I believe that teaching is a privilege, and what we choose to do with this privilege can determine the path for future generations. I aspire to teach a kindergarten classroom, and for me, the purpose of early education is to build not only academic knowledge and social skills, but also to provide opportunities for children to learn and makes sense of the world in their own unique way. My image of the child is a mix of believing that the child is innocent, but also that the child can be capable and competent. I think children are sensitive to their environment and are easily influenced, however, with that being said, I also believe that children do not need to be “babied” in order for them to understand things about themselves and the world. Because I view children as innocent, I believe their first experiences of being in a learning environment has a crucial impact on how they view themselves as learners, their self-confidence and of course their academic competencies. I want to build an emotional environment that nurtures students to overcome failure, and have an “I can’t do it yet, but if I work hard I know I can accomplish my goal” mindset, rather than “I couldn’t do it the first time, so I’m going to give up and try something new”. As someone who has struggled with tests for as long as I can remember, I can’t think of a better way than play-based learning for young children to demonstrate their progress. Through play, young children naturally question the world, and become naturally curious about certain topics. When children become invested into a topic and are given the opportunity to explore their questions hands-on, they take their experiences with them. In my ideal classroom, I would try my best not to put time restrictions for certain topics to be learned and understood. I believe if children are given ample opportunity to show their skills and improvements, they would not shy away from failure.
My Journey Is My Inspiration