memory that they can always

cherish. Through several experiences I have had in early childhood education, I understand

different ways students learn best and how to make a classroom setting that they can learn well

in. My hope in my future classroom is to create a safe environment where students feel

comfortable to learn. I understand this task will be challenging, but I am excited to grow more as

a teacher and as a person.