My name is Kaylee Bohrer and I am a twenty-three-year-old woman who received a

bachelor’s degree in English Literature with a concentration in English Education at Sonoma

State University. I also went on to receive my single-subject teaching credential at Sonoma State

University. When reflecting on my education up to this point, I find myself thinking about how

much I enjoyed being in the classroom, how thrilled I was to learn something new, and how

excited I am to possibly bring this love for learning into a classroom again but in the role of the

teacher instead of a student.

For as long as I can remember, I have been surrounded by education. My mother ran her

own in-home preschool for most of my childhood and my father was an English and Computer

Science teacher at my high school. I grew up in classrooms and around teachers. I was constantly

told by my teachers and other influential adults in my life that someday I would be a teacher. I

never doubted that. I could not think of anything else I wanted to do.

However, my love for learning was waived and was crushed by events in my senior year

of high school. I began to doubt if I wanted to go into education. My father was arrested and

fired from the high school where he taught, the same high school I grew up and graduated from.

This event and all of the trauma around it led me to resent being in a classroom. When I decided

to attend Sonoma State I declared my major as English, despite the disdain I had towards my

father. My love for literature was as strong as ever. After my first semester, I knew that despite

everything I wanted nothing more than to become an educator. I began to see and understand all

the places where my small-town close-minded high school was lacking. I began to see how

disrespectful some of my past teachers were to the uniqueness of students’ individuality. I soon

realized that I could help end that cycle by learning to be the teacher I never had.
 I had always been involved in leadership, tutoring, and mentoring in high school but I

continued this journey during my time at Sonoma State. In my second year at Sonoma State, I

became a Peer Mentor for a Freshman Learning Community, THARS 160. This was a year-long

course where I attended both lectures and discussions. In this position, I learned to take role, lead

discussions and advocate for my students. From this position, I transitioned into being a Peer

Success Coach, a resource and advocate for students’ personal, mental, and academic needs. This

program was created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and I have been a part of this

program from the beginning. This will be my fifth semester in the program. My experience in

this program has provided me with an increased understanding of the new style of online

teaching. This is extremely beneficial, as these educational systems are so prevalent in our

post-pandemic world. My leadership roles at Sonoma State have been a wonderful experience

and only increased my love for Sonoma State University.

This, along with many other reasons, is why I hope to obtain my teaching credential at

Sonoma State University. The classes I took at Sonoma State began to teach me about learning

pedagogies and different educational theories. I began to understand the ways in which my own

education thus far had been hindered by a disregard for social and educational inequalities. My

past teachers did not teach about social justice or work to provide me with the tools I would need

to learn how to fight the inequalities I would face or be a witness to. A teacher must be willing to

learn alongside their students, and willing to expand their thinking as the world continues to

change and develop. Being stuck in a singular way of thinking is the downfall of a teacher. Most

of my professors at Sonoma State, especially the ones in my major and concentration, have

taught me this and led by example.

 An understanding of the importance of growth, as well as a passion for providing

students with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to succeed both academically as well

as socially, is just one of the many things I believe are essential to becoming a teacher. Another

important aspect of teaching, one I think I have a better understanding of as a result of my own

trauma as a student, is the crucial understanding that a student’s life and experiences will bleed

into their academics. A teacher can create a space of safety as well as a space for bravery if they

do not simply sweep their students' emotions under the rug. Creating a space that fosters respect

for culture, diversity, emotional insecurities and different learning abilities will create a learning

space that optimizes student success, both academically and personally. Every student has a story

to tell and something to teach their peers and teachers. It is crucial that educators make spaces for

these stories, learn from them, and take what they have learned to provide the students with a

more individualized plan for learning.

Gloria Jean Watkins, otherwise known as bell-hooks, an American author, professor, and

educational theorist, once said “​When everyone in the classroom, teacher and students,

recognizes that they are responsible for creating a learning community together, learning is at its

most meaningful and useful.” My time for creating meaningful learning environments as a

student is coming to an end, and my chance to foster and create a brave space for learning and

growth as a teacher is beginning. I will never truly stop being a student, as I continue to learn. I

could not be more excited.