2. Personal Statement
Growing up as a child on the island of Guam has given me the opportunity to dream big.
Academics came easy to me and the desire to learn new things was my passion. Life went
on as planned and at 19 years of age, I met a man whom I married and had children with
right away- five to be exact! I attempted to go back to school in between pregnancies but it
did not seem to work out. I found out quickly that raising children was a full-time job.
Consequently, my educational plans came to a halt. I knew that my priority was raising my
children. The desire to go back to school was always in the back of my mind, though.
I began to revisit my educational dreams after divorcing a man who was emotionally
abusive. In fact, he said I would not be successful in life as a single mother with five kids. I
used this setback as a lesson and didn’t allow it to destroy who I was and my dream. So in
December of 2000, I received my associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. But my
desire to learn didn’t stop there.
Being a mother and working full time as a preschool teacher didn’t allow much time for
me to go back to school but I didn’t let my circumstances get in the way. I am proud to say
that in the spring of 2012, I will receive a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Argosy
University. The field of psychology has allowed me to be aware of different perspectives
when working with people from a variety of economic, cultural, and experiential
backgrounds.
3. Personal statement (cont.)
Some of the courses that I have taken that will be beneficial in the long run are:
Sociological Perspective in Class, Ethnicity, and Gender, Diversity, Child Development and
Interpersonal Effectiveness. As an educator, my aim is to be accepting of differences that
may exist among students and provide a climate of acceptance so that learning can occur.
Doing this will allow me to have genuine authentic relationships with others.
During my undergraduate studies, I demonstrated my strong work ethic by holding a full-
time job as well as a full-time class load, while maintaining a 3.7 grade-point average. The
undergraduate program at Argosy University has prepared me well for the graduate
education challenges I now wish to pursue in Education. I hope that the specialized training
and knowledge I obtain from graduate school will give me the opportunity to use my skills
and experience to facilitate my dream of broadening minds and helping students do great
things through the expansion of thought, perspective, and ability.
4. Resume
Education
Argosy University, Seattle, WA.
-Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (in progress) with graduation date of spring 2012
GPA: 3.7
Guam Community College, Mangilao, Guam
-Associates of Arts in Early Childhood Education
Phi Theta Kappa member
Recipient of Andersen’s Wives’ Club Scholarship Award
GPA 3.8
University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam
-General education
Professional Experience
Burlington Little School, Burlington, WA. 2005-present
-Lead preschool teacher
-Planned developmentally appropriate lessons
-Maintained, implemented safe, healthy, and nurturing classroom
-Created an environment that values, supports, and encourages diversity
-Mentored students from Western Washington University
-Acquired knowledge of Reggio Emilia and Montessori practices
-Collaborated with Museum of Northwest Art to implement art education into class
5. Resume
Mount Vernon School District, Mt. Vernon, WA 2003-2005
-Instructional assistant to a child with Asperger Syndrome
-Attended IEP meetings and contributed to IEP goals
-Recognized and prevented behavior challenges
-Used appropriate teaching techniques to maximize child’s success in classroom
Trinity Christian School, Yigo, Guam 1999-2002
-Preschool teacher
-Participated in preparing school for accreditation
-Prepared lesson plans in accordance to ABEKA curriculum
Publication and Acknowledgements
Featured in book Learning Together with Young Children by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter
6. Reflection
My time at Argosy University provided a plethora of experiences that I know
will help me to become successful in life. Being a single mother, I had to make
sure that I managed my time well. It wasn’t always easy but the more I
continued to press on and not give up, the more confident I became in my
abilities.
Completing the self analysis provided insight into the scope of learning that I
received at Argosy University. I believe that I have developed most in the area of
interpersonal effectiveness. This skill is going to beneficial as I pursue graduate
studies in education to become an educator. In the classroom, the skills of
communicating effectively, respecting others, and appreciating diversity will
enable me to have positive relationships with others.
I felt that one of my weaknesses coming into Argosy was my inability to
articulate in a professional manner. However, through the many reading
assignments, discussion posts, blended class meetings and writing
assignments, I am gradually becoming well versed in many psychological
concepts.
Argosy has provided me with an opportunity to fulfill a dream and as I reflect
on my two years at Argosy, I feel a sense of accomplishment.
7. Table of Contents
Cognitive Abilities: Critical Thinking and Information Literacy
• Authoritarian personality
• MMPI
Research Skills
• Autism
• Nature as treatment of ADHD
Communication Skills: Oral and Written
• Andrea Yates
Ethics and Diversity Awareness
• My culture (Formal assessment)
• Societal influence
Foundations of Psychology
• Social norms
Applied Psychology
• Sexual orientation
• Approaches to 9/11
Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Interview-sexual orientation
**My work samples with each of the Program Outcomes above can be viewed in Box.net
8. My Future in Learning
Learning is a lifelong process. Although my time at Argosy is coming
to an end, my learning will not. As I venture out into graduate
school, the love of acquiring knowledge and life experiences will
continue. My goal is to instill in others (students) this passion. The
process of thinking and questioning to find answers is something that
the field of psychology has allowed me to experience.
It is my hope that I have inspired my children and others who have
encountered stumbling blocks in their lives to persevere and become
lifelong learners themselves.
9. Contact Me
Thank you for viewing my
ePortfolio.
For further information, please
contact me at the e-mail address
below.
cgbamba1@stu.argosy.edu
