Benitez, Jennifer 1

Jennifer Benitez

Ms. Jody Snyder / Alexa Holl

Senior Capstone - Final Draft

May 13th, 2022

From Learning to Teaching

I’ve always known I wanted to accomplish one simple goal in life, and that’s to be

successful. I’ve always known my destination but not how to get there. I was never the person

who had insane passions or dreams, so I’ve always envied those around me who did. Those were

the kids who knew how to answer the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

I’ve always blurted out a random prestigious career that I knew would get the reaction I wanted,

and as a result, I never put much thought into it and always brushed it off. I was always telling

myself I still had years to think about it but as the years have passed, I’ve come to realize the

time to pick a field is approaching more quickly than I’d like.

My name is Jennifer Benitez, and I'm 17 and the oldest with three younger brothers. I'm a

senior at Lee High School and as the first child and only daughter of immigrant parents, there are

lots of expectations that have been set for me. I must play the role model for my younger siblings

who will follow my footsteps and go off to college. I’ve come to set these expectations for

myself as well, as I’ve come to realize just how much my parents sacrificed for me to be able to

live in the US. I must go off to college and earn a degree that’ll guarantee me the things my

parents consider to be success, even if my definition of success isn’t the same as theirs. My

parents are my motivation and with them comes their pain, tears, losses, and traumas. I can only

imagine the hardships my parents had to endure to get to where they are today but those

hardships are what give me drive. I want them to be proud of me and feel as if all their problems,
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troubles, and difficulties were worth it. Even if it’s years from now, I want them to be able to

look at me as not only one of their most significant accomplishments but their best.

I always had a hard time feeling like my goals were valid because others always had such

big goals and dreams like becoming rich, finding their way to the top, having a prestigious

career, being the best in their field and so much more. Although I have simple goals, I’ve come

to learn that my goals are still just as valid as anyone else's. One of my biggest goals is finding

my dream apartment and renting out a place close to home, having a financially stable lifestyle,

being able to provide for my parents, and having a safe, secure job that I love. Finding an

apartment I can call my safe place has always been one of my biggest goals. I’m the kind of

person who thrives in an environment I’ve created to fit my needs. It’s essential my apartment be

close to my home because I’m a family person and have no plans on moving far from home. I

have younger siblings, pets, and parents who I’m incredibly close to and couldn’t imagine

leaving behind. Having a financially stable lifestyle is also very important to me because as

someone who grew up with a family that always struggled financially, it’s now a goal of mine to

never have that same problem. I want to be able to be financially stable in order to be able to

provide for my parents. As undocumented people, my parents don’t have a retirement plan. As

they get older and working is no longer an option, my siblings and I will become their source of

income, and being able to provide for them is something I want to guarantee them. Lastly, having

a secure job that I love is important to me because I’m the kind of person that thrives in a job I

enjoy. It’s important to me to enjoy and like something I’ll be doing around 40 hours a week for

years to come. In this case, that job would be a Kindergarten teacher! According to the Bureau of

Labor, "Kindergarten and elementary school teachers may find it rewarding to watch students

develop new skills and learn information. However, teaching may be stressful.” (Bureau of
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Labor Statistics) People tend to tell me something along these lines when I tell them I want to

become a teacher. I can acknowledge the fact that yes, teaching can be stressful but for me

personally I think the rewarding feeling of helping students develop new skills and learn weighs

out this con. It’s important to know that, “early childhood teachers must have a passion for what

they do. Being a kindergarten teacher is not always easy, and in fact can be quite challenging at

times. Teachers who love what they do and feel like they are making a difference will feel a

sense of accomplishment that will sustain and motivate them during challenging times.” (Teach

Elementary) This is why I believe that being a Kindergarten teacher is the right career choice for

me as I know the reality of what’s to come with young children. I know that the passion I have

for teaching and the sense of accomplishment will be able to push me through difficult times.

My main route to achieving my goals would be to graduate high school and attend Grand

Valley State University to get my bachelors in Early Childhood Education. Next, I’d have to

complete a student teaching internship in a kindergarten classroom as part of a state-approved

teacher program. Lastly, I’d have to get a teaching license so that I can finally apply for a job as a

Kindergarten teacher. After having this career for a while, I want to begin to save money for a

future apartment. I will make a savings account specifically for a future apartment and will start

to look at apartments in my area that fit my budget and income. Once my parents stop working, I

want to at this point in my life, be able to financially support them and myself with the help of

my siblings. Although this seems like a pretty straightforward path, like anything, there are going

to be obstacles and hardships I’ll have to overcome.

All in all, my loved ones and my goals are my biggest motivation. If I’m not doing it for

myself, I’m doing it for them. I can say I’ve made it when I’ve reached all of these goals and no
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matter how small or big they may seem, all my goals have the same value to me. They’re all

goals I’ll have to work hard for, and they’d be something I can proudly say I’ve done myself.
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Works Cited

“Grand Valley State University.” Education for Young Children, Birth to Kindergarten, General

and Special Education - Program Requirements - 2021-2022 Undergraduate &

Graduate Catalog - Grand Valley State University,

www.gvsu.edu/catalog/program/education-for-young-children-birth-to-kindergarten-gener

al-and-special-education.htm.

Staff, By: Teach Elementary. “6 Traits of Effective Kindergarten Teachers.” Teach Elementary,

13 May 2014,

www.teachelementary.org/effective-teaching/6-traits-effective-kindergarten-teachers/.