Early Childhood at A Glance

Colleague #1

When I tell people that I am an educator, I often receive the same response which is, “I could never do that.”  Not until recently, I questioned the person and asked them to explain to me, why they could never teach.  Interestingly, I did not receive the answer I was expecting.  The gentleman that I was talking with expressed to me that he did not want the responsibilities that came with the profession.  I appreciate the recognition from this man, as we do wear a multitude of hats, every day.  

 

I am currently working for a private international academy, and my assignment spans from grades 3 to 7.  In my short 8 years as an educator, I have a wide range of experience, having taken on assignments that most would not.  Last school year, I taught a Behavioral Improvement program, teaching 8 of the most challenging students in that district.  The district was desperate to fill the position, as most feared the worst from these students.  I took on this challenge, to prove to others that these students were capable of regulating and experiencing their own successes; ultimately becoming positive contributors to their community and the world.  When COVID shut down our schools, our learning environment shifted from the classroom to a virtual classroom.  My saving grace was the hard work and dedication that I had developing strong relationships with these students.  This allowed the majority of them to finish the school year on a positive note.  

 

My current assignment challenges me to be more effective and efficient, as our environment is completely virtual.  I am not perfect nor do I possess the secret magical formula to establishing effective virtual environments.  I decided to pursue an advanced graduate degree because I believe that with research and practice, virtual environments have the ability for all stakeholders to develop and maintain strong relationships, allowing students to thrive and develop their critical thinking skills.  Virtual learning environments is one topic of interest that ignites my passion, as the virtual environment poses many challenges to both the teacher and student.  Whether the learning environment is in person or virtual, students have the capability to develop and grow their critical thinking skills.  When I approach my planning, I ask myself if my ideas support critical thinking and reflection.  I want my students to take ownership of their learning and build a resiliency towards a world that involves “solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihood, and making decisions” (Walsh et al., 2014).

Inclusivity and mental health are my two other topics of interest that ignite my passion.  The LGBTQ community in my community is faced with many young individuals dropping out of school and becoming addicted to substances.  Mental health plays an important role in our society and too many people are falling through the cracks because they are too afraid or embarrassed to say anything.  I am not an expert, but I have experienced the death of my mother and my step-mother, as a result of their struggles with their mental health. I look forward to researching trauma-informed practices so that I can gain a better awareness.

 

References

Walsh, M. L., Pezalla, A., & Marshall, H. R. (2014). Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

Colleague #2

In my professional practice, I am currently teaching third grade, virtually. I’ve learned how to do a multitude of things related to technology this year, that as an educator, I never dreamed of having to do. Administering the NWEA virtually, assessing students with the DRA, virtually, creating Jamboards, PearDeck Presentations, using Google Classroom and Moodle to organize my teaching and house resources, are just a few examples. Prior to this year, I taught in a different district, more urban than the one I’m at now. I was the K-2 reading and math interventionist, and behavior support coach. In this position, I was able to observe teachers when they felt they were struggling in a certain area, or with a specific student, behaviorally. I would then give feedback, and we would make an action to plan for the teacher to follow, and schedule time for me to check back and mentor/coach. I loved this model of support for teachers, because while I held an administrative role, the positive relationships built with the staff in an effort to improve teaching/procedures/relationships, all were of benefit to the school as a whole. Prior to that position, I was a Young 5s teacher. We used a play based curriculum, used a structured approach to problem solving with and amongst students, and I truly believe in the benefits of the social/emotional outcomes that come with this approach. During my time teaching Young 5s, I was selected to take part in training for working with students with challenging behaviors. This became my passion. Learning skills and strategies, applying universal supports to my classroom and then seeing the positive impact on my class as a whole, as well as my students who struggled behaviorally. I then went to the advanced training, and was selected to be the building resource coach for teachers of students with challenging behaviors. This role catapulted me to my next journey, which included pursuing my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, in order to become a positive agent of change in the buildings where I work.

 

While I absolutely love teaching at the elementary/early childhood level, I’ve always wanted to be a college professor, but within the last few years, I also realized that I want to be an Elementary School Principal. I want to be the type of leader that allows the teachers I work with to grow, take risks, and show up to work every day, dedicated to the students and community. For these reasons, I’ve decided to pursue an advanced graduate degree. Three topics of interest in fields related to education that ignite my passion include: climate and culture within a school/classroom, mental health/ and social/emotional support in early childhood education, and education and motivation in regard to student involvement.