Personal Childhood Web

It is important for a child to have a strong network of caring people, I am lucky to have a large web! The following people however are those who have impacted my life the most:

My father, my sisters and I: 1990

Chet, My Father:

My father is one of my greatest influences; he has guided and supported me throughout my life. He instilled the values of hard work, honesty, loyalty, and family in me. He also encouraged me to excel in school and go to college and beyond. As a cement mason he works a job that is physically demanding and from a young age encouraged myself and my siblings to further our education and recognize the importance and value of our education. My father is an extremely honest and hard working individual and he puts his family above all. This is something that I saw as a young child but did not always recognize until I grew older and realized how important the values he taught us really are to me. As a young child he made me feel special by taking walks with me. Every evening we would take a walk and talk, this alone time with my dad is something that I have always cherished and am grateful for. Today as an adult my father still continues to impact my life-I find myself having the same ethics as he does, he is always someone that I can turn to for advice and whom I want to succeed for.

My mother and I: 1991

Suzanne, My Mother:

My mother is my other greatest influence; she is one of the most caring and nurturing people I know. As a child she was the one I turned to for comfort and she has guided me and my siblings through infancy, childhood, the teenage years and now as adults. I am truly lucky to have a wonderful relationship with my mother and to have had her as my role model throughout my childhood. As a young child she made me feel special because she gave me a lot of responsibilities and encouraged my role as the oldest child, she did a wonderful job of making me and my siblings all know that each one of us is unique and an important part of the family. She instilled in me compassion and nurturing, I believe that because of her I am the teacher I am today. She continues to impact my life as I frequently turn to her for advice on motherhood and raising my son and I strive to have the same relationship with my son that she has with me and my siblings.

My brother and I, my sisters in
the background: 1994

Valerie, Bree, and Chris, My Siblings:

My siblings have had large influence on my life as they were my main playmates when I was a young child. As a child I was encouraged to set a good example for my siblings (I am the oldest) and I really took this to heart. My siblings and I are all close in age and I would always play school with them-I would be the teacher until they grew bored! My siblings helped nurture my imagination as I was the one they looked to to tell stories and think up new games.  My brother especially helped nurture my love for caring for children as he is the youngest and the one that I really took on as my responsibility to care for. At a young age I helped care for him and took pride in his accomplishments. My siblings made me feel special because they turned to me as a role model and asked me for help and advice. I am close with my siblings and they continue to impact my life today as I still strive to set an example and care for them. 

Mrs. Brown and I: 1992

Mrs. Brown, My Kindergarten Teacher:

My kindergarten teacher had a huge influence on my life; she really started me on the path towards loving education! As a young child she was my first introduction to school and as I grew older she acted as a mentor to me. She made me feel special because she was very welcoming to the children in her class and really took the time to get to know all the students and their families. She is truly an amazing woman, one who was more than a teacher as she became a family friend. She is one of my inspirations and she continues to impact my life as I hold her as an example of the teacher I hope to be. 

A Few Things I Love...

July 2010

Drawing From a Student:

This is a picture that a former student drew for me. This was given to me on my birthday but instead of saying “happy birthday,” it says “thank you.” Inside of the card is a letter that my student dictated to his parent thanking me for being a nice teacher. The cake on that he drew is a “fancy birthday cake” with flowers because, according to him, I am a “girl and girls like cakes with flowers! “  I love this card because it is true that teaching is rewarding and this serves as a reminder to me that I am appreciated!

Quote:

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.”  -Stacia Tauscher

This is one of my favorite quotes and one that I feel should be kept in the back of all parents’ and teachers’ minds, especially in today’s day and age. It is important to let children go at their own pace and be free to explore, discover, and learn. Too much pressure and molding-expecting children to be the smartest in their class and preparing for their future as such can lead to forgetting the importance of childhood and all of the wonderfulness that goes along with it. Of course parents want the best for their child and hope that their child’s future is the brightest, but there is so much importance in the present and in childhood itself that it needs to be realized that a bright start today can lead to a bright future… not only that but children are amazing individuals just the way they are today!

Picture:

My son and I, August 2010

Although I usually do not like my picture being taken, I love this picture because it captures how much I enjoy motherhood! Being a mother has taught me a lot- I have grown, both personally and professionally from this experience. It sounds strange to say that I have grown professionally since becoming a mother, but I think my perspective in the classroom has changed. Communication with parents is extremely important and now I feel like I can relate more to parents’ concerns and desires for their children and have become a better communicator in turn.

Hello!

This seems like a great way to learn about others in the education field and share ideas, stories, and more. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences here and learning about others!