Karen Duenas

I am an aspiring teacher. I hope to make a positive impact in the world and realize I must be well educated in order to provide effective lessons to future students. I realize the interdependence of our world society. Education definitely opens doors to the outside world and even within our selves. Through education we can learn about the way we take on challenges. Throughout my educational career I have realized that whatever I learn in school can be applied in daily life. Not only are we enhancing our cognitive ability but we are also given the chance to observe social dynamics. Such as people are interdependent in this world, the different subjects learned in general education are interdependent as well. Once I realized this I became further assured that teaching was my prospective profession. I had some hardships throughout my life but I am grateful for all the opportunities that these hardships have brought me. When I was ten my family moved to Los Angeles from Guadalajara. My parents said that as soon as we become English proficient we could go back to our home country. They realized the importance of education and sought out an opportunity. Appropriate education in our city was far too expensive and they knew that public education here would help us get a job in Mexico. Moving to another country is very difficult and families can break apart due to stress and confusion. Unfortunately, this was the case with my family. I realized that moving back would not be an option, and without my parents working as a team my future could be further damaged. I hoped that by getting good grades, becoming part of extra curricular activities, and taking leadership opportunities I could succeed. I had successfully graduated out of Santa Monica College and had transferred to Northridge. Although I had a great academic experience, my driving experience was not pleasing. I got in to two car accidents and I am now having to pay far more bills than I had initially planned. I had thought my insurance covered many things, and even when the accidents happen because they were not my fault I thought I was secure. Unfortunately, I learned a tough lesson, read fine print. Due to this struggle I decided to take a semester off and transfer to Long Beach. I will be saving up money to be able to live near campus and focus on school. I am currently working as a swimming instructor, and child care. On the side, I tutor at home. I am working a lot of hours, and because I work at a YMCA I spend my time working and working out. I hope to get experience in my field of study and I am looking to work as a teacher or tutor. After getting my certification and teaching for fur years I hope to go back to schools to get a Ed. D. in Educational Leadership and work as both a elementary school teacher and college professor teaching aspiring teachers. I realize that it will take hard work to reach this goal. But I am also very confident in my self and will work and study hard to earn the experience needed to achieve these goals.