Leanza Dawson

Lurleen Gamboa

Teaching Practicum

2/24/2021

Autobiography

My name is Leanza Marlanie Dawson. I was born on May 22, 1995. As a child growing up, I was

always known as the loudest out of five children. I was raised by a single mother growing up, but even so

that did not stop my dad from ensuring that he was in his children's lives. I lived my entire life in the

beautiful village of Burrell Boom. I attended Pickstock community preschool. From there I went to St.

Ignatius primary school and then furthered my education at Edward P. Yorke high school. While

attending the institution I got pregnant and was unable to finish my studies there due to circumstances.

Fortunately, I completed my last year at Gwen Lizarraga high school. From there I attended the University

of Belize (part time study) where I was studying primary education. Into my second year of studying, I

got pregnant with my second child, whom I lost two weeks after being born. I must say that was a

devastating moment of my life that caused me to withdraw from school. Two years after withdrawing

from school I lost my dad in a traffic accident. I must say his death affected me in so many ways, this was

because we were close and had a great bond. Growing up I was always a daddy’s girl so to lose the

person I looked up too and who always motivated me especially in my teaching career it was

heartbreaking but at the same time his death was an eye opening for me. This was because my father

always pushed me to continue school and not to settle for less. The following year after his death, I went

back to finish my education and St. John’s College Junior College.

 I pursued my studies in the education field once again. Ever since I was able to choose a career in

my life, it was always to become a teacher. My biggest inspiration to become a teacher was my aunt Lodi,

she was a former teacher at St. Ignatius primary school. My aunt perceived learning as a fun and

engaging career. I also saw the sleepless nights that she had preparing for her lesson, which I found

interesting because as a teacher you impact students’ lives in many ways. She was also a teacher who

was determined and pushed for her students' success. Aside from my aunt I also had many wonderful

teachers in primary school that have been a role model and my motivator to become wonderful and

inspirational to others as they did to me. Those teachers were patient, caring, motivating and made you

feel welcomed and loved in the classroom.

When I become a teacher, I hope to instill the same types of learning that I experienced when I

was young. I would also like to include fun lessons and hands-on experiences. My goals are to help each

student learn by whatever method he or she learns best. I also want them to be so excited about

learning that they will want and desire to learn more. I am eager to become a teacher. I believe teaching

is stimulating and demanding but most of all extremely rewarding and self-fulfilling. What I think I am

anticipating most for is learning from my students, since some days teachers learn much or even more

than children. I wasn’t born to “Just teach”, I was born to inspire others. To change people, and to never

give up; even when faced with challenges that seems impossible.