My autobiography

     Who am I as a learner?

     I was born in Sellent, a very small town characterized by the huge mountains that surround it, by its beautiful river and by the kindness of the neighbors. Here I had the opportunity to go to a very familiar and cozy school, where I studied Primary Education together with my friends. When I turned 12, I had to leave my school and go to a high school that was in another town, with different mates and teachers... But I adapted to the new situation little by little. Finally, when I was 18, I came to Valencia to study teaching degree and that changed everything. This helped me to meet new people, to adapt to new situations and grow up as a learner and also as an individual. I have always had in mind that I had to do my best. 

     From my general experience as a learner, the truth is that in every stage of the educational system, both Primary and Secondary Education, my study was by heart in most occasions and it was hard for me to understand because I didn't feel happy with what I was doing. I was, and I am still now, a good learner in linguistic subjects as English, Spanish or Valencian. I suppose that it was because I had always felt confident studying languages through which I could express my emotions and ideas. My problem was with subjects like maths or physics and chemistry. I was really bad studying them because I could never understand their aim or finality in my real life... I was full of insecurities.

     Probably, knowing that I was very bad at something was really frustrating for my personal and academic development during my childhood. Although this fact was a difficulty to me for moving forward and improving as a learner, I always have been tenacious in my studies and I have had clear what I wanted to achieve, with effort and hard work. If I reflect on it, I have to say that in some occasions it was complicated, but finally I could make my dream come true. I got to study teaching and I could make a better tomorrow through my future students.

     I believe that your experience as a learner determines how you are going to be as a teacher. From my way of understanding education, I want to change a little bit the traditional way of teaching children. I hope that my future students will not have to study absolutely everything by heart. I want them to understand what they learn, to find in me a support and to become critical and free citizens in society they are going to live. 

     “Who am I as a learner?” is a really deep question to think about and reflect on if you want to be a teacher in the future, as in my case, because you are going to transfer your essence, your personality, your own values and ideas... and also to teach your students through them. Both learning and languages are constantly evolving and we as teachers must do that at the same time.