My Personal Bio for Student Teaching

My name is Jessica Ellen Gwilliam, and I am from Simi Valley, California. I am the oldest of four children; I have one younger sister and two younger brothers. I married my husband Jake in August of 2014 and we now live in Rexburg with our dachshund, Zoe. Some of my interests include reading, writing, painting, scrapbooking, cooking and baking, photography, and singing. Many of these interests are not only hobbies, but abilities that will be useful to me as a teacher. I believe it is important not only to teach our students from the education curriculum but also to teach how to find what they are passionate about, and that those passions can be used to learn more about subjects that they might not find immediately interesting. Other talents I have that will be useful when teaching are my organizational skills, my passion for learning, and my desire to make those around me feel comfortable and loved, no matter what the situation.

Before attending Brigham Young University Idaho, I spent three years at Moorpark Community College and graduated with two degrees. My degree in Social & Behavioral Sciences has given me a background in psychology and sociology, improving my knowledge of the human mind and the social dynamics of schools, which I believe are vital to being a successful teacher. My degree in Humanities has given me a deeper appreciation not only for English literature, but for other areas of humanities such as painting and photography. These are all areas of education that I am very passionate about, and plan to use in my classroom to teach my students about the world around them.

The reasons I chose teaching as a profession are very dear to my heart, and I believe will make me a better teacher. Throughout my elementary and secondary years of school I was told by many teachers that I was stupid, lazy, and that I did not care about being successful. I struggled academically until I reached college, and I was diagnosed with ADHD. No teacher ever suggested that I had a learning disability; they merely wrote me off as incapable and unwilling to learn. I chose to become a teacher because I never want another student to feel as worthless as I did in school. My goal as a teacher is to make my classroom an environment where no matter what disabilities or weaknesses a student may have, they can feel comfortable, appreciated, and like they are progressing in life.

My teaching philosophy can be summed up perfectly by a quote from Thomas S. Monson: “We have the responsibility to see individuals, not as they are, but rather as they can become.” I believe that each child has potential, and it is my job as a teacher to recognize that potential, and to help each student see that potential in themselves. Once we recognize our abilities to succeed, nothing can stop us from making that vision of success a reality.