After being a certified lifeguard and swim instructor for three years, I was given a life changing opportunity, to teach a young girl with Autism to swim. After working with her multiple times a week the summer came to an end. When she went back to school she was able to swim freestyle, underwater and in the deep end. I went back to college with such a wonderful feeling knowing that I had a lasting impact on this girl, and with a newfound idea of my future career, to teach children.
I started my teaching career at The Martin C. Barell School, a school for children with Autism, creating academic, behavioral, and daily living skills programs. While this wonderful experienced helped me grow in a multitude of ways,not a day went by that I didn't think of my student teaching experience at PS 212 in Manhattan.I knew if I wanted to be happy with my career choice,I needed to head back to a New York City school that offers both students and teachers a variety of environments to grow in.
In a world that is constantly developing, it is important that our techniques, lessons, and approaches to teaching are doing so as well.As an educator and learner I understand the importance of being flexible and the ability to grow from every situation, positive or negative. My hope is to help my students do the same.I believe by building relationships with my students that they can learn no matter what situation is presented to them.
While students learn from their teachers and peers, it is important to remember that teachers learn from their students and peers. Graduate studies, professional development, and tutoring are a wonderful chance to learn, but it is implementing and hands on experience in which we grow.Each lesson, session, and conversation is a chance for me to move one step closer to the educator I hope to become.The most important thing to not lose sight of in this process is that we work with children. I know I will succeed in becoming the educator I aspire to be when keeping that in mind.