¶ … memory as a child, when I was just four years old, continues to haunt me until this day nearly 50 years later. The eldest of five children in an impoverished dysfunctional family, my mother often made me look after my younger siblings. My mother was upstairs on the neighbor's phone while I watched my ten-month-old sister, (name). Suddenly, (name) started choking and turning blue. Petrified, I did not know what to do. I screamed for my mother, who came rushing down the stairs and immediately called for an ambulance. Although (name) had a freak heart attack, and I was not to blame, guilt plagued me for years as she became blind, deaf and mute. As I matured, I realized that I was not culpable for (name's) illness and death at a young age. I also realized that this experience so early on in life, along with my impaired home life, presented me with the ultimate challenge. I could spend the rest of my life driven by anger and blaming others, ironically becoming dysfunctional as well. Or, I could accept this as a challenge and realize that I was master of my own life. I accepted the latter position and have faced many challenges since then, each making me a better and stronger individual. (Name)'s severe disability also made me very concerned about the special needs of other children. For the past seven years, I have been employed as a learning disabled paraprofessional. I was also a literacy aide four several years. Four years ago, I decided to pursue my teaching degree as an Intervention Specialist Mild/Moderate (K-12) to be able to provide additional...

Over this time, I learned how the four components of knowledge, technology, diversity and ethics, as identified in the College of Education's mission statement, work together to develop the proficiencies I need to offer the high-quality and specialized education these disabled children require. My personal philosophy is that every child, regardless of the degree of his or her capabilities deserves an equal education and to be treated fairly. It is my responsibility as a teacher to ensure that this philosophy is carried out.
Caring for these children, alone, is naturally not enough. I need to apply educational knowledge and meet their needs. In my university studies and field observation hours, I acquired the understanding to write and implement lesson plans (K1), which all received "A" marks and comments such as "great ideas," and "You will make a wonderful teacher!" Such remarks made me very proud as well as confirmed the value of the effort I put into these plans. Courses I took included: Collaboration, Individuals with Mild/Moderate Needs, Instructional Assessments & Classroom Management, Educational Implementation, Educational Technology, and Special Education Programming Mild/Moderate. My field work was at homeless shelters, religious counseling and shelter organizations, local schools, nonprofit organizations and tutoring.

Educational theory (K2) is also a necessity for teaching, since it helps teachers better understand the stages in which children progress and what support needed at each one.…