Who reassures and stretches you as an early childhood educator?

Everyone had a dream job when they were growing up, rather it was to become President or even an astronaut. We would always go write about or draw what we wanted to be and how we would get there, but as we continued to grow and get older, those dreams started to become realistic. When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher, following the footsteps of my own teachers that I had in elementary schools. Becoming a teacher stuck with me until my junior year of high school and then it became a choice between two occupations. It was that time of year to start applying for college and todecide what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Then one specific teacher came along that gave me the answers I was looking for, Ms. Jackson. Ms. Jackson was an inspiring teacher who cared for her students, even if she didn’t have them in her class anymore.  She brought the fun into her classroom, she made sure everyone was learning but also having a good time. Sometimes, her students would forget why they are learning a subject because of how much fun they were having. Yes, she got serious as some times and gave us tests and papers to write. But Ms. Jackson kept everyone engaged with her personality and involving different interests and used her students as a volunteer to demonstrate something. I looked up to her, and after having her as my teacher, I knew exactly what I wanted to do; to become a teacher.

Whose pedagogies are shaping your paths?

Being an education major, we get many opportunities to be in a classroom and observe different styles of teaching in different settings. All my field placement teachers are the pedagogies that are shaping my paths to become the best teacher I can be. I have observed and participated in different teaching styles for different students. They all have their own teaching ways and how to keep the students engaged.  Every classroom I have been in, the teacher had special relationships with each student and I could sense that they all wanted them to succeed. They had different accommodations and made sure the students understood what the teacher wanted them to do.

Who is teaching you about the Why and the How in the field of early childhood?

I would say that all my professors at Millersville University are teaching me the Why and the How about early childhood. Each professor has different content and class objectives throughout the semesters. Most of my professors have experience in an early childhood education environment and a good amount of them have their own kids at home. Hearing their teaching experiences and how they got through the first years of having their own classrooms really helped by not getting so nervous but also be ready for the unexpected. My professors show great examples of different students and different situations that might occur and how to act towards it. They taught me how to become a great teacher and how to come up with great lesson plans and activities for the students. My professors also taught me why to be a creative and fun teacher, and why teaching is so important for young learners.

Who speaks truth to you? Shares new insights with you?

There is one specific person who always speaks the truth to me when it comes to my education and my future. My aunt is a 3rd-grade reading specialist and a teachers aide. Even though she doesn’t have her own classroom, she still interacts with many students and treats them like they are her own. There will be times where she will tell me something is a bad idea or if an activity or lesson won’t work with the class. She understands how the student’s brains work and how they process things, so she is setting me up to starting understanding that concept. My aunt will share new ideas with me, or even asks for my opinion on students reading or how they are progressing throughout the school year. She’s my go-to person who I know will help me through my teaching days even when she is retired.