My Autobiography
My name is Erin Gunter. I am the youngest in a family that values education and the endless possibilities that are available. My parents continue to guide me through life and support me with every decision that I make. They instill in me the value of knowledge and its immeasurable and endless impact on my life. As a result, I have always strived to further my education and to increase my knowledge base.
I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon graduation from the Masters of Instructional Technology program at UNCW in May 2010, I hope to continue my studies in the field of technology and education. I aspire to have the opportunity to make an impact on learners at a higher education level. I strongly agree with the following quote by Eartha Kitt, a famous singer: “I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.” I believe that in a person’s lifetime, learning is transcendent and every moment is a teachable one.
I have been a Para-Educator at Pine Valley Elementary School for almost two years now. My position requires me to provide support for behaviorally and emotionally disturbed students in the Intense Behavior Support classroom. I provide education to students that have a hard time participating in regular education classrooms because their behaviors impede their learning. I am constantly thinking of different ways to engage and support the students. At the same time, I help the Intense Behavior Support teacher develop data collection documents utilizing technology to assess and monitor progress for each individual student’s learning and behavioral goals. In this position I learn to continually combine my skills as an instructional technologist with the skills of classroom teachers to ensure learning occurs and the students are actively engaged.