Why did I choose to become a teacher?
I am Emmalea, a young positive friendly helpful individual who loves to help people and be around kids!
Being a teacher is a career that I feel is the perfect fit for me. It gives me the opportunity to be around kids, spread happiness and uniqueness, and be there for my students. I also get to teach my students that it is okay to talk about how they feel and what they value as an individual.
Teaching is something that I love to do and I have done before. I work with young kids through my volunteer work and my jobs during the week. I am so excited for the day that I get to have my own classroom.
Teaching has always been a dream of mine! I love the idea of helping kids learn new things. During my time subbing as an educational assistant I have had the pleasure of working in inclusive education classrooms. Classrooms such as Functional Integrated Academic Program (FIAP), Functional Transition Classroom (FTC) and many other programs.
For both my pre internship and internship I had the upmost honour of working in a Supportive Environment Program (SEP) and Functional Integrated Academic Program (FIAP). Working in an SEP Program allowed me to work one on one with students, use adaptations strategies and unique opportunities to help students learn. One of the biggest takeaways from working in this inclusive education classroom was how students need to learn in the ways that work for them best and everyone learns at their own pace.
Teaching and subbing in a FIAP classroom, allowed me the opportunity to teach students in a more sensory, regulation, life skills focused mentality. Meaning the majority of my lessons were focused on the sensory bins, story times, art projects, calming strategies, the use of dance and movement. As well as focusing on familiarizing students with “calmer” responses or ways to regulate in the moment of a high stress situation.
In my future teaching career, I can see myself spending time in Inclusive Education, whatever program that may be! I have always loved working the students who need that extra support ensuring their voice is being heard. For example those struggling with communication whether it be speaking or speech delays. Eventually in my career, my hope is to apply to the U of A Speech and Language Pathology program.
My specific landing spot in my teaching career maybe unclear due to a high interest in many different opportunities, but that is okay with me because I will never stop advocating for my dreams and help my students to dream big too!